Bull's Heart by Eva Stefani - 2025
Can art give meaning to our lives?
A documentary produced by Onassis Culture, which focuses on the performance Transverse Orientation by Dimitris Papaioannou. World premiere at the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival.
Filmmaker Eva Stefani follows the preparations behind Transverse Orientation and its tour across theatrical stages in Europe, 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. The central question that runs through the documentary is “Why do we do what we do?” elevating art as a means of resisting the futility of things and a way to reapply meaning to our own lives.
The premiere will take place on Monday, March 10, at 20:00, at Olympion, in the presence of the contributors. A Q&A session will follow.
The second screening will take place on Tuesday, March 11, at 13:00, at the John Cassavetes Hall, Warehouse 1, Port.
I’ve known Dimitris Papaioannou since I was seventeen, and I’ve always wanted to make a documentary about/with him. So, when he suggested that I film the rehearsals for the “Transverse Orientation” performance, I felt exhilarated. However, COVID-19 was still in full swing all over Europe at the time, resulting in a series of postponements of the show. With all the uncertainty brought on by the delays and the grim reality of the epidemic, the question arose once again: “What is the meaning of art in times of crisis?”
The documentary begins by capturing a group of dancers and technicians who find themselves in the weird position of having to work on a show that might never take place. At the same time, it serves as a portrait of an artist who possesses the ability to instill inspiration in his collaborators and captivate his audience with works imbued with ache, emotion, and beauty.
We shot the documentary with a very tight crew, just two or three people, using the direct cinema approach to remain as unobtrusive as possible. We experimented extensively with the image itself, particularly out-of-focus shots, which we believed accurately captured the eerie vibe we felt while watching the performance.
My objective with this documentary was to depict, to some degree, what it’s like to watch “Transverse Orientation,” its sensuality, darkness, and riddle. Beyond that, to leave subtle cracks that offer a glimpse into the intricate psyche of a truly brilliant artist.
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Produced by Onassis Culture
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
Camera Operators: Eva Stefani, Aimilia Milou, Pavlos Kosmidis
Editor: Panagiotis Papafragos
Editing Contributor: Yorgos Mavropsarides
Sound Recordist: Aimilia Milou
Additional Filming from the performance: Julian Mommert
Post-Production Coordinator: Despina Sifniadou
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
Line Production / Accounting and Secretarial Support
Movie CO / Christos Hasapakis
