Epiphany movie storyline. As a baby by her father Theo (Alex Dimitriades), Luka (Caitlin Carmichael) was raised by her aunt and uncle—the story unfolds following the death of Luka’s aunt, leaving Uncle Peter reeling from grief and resentment, and Luka searching to connect with the father she hardly knows while he is navigating a new relationship with a woman who may have the will and heart to save them all. Just when they start to try to find their way back to each other, a bitter figure from their past threatens to take it all away, again.
An engaging tale of a family’s journey from its heartbreaking flight from war-torn Cyprus to the struggles of trying to make a living in the dying sea sponge industry. Told through the eyes of Luka, a young Greek girl trying to find her way in a world of people she doesn’t always understand, Epiphany is a character-driven story of a fractured family and how they learn to lean on their Greek heritage to find their way back to one another.
An ode to Greek culture, Epiphany draws on the Sossiadis sisters’ understanding of their heritage and pays homage to the sponge diving town they would visit every summer for holidays. The viewer is invited on a journey exploring familiar relations against the backdrop of a community with a strong cultural tradition.
Epiphany is an American drama and family film directed by Koula Sossiadis Kazista and Katina Sossiadis and starring Claitin Carmichael, Alex Dimitriades, George Georgiou, Burt Young, Scottie Thompson, Alexi Stavrou, Liam Tomasiello, Isabella Menna, Anna Hinsley, Seth Michaels and David Velez. The screenplay was written by Koula Sossiadis Kazista and Katina Sossiadis
About Behind the Scenes
As Ms Carmichael explains, her character’s choice to cling on to the negligent relationship she has with her biological father stems from the sudden lack of maternal figures in her life. Luka and Theo at the dock. “She is a strong heroine, but to emerge into this, she must determine the place for a girl in her male-dominated culture,” she says.
Gender roles are presented without sugar-coating in a community where traditions remain intertwined with religious protocol. A straightforward example is found in the Epiphany celebration incorporated into the movie. In Tarpon Springs, cross-diving is considered a males-only act. But what happens when a girl wants to participate?
And that’s exactly what happened during Ms Carmichael’s research for her role in Epiphany. “When I arrived in Tarpon Springs, the first thing I wanted to do was attend a church service at the local Greek Orthodox church so I could really immerse myself in the practices of the religion[…],” she says. “There’s definitely a sense of authenticity that circles the film’s connection to the Greek Orthodox church.”
Grounded performances and a directorial focus on keeping the film’s tone raw and authentic were instrumental for this purpose. “Our directors, Koula and Katina, explained to me that their priest found it crucial to have our leading characters appear as normal parishioners in the church. It was also extremely important to have Greek actors play the leading men. Koula and Katina were so adamant about casting the best Greek actors that they flew Alex Dimitriades all the way from Sydney,” says Carmichael.
Initiated into acting since she was three and a half years old, Carmichael, 15, has worked on more than 40 films! Hence understandably, the collaboration with actors of the likes of Mr Dimitriades and Mr Georgiou, was just another educational opportunity and quite a rewarding experience for all.
“Alex and George both had character transformations that were very artistically inspiring for me to observe. Alex even survived a shoulder dislocation while performing his own sponge-diving stunts. This occurrence on one of our first days of filming showed me how dedicated he was to this film and his character. He was back on set in a day tackling really emotionally challenging scenes. He is truly unstoppable.
“George, on the other hand, was so positive all the time off screen. But as soon as he stepped in front of the camera, he was able to switch into the mindset of a widower processing love, loss, and grief.”
In fact, this wasn’t the first time Ms Carmichael crossed paths with Mr Georgiou on set. Main characters, Peter (L), Theo, and Luka in the middle. “It was a really funny moment when George approached me and asked if I knew we had worked together before! I had no idea we were both a part of the cast of 300: Rise of an Empire,” the young actress recalls. Having a close bond as a cast, she adds, allowed them to be “emotionally vulnerable with each other on screen”.
While character-driven, Epiphany combines multiple story lines from where distinct themes emerge. “For instance, Luka portrays a coming of age story, while her father, Theo, depicts a story of redemption. Water is a profound symbol throughout the film representing rebirth and revitalisation. Another interesting theme is survival through the perspective of American immigrants, ” she says, pointing out that family is the binding glue intertwining the lives of all characters.
But, according to Carmichael, one of the film’s most important elements is that it manages to speak to the heart of a universal audience. “Whether someone is looking for a love poem to Greek culture, a familial story, a tale of redemption, something that promotes femininity in a male-centered world, a romance, or themes of spirituality, there’s something for everyone.”
Epiphany (2019)
Directed by: Koula Sossiadis Kazista, Katina Sossiadis
Starring: Caitlin Carmichael, Alex Dimitriades, George Georgiou, Burt Young, Scottie Thompson, Alexi Stavrou, Liam Tomasiello, Isabella Menna, Anna Hinsley, Seth Michaels, David Velez
Screenplay by: Koula Sossiadis Kazista, Katina Sossiadis
Production Design by: Adri Siriwatt
Cinematography by: Alice Gu
Film Editing by: Soojin Chung
Costume Design by: Stefanie Del Papa
Art Direction by: Jim Green, Maggie Hudak
Music by: Nuno Malo
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Bridgestone Multimedia
Release Date: May 18, 2019
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