Renowned Greek rapper LIGHT will make his official acting debut starring as the vilified brutal businessman, Khristos in the up-coming film The Aegean.
The Aegean is a powerful international debut feature film from Australian-based production company Film Focus Productions, set off the coast of a remote Greek Island in the Aegean Sea.
The Aegean is an uplifting story that follows Hector, a widowed Greek fisherman who feels the weight of his age in a world that has started to forget him. He meets Theodore, a teenage refugee, who has been stranded on the island in a dire situation after a shipwreck claimed his family. Despite the trauma of his past, Theodore is an upbeat and charismatic kid, who sees a way out of his situation by partnering by the respected old fisherman. United by their shared struggles, they embark on a journey on the enchanting Aegean Sea, where amidst the azure waters, they discover a newfound purpose and a reason to carry on.
Rapper LIGHT plays the malevolent but charming Khristos, the villain of the piece.
‘’Acting is a whole different ballgame, and it was bit nerve wracking for me at first. It’s not a Greek small production,’’ LIGHT says. “I drew on my experience filming music videos which really helped me transition into the acting role.’’
“The Aegean is a very powerful story. It’s very uplifting. It brings you on an emotional journey of loss, grief and pain. The characters are very uplifting. It was a great opportunity for me to branch out and do something different to music.
“I play the villain, Khristos. He’s a club owner on a small island. He’s a Greek lad and he respects his elders. He views himself as an easygoing and fun-loving guy, when he’s actually a bad guy who is always pissed off.
‘’He takes advantage of the refugee situation and pushes his employees to great extremes.’’
LIGHT played opposite the two leads in the production: Costas Mandylor (SAW X), who played the older role of Hector, and Nicky Dune, who played the younger role of Theodore.
‘’One of my favourite scenes to film was the confrontation with Hector outside the club. There was a lot of tension, and I was able to witness first-hand some great acting and I was very thankful for that,” LIGHT says.
‘’Nicky Dune, who plays Theodore, is a very talented young guy. He has a bright future ahead of him and the way that he gets into character forces you to be a better actor.’’
The Aegean is an ambitious, sweeping epic, that swings for the fences. While the film was shot on the tiny Greek island of Kythira, the filmmakers kept the island ambiguous to convey its pristine, isolated nature. The film never identifies the island, instead using the remote setting to highlight the isolation experienced by the lead characters and emphasizing their solitude. It’s a great way to tackle Greece in a new, interesting and authentic way on screens worldwide; something LIGHT was passionate about when working on the project.
‘’I’m very passionate to have Greece portrayed in art and put on the global stage. I’m a huge ambassador for that,” he says.
‘’It’s a really good movie, it has a great story, it has a great cast, it has a message, and it has something to say.’’
The film brings together a highly talented international cast, with Greek heritage on display. The acting talent hails from Australian, Austrian, British, and Athenian shores. A truly international piece, with a hopeful and upbeat message that cuts through the crises of our time, The Aegean has designs on major film festivals around the world with a focus on compassion, love in the most unlikely of places, and friendship across borders, all set against the wanderlust inspiring backdrop of the Greek islands.
The film which is currently in post-production will be released globally with a release date to be confirmed.
