Image Courtesy: Google Doodle
Filopimin Finos (1 September 1908 – 26 January 1977) was a Greek film producer of 186 films and the founder of Finos Film, whose first film was in 1939. He built the first sound recording device in Greece and shot the first color film with stereo sound.
Life and Career
Filopimin (Philippos) Finos was born on 1 September 1908, in Athens, Greece. Filopoimin Finos was one of the biggest producers of the Greek cinema during the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s. His father was a farmer, but Finos loved cinema from his childhood, so when he came of age he sold everything that he owned in order to make reality out of his dreams. His last movie was produced in the 70s, and it starred Dionysis Papagiannopoulosin Giannis Dalianidis’s film O kyr’ Giorgis ekpaidevetai (1977). It was a big flop, and the company that he had created back in the 40s named Finos Film was bankrupted. During the previous 3 decades, he produced the biggest successes of the Greek cinema, but he was always under criticism because of the lack of quality in some of them. On the other hand some of his films like I Agni tou limaniou (1952), I Aliki sto Naftiko (1961), Madalena (1960), Oi kyries tis avlis (1966) , Stefania (1966), Barrel Piano, Poverty and Carnations (1957), The Auntie from Chicago (1957) and many many others, are considered as classic and perfect portrait of mid-class Greece of the 50s and 60s. He produced many films, and he created major stars out of them, like Aliki Vougiouklaki, Rena Vlahopoulou, Alekos Alexandrakis, Martha Karagianni, Jenny Karezi Dimitris Papamichael, Dinos Iliopoulos, Georgia Vasileiadou and many many more. He even pushed the career of the great Irene Papas, but he never thought of Melina Mercouri as a movie star because of her big mouth, so he missed the opportunity to expand and become an international company, when he refused to co-produce Never on Sunday (1960).
His only attempt to make an international film, was with Aliki Vougiouklaki in 1962 and Rudolph Maté. The film was Aliki (1963) and it was a miserable flop, that cost many million drachmas to Finos. During the last years of his life he failed to gain the respect of the critics and the love and popularity of the Greeks. He died never working on the TV, which he never liked and accepted. But F. Finos has gained immortality…his films are constantly shown in the Greek TV channels, with great rating. The Greek Cinema, although now creating films of quality and high ideals, never regained the popularity that had when he was producing films.
Finos died in January 1977 after suffering cancer for seven years.
Award and Legacy
Filopimin Finos left a lasting legacy in Greek cinema through his production company and the numerous films he produced. His dedication to producing films that captured the essence of Greek culture and society has left an indelible mark on the country’s cinematic history. His work and influence continue to be remembered and celebrated in the Greek film industry.
On 1 September 2008, Google celebrated Filopimin Finos’ Birthday with a doodle.