Soulis Georgiades


Athanasios Georgiades was a Greek film producer.

Early life and family

Georgiades was born in Thessaloniki and was an only child. Although his name was Athanasios, ‘Soulis’ was his artistic name. His father, Dimitri, was one of the four children of the village doctor at Rapsani, a village situated on the slopes of Mount Olympus. His mother, Maria, was a housewife and daughter of a small landowner at the district of Thessaloniki.
Information regarding the family tree from the father's part dates back to about 17th century, when it seems that Kostis family from Mesolonghi, moves towards Thessaly. Constantine Kostis, born in 1733, changed his name to Hatzivassilis, probably as a result of a trip to the Holy Land. Saint Giorgio Hatzilaskaris, neo-martyr executed by Veli Pasha on March 6, 1828 is included at the family tree as well.
In 1870 Georgios Hatzivassilis changed the surname in Georgiades, in honour of Michael Georgiades, a native of Ambelakia and a student of Fereos Velenstilis as a sign of friendship and respect; who will later be the first martyr of the independence of Greece.
The family tree from the grandmother's side, Domouza, includes Temistokle Domouza, commander of armatoliki in the revolution of Thessaly in 1878 and boasts the origin from Ferigo Foscari.

Career

From a very young Soulis showed irresistible passion for cinema, organizing small shows and assiduously studied the history of cinema, not allowing them to lose any movie that was shown at Thessaloniki.
After completing his studies at the Gymnasium of Thessaloniki, at the age of 17, with the moral support of the family and the mother's in particular, he went by train to Paris and enrolled at IDHEC to where he completed his studies with success in 1956. He participated actively in the social life of the community of Greek students whilst studying in Paris and amongst them was Costas Gavras a dancer who moved from Paris directly to Rotterdam in order to embark as a sailor but Soulis convinced him to join the IDHEC. Other well-known figures were also there such as Dimitri Kollatos, Vassilis Vassilikos and others.
In 1957, he met Maria Bianconi, daughter of the famous Italian painter Fulvio Bianconi and moved in Milan Italy to where they married in 1958.
In 1959 Dimitri was born and in 1961 Piero.
Right from the beginning he started working as a commercial director, turning hundreds of advertisements and short films for a huge range of products and customers, such as Café' Bour Bon, Fratelli Fabbri Editori, shoe factory Helvetia, Sugoro Althea, I Grandi Viaggi, Saiwa, Encyclopedia of Women Formaggino D 'Oro Grunland, New Italian editions of ABC, Marina Julia and many others.
Soulis was the first to include the female Singer Milva as a protagonist in an advertisement thus increasing national notoriety. Soulis was also friend and collaborator with Walter Chiari and other famous personas in the field.
In 1962 he founded the 'Art Film’ production company in Milan through which he later produced most of the advertisements.
With his advertisements he had a strong presence until 1966, which was broadcast by RAI after the news, and was dubbed by G. Evangelista, the patron of Telecolor of Rome, ‘the queen of the advertisement’.
Soulis received awards and prizes such as the ‘Prix d’honor’ at the Film Festival in Trieste in 1962, first prize at the film festival of ‘humour’ in Bordighera 1963 as well as to the film festival of 'humour’ in Bordighera 1964. Moreover, the first prize in MIFED in Milan in 1964, the Oscar for best advertising series in Milan in 1964, and the first prize of the Presidency of the Council of the Republic in 1964.
He was friends since the early years in Milan with the Greek consul Teodoros Meletiou, with whom he worked to assist the Greek community of the city Lombard.
In 1965 it was proposed by Minister George Mpakatselos to return to Greece in order to collaborate in the creation of public television in Greece. He moved with his family to Athens and founded in 1966, the ‘General Film’ production, development and film printing company.
He directed and produced the films:
He co-produces:
The rebellion of the ten directed by Enrico Andreou.
In addition, he directed and produced dozens of touristic films on behalf of the Greeks for Tourism and for his own account.
In 1967 he meets the actress Haritini Paralopoulou.
In 1971 he separates from his wife, Maria, and in 1985 gets married again.
He was a member of the ‘Hellenic Union of Directors’ in 1969 and a member of the ‘Committee of the prizes’ of the International Film Festival of Thessaloniki of which he will also be a member of the Committee on the admission of the films in 1979 and 1980.
He was a member of the Committee of the Ministry of Hellenic Industry for the development of cinematography in the years 1980 and 1981.
In 1976, he directed and produced 12 documentaries under the title Our National Heritage and produces the film Polk's case.
Moreover, in the period from 1975 to 1977 he directed and produced about 140 films and TV series, including:
  1. A strange murder
  2. Accusation of the state
  3. Death came one day in advance
  4. Life ended at eight
  5. She was only looking at him
  6. Strange phone calls
  7. Suspected of Giannis Maris
  8. The clinic of terror
  9. The dose was for two
  10. The flower of death
  11. The murder wore tuxedos both directed by Dimis Dadiras
  12. The mystery club TV series of Alberto Ciambrico scripts and screenplays
  13. The night of the truth
  14. The nightmare
  15. The two faces of death
  16. The union will never forgive
  17. The visitor
  18. Theft in the tower of Athens
  19. They warned him that he would die
  20. When you win they murder
In 1978 he directed the film Intrigue in Delphi along with Sergio Bergonzelli in which he also was the producer.
In 1979, the film developing and printing company closed and he founded DEK ltd, which began with the production and sale of videocassette duplication with the initials IVC and VCI, distributing videocassettes recorded both in Italy and in Greece, where he was the market's undisputed leader until the launching of private television stations.
In 1980 he produced the television series Wooden swords, directed by Gregg Tallas.
From 1981 the Electronic Georgiades SA replaced the DEK ltd and focused on the distribution of videotapes, also in the US, where it created a separate company the HVC, in Canada and Australia.
He was a member of GFT & PA and remained a member of the board of directors until 1995.
In 1986, he directed and produced the television series Emigrants’ Café written by Vassilis Vassilikos.
He acquired the studios of Finos Film, with two soundstages of 800 square meters, thus providing a complete set of production and processing cinema and television, with whom in the period 1985-1989 will produce more than 22 films including:
  1. Cerberus directed by Kostas Karagiannis
  2. Destructive meeting
  3. I want a man directed by Odyssey Kosteletos
  4. Journey to... Bangkok directed by Takis Christopoulos
  5. Like this, that and otherwise directed by Giorgio Voutsinos
  6. Lysistrata
  7. My servant... and I directed by Giannis Voglis
  8. Reverse route directed by Manoussos Masoussakis
  9. Strange meeting directed by Manoussos Manousakis
  10. Your death my life directed by Alekos Sakelarios
  11. Zero Hour Automobile directed by Tassos Boulmetis
And the series:
  1. A star is born... with caesarean delivery directed by Alekos Sakelarios
  2. Mr Butterfly goes to paradise directed by Enrico Andreou.
  3. The companion and the cop directed by Nikos Foskolos
  4. The woman of the first page directed by Nikos Foskolos
In 1988 and 1989 he directed and produced for ERT the television series Self-portraits.
In 1988 he acquired a hotel and a restaurant, with the aim of expanding the activities and to integrate with several foreign productions that make use of facilities for audio-visual soundstage.
He suffered a stroke in May 1989 and the subsequent bypass operation slowed him down for a time, but he did not stop.
In 1992 he produced the television series Amazon files directed by Manoussos Manousakis and in 1993 he produced the series The Thirteenth box directed by Tassos Psaras.
In 1994 he produced the series Someone protect her directed by Kostas Avgheris and in 1995 the series Anyhow directed by George Nikolaidis but also the show Anna with love directed by Gianni Livi and the comedy series ΤΑΧΙ directed by Kostas Sioulas and Andrea Morfonio. In 1996 the series Come to Psalti and the stories 100's spicy stories conducted by Giorgo Nikolaidi.
He died of a heart attack in Athens on January 24, 1997, at the age of 62.

Personal life

As a hobby he liked to cook; he loved Italian cuisine in particular and was a talented cook and host.

Works

Partial list of products as a director

  1. Café 'Bour Bon
  2. Calzeturificio ELVEZIA
  3. Dairy d 'gold Grumland
  4. Durban's
  5. Encyclopedia of women
  6. Fratelli Fabbri Editori
  7. I Grandi Viaggi
  8. Imec
  9. Marina Julia
  10. New Releases Italian ABC
  11. Remington
  12. saiwa
  13. Samer - Samaja Mercantile
  14. Sugoro Althea

    List of films as a director

  15. A strange murder
  16. Accusation of the state
  17. Death came one day in advance
  18. Dirladas
  19. Emigrants’ café
  20. Life ended at 8
  21. Lovers of the middle wall
  22. Our National Heritage
  23. Self-portraits
  24. She was looking at him,
  25. Strange phone calls
  26. Suspected
  27. The air-hostess
  28. The clinic of terror
  29. The club of mystery
  30. The dose was for two
  31. The flower of death
  32. The night of truth
  33. The tunnel trick co-directed by Sergio Bergonzelli
  34. The two faces of death
  35. The union will never forgive
  36. The visitor
  37. Theft in the tower of Athens,
  38. They warned him that would die
  39. When you win they kill

    List of works produced

  40. 100's spicy stories, television series
  41. A star is born... with caesarean delivery directed by Alekos Sakelarios,
  42. A strange murder
  43. Amazon file TV series directed by Manoussos Manousakis
  44. Anna with love TV show directed by Gianni Livi
  45. Anyhow TV series directed by George Nikolaidis
  46. Cerberus directed by Kosta Karagiannis,
  47. Come to Psalti, television series
  48. Death came one day in advance
  49. Death came one day in advance
  50. Destructive meeting Greek-Italian co-production,
  51. Dirladas
  52. Emigrants’ café
  53. I want a man.. directed by Odyssey Kosteletos,
  54. Journey to... Bangkok directed by Takis Christopoulos
  55. Like this, that and otherwise directed by Giorgio Voutsinos
  56. Lovers of the middle wall
  57. Lysistrata co-production USSR - Greece
  58. Mr Butterfly goes to paradise directed by Enrico Andreou
  59. My servant... and I directed by Giannis Voglis,
  60. Our National Heritage
  61. Reverse route directed by Manoussos Masoussakis,
  62. Self-portraits
  63. She was looking at him,
  64. Someone look after her TV series directed by Kostas Avgheris
  65. Strange meeting directed by Manoussos Manousakis
  66. Strange phone calls
  67. Suspected
  68. The air-hostess
  69. The clinic of terror
  70. The club of mystery
  71. The companion and the cop directed by Nikos Foskolos
  72. The flower of death
  73. The murderer wore tuxedos directed by Dimis Dadiras,
  74. The night of truth
  75. The nightmare directed by Dimis Dadiras,
  76. The Thirteenth box TV series directed by Tassos Psaras
  77. The tunnel trick co-directed by Sergio Bergonzelli
  78. The two faces of death
  79. The two faces of death
  80. The union will never forgive
  81. The visitor
  82. The woman of the first page directed by Nikos Foskolos
  83. Theft in the tower of Athens,
  84. Theft in the tower of Athens,
  85. Wooden swords directed by Gregg Tallas.
  86. Your death my life directed by Alekos Sakelarios,
  87. Zero Hour Automobile directed by Tassos Boulmetis,
  88. ΤΑΧΙ TV series directed by Andrea Morfoniou