Bull’s Heart | Eva Stefani
Dates
Location
Time & Date
Information
Admission information
Admission by invitation only
Film length
79 minutes
Post-Screening Discussion
Following the premiere, a discussion will take place with director Eva Stefani, artist and director Dimitris Papaioannou, and Onassis Foundation Artistic Director Afroditi Panagiotakou.
Can art give meaning to our lives? Turning her camera on Dimitris Papaioannou, Eva Stefani follows the inception and trajectory of "Transverse Orientation" step by step as the show travels to different theatrical stages around the world.
Filmmaker Eva Stefani follows the preparations behind "Transverse Orientation" and its tour across theatrical stages, observing from a close distance Dimitris Papaioannou and his collaborators in their effort to give shape and breathe life into the work. For two years, her camera captured scenes from the rehearsals at the Onassis Stegi during the pandemic, as well as performances in Paris, London, Vilnius, and other international destinations, leading to the last show in San Francisco.
Photo: Andreas Simopoulos
The film explores the dynamics created from a work of art, revealing moments of anxiety, uncertainty, and profound trust that define the world of rehearsals—the hope that arises in times of crisis, and the transformation of loss into creation. With insatiable curiosity and a wondrous gaze, Dimitris Papaioannou brings the representation of the human body on stage, striving to capture every movement, every emotion. In turn, Eva Stefani captures Dimitris himself with her cinematic gaze, recording his creative process. "Bull’s Heart" is not just a documentary about a performance or an artist, but a study on the very nature of creation. Besides, as Dimitris Papaioannou says in one of the film’s scenes: “The joy of art is that it gives you the sense that there is something beyond the life you are living.”
Photo: Andreas Simopoulos
The film was lauded with the WIFT GR (Women in Film and Television) Award and the Special Award by the Youth Jury Award of Thessaloniki University Students at the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. In the fall of 2025, it was screened at the major international festivals Doclisboa and Doc NYC, and will have its Athenian premiere at the Onassis Stegi shortly before its release in Greek cinemas.
Photo: Andreas Simopoulos
"Bull’s Heart" is not just a documentary about a performance or an artist, but a study on the very nature of creation.
Photo: Andreas Simopoulos
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An Onassis Culture production.
Credits
Direction, Screenplay, & Cinematography
Eva Stefani
With
Dimitris Papaioannou
And
Breanna O’Mara, Tina Papanikolaou, Damiano Ottavio Bigi, Šuka Horn, Jan Möllmer, Łukasz Przytarski, Christos Strinopoulos, Michalis Theophanous
Executive Producers
Afroditi Panagiotakou, Dimitris Theodoropoulos
Producer
Vassilis Panagiotakopoulos
Editor
Panagiotis Papafragkos
Editing Contributor
Yorgos Mavropsarides
Camera Operators
Eva Stefani, Aimilia Milou, Pavlos Kosmidis
Sound Recordist
Aimilia Milou
Additional Filming from the performance
Julian Mommert
Post-Production Coordinator
Despina Sifniadou
Budget Manager
Maria Vasariotou
Sound Mixing
Kostas Varybopiotis
Picture Post Services
AUTHORWAVE
Colorist
Manos Hamilakis
Additional Colorist
Maria Tzortzatou
Head of Post
Panos Bisdas
Post Manager
Liza Chrysochoou
Technical Supervisor
Panagiotis Karachalios
Assistant Editor
Fani Bitou
English Subtitles
Memi Katsoni
Subtitles Editing
Iannis Papadakis
Translation Editing
Rachel Howard
Text editing - Proofreading
Vassilis Douvitsas
Line Production / Accounting and Secretarial Support
Movie CO / Christos Hasapakis
Titles/Credits
Constantinos Chaidalis
Campaign Manager
Elisavet Pantazi
Copywriter
Elizampetta Ilia Georgiadou
Special Thanks
Olia Lazaridou, Zafos Xagoraris, Euripides Laskaridis, George Bekirakis, Geli Mademli, Ionas Kallimanis, Alexandra Matheou, Katerina Stefanidaki, Katerina Oikonomakou, Daphne Kontargyri, Andreas Vais, Efthimis Filippou, Yorgos Stefanakos, Yorgos Mavropsarides, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Angeliki Margeti, Aimilia Milou, Panagiotis Dagres, Yorgos Kravaritis, Stephanos Droussiotis, Nikos Ziogas, Adela Stefani Tsitsou, Louiza Ntourou, Yorgos Lanthimos, Angeliki Stellatou, Athina Tsangari; Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch; Chris Lorway, Laura Evans (Stanford); Pinhas Postel (Tel Aviv); Gintare Masteikaite (Vilnius); Roberta Zanardo (Rome); Robert Jones (London); Arthur Laurent (Lyon); Claire Verlet, Aurelien Coche (Paris)
We are grateful to
Dimitris Vernikos for providing the video recordings of part of the archival footage shown in the film
Sponsors/Partners
With the support of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center—Creative Greece
World Sales
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