The dawn that united Greece and Ireland

Embrace the journey of the song. Alan Gilsenan’s documentary follows the footsteps of the “laughing baby” from civil war-torn Ireland to the Greek colonel-junta, weaving together the history and trauma of the two countries.

at one Poem He breaks ties with his country and travels. When the melody directly addresses the heart of an entire people. When a song becomes an anthem. Thanks to a rare collection of Things That Happen and Never Again, an ode by the Irish defender Brendan Bean It was written at the age of thirteen resistance symbol in Greece through his music Mickey Theodorakis This is her terrifying performance Maria Faradori At the historic 1974 concert at Karaiskaki Stadium. But who knows that “baby laughing” Was it none other than the famous Irish rebel Michael Collins?

The untold story is recorded in documentary His “laughing boy”. Alan Gilsenan, which won the Audience Award at the 25th International Thessaloniki Festival. The movie follows the poet Theo Dorgan As he traces the course of the poem while weaving together the contemporary histories of Ireland and Greece—both steeped in trauma. “There is something magical and mysterious that something as simple as a song has been able to translate and turn into the emotional core of another country.” says to “K” The 60-year-old Irish filmmaker, who was particularly fond of Bayan’s poem, was unaware of the connection he had forged with Greece. “The first person to tell me the story of the song that forever united the two countries was producer Katharine Beard, who was forever in love with all things Greek.”

The Laughing Boy, written by Young Manifesto in 1936, was an obituary for Michael Collins, an IRA leader and ethos of anti-British Irish urban rebellion (2022 was the centenary of his death). It appeared in 1962 in Greece, translated by Vassilis Rotas and composed by Theodorakis, in an adaptation of Bayan’s play Hostage. The “laughing baby” has been associated with Belogiannis, Lambrakis (Kostas Gavras used it as a key musical motif in his movie “Z”), Sotiris Petroulas. “We killed the laughing baby” soon became (after Collins was killed by Irish fire) “our enemies were killed”, and after the fall of the Junta “enemies” became “fascists”. With this verse, the “laughing child” continues to take the form of lost youth, like Grigoropoulos and Fyssas, and remains to this day one of the most powerful symbols of Greek songwriting.

The film follows poet Theo Dorgan as he traces the path of the poem and the recent history of the two countries.

He is almost a legendary person

There was no doubt, Bayan’s song “spoke” in Greek as well. But what, in his opinion, allows a song to find a second life, a second home? According to Gilsenan, “There is something universal about the concept of ‘boy’ (he says it in Greek). Something about innocence, idealism, attitude in the face of death. He is an almost mythical figure that Bian manages to describe. But the true power of a song or poem is a mystery, why something doesn’t resonate While many do not hesitate. I try not to analyze all this too much because it is the opposite of analysis, it is the unexpected possibilities of our art.” However, it is no coincidence that the thread that united these two countries. “We are two countries on the edge of Europe, two countries that have known poverty and oppression, but we both have powerful, creative, and mythical lives—a fantasy world that undermines ordinary, everyday life. There are other things that unite us, joy, sociability, fun, but all this in a context of sadness and nostalgia.”

Filmed in Ireland, France and Greece, the film features famous Irish and Greek artists, such as Andy Irvine, Donal Looney, Maikay, Liam Moonlay, David Bauer and, of course, Maria Varandori. Among others, Pantelis Voulgaris, Rubiros Manthoulis and Pantelis Boukalas speak for “Laughing Baby”, while the original music was written by Eleni Karendru. “It was great to be involved in the history of a great nation, and also to work with so many great people. I’ve been a huge fan of Theo Angelopoulos for many years and made this movie feel like I was moving through his landscape – although not as idyllic and imposing as his, our images The inspiration was there. Great joy, so great, that I collaborated with Eleni Karaindrou on the music. I’m so grateful for that.”

Laughing Child, which in addition to the Thessaloniki Audience Award won the Pull Focus Award for Best New Irish Documentary at the Docs Ireland Awards 2022, will premiere on Wednesday 5th April at 8pm. At the French Institute in Greece (Sina 31) and on Sunday, April 9, at 4 pm. At the Danos Cinema (109 Kifisius Street).