Golfo

Golfo (Greek: Γκόλφω) is a 1915 Greek silent film directed by Konstadinos Bahatoris. It is the first Greek feature film and fustanella film. The fustanella is a pleated skirt-like garment that is also referred to as a kilt. The traditional Greek garment is still worn by the Presidential Guard of Greece. Another fustanella film is Astero (1929). Golfo was based on a popular Greek agricultural-themed play written by Spyridon Peresiadis. Golfo is a tragedy resembling William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was the forerunner for agricultural-themed films in Greek cinema during the 1920s and 1930s inspiring films featuring sheep herders such as Astero (1929) and Daphnis and Chloe. The first synchronized sound film (talkie) in Greece was another fustanella shepherd romance inspired by Golfo released in 1932 entitled Sweetheart of a Shepherdess (Ο Αγαπητικός της βοσκοπούλας).

The original five-act play entitled Golfo first premiered theatrically in 1893 by an amateur theatre troupe in Akrata under the supervision of Spyros Peresiadis regrettably, he was blind. The play made its first appearance at the Athens Paradisos theater on 10 August 1894 by the theatre troupe Proodos. Over a decade later the play premiered in Thessaloniki on 26 January 1913 and Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos attended the event. The play became extremely popular across the entire nation and eventually was adapted for cinema around 1914. The premiere was on 22 January 1915 at the Pantheon Cinema in Omonia Square at 73 Panepistimiou. The critiques gave a favorable review but also pointed out several technical errors. The film was remade in 1955 with modern sound technology by Orestis Laskos and produced by Finos Film. Afterward, there have been countless theatrical reenactments of the play and more films were produced featuring the story of Golfo. Regrettably, the original film did not survive.