"It's a lovely, gentle film sprinkled with the humour of human foibles and is set to become the most successful Greek film of all time." Bruce Redman ABC RADIO BRISBANE "Using the culinary philosophy of both Turks and Greeks, Boulmetis serves up a mouth watering visual feast, using food as an allegory to address his subjects. Beautifully recounted with both warmth and humour, this emotional coming-of-age story is a magnificent achievement, graced with agreeable characters, lovingly portrayed by a stellar cast." Mark Hanson FILMINK "A Touch of Spice is a grand and eloquent production. Director Boulmetis incorporates computer graphics to convincingly recreate historical sequences. Three actors take on the role of Fanis. The most touching of all is the youngest, played with great sensitivity and humour by Markos Osse." SBS MOVIE SHOW "Magic realism has obviously had an impact on Bouletis, but not as much as the events of his own life. He uses familiar tools, in other words, but the stories are his own, and full of pungent detail. The 1959 scenes are lush, and richly coloured with nostalgia, but tinged with foreboding." Paul Byrnes SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "They cringed at My Big Fat Greek Wedding, quietly fumed at Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and have grown heartily sick of the theme tune from Zorba, but after decades starved of a major international hit, Greek cinema is finally celebrating a film of its own which looks set to be a world beater." Fiachra Gibbons GUARDIAN UNLIMITED UK

"While it may not be the runaway success of its native land, A Touch of Spice, Greece's official selection for the 2005 Best Foreign Language Oscars, will undoubtedly be warmly embraced by both the Greek Community and lovers of world cinema." Louise Keller URBANCINEFILE "Tasty production values and accessible, colorful subject matter elevate food movie to a plat du jour in the Greek cinema menu. " Derek Elley VARIETY USA "Steeped in herbs and aromas, A Touch Of Spice is an appetising dish, which will leave you enchanted and hungry for more." Mark Hanson FILMINK "A Touch of Spice, or Politiki Kouzina if you speak Greek, is the kind of movie in which the advice is obscure and the food rich. Any film that features a scene in which a young bride is initiated into a family by having to cook a sheep's head - to the satisfaction of its assembled women - has my attention. This film has two such scenes, not one." Paul Byrnes SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "I can't recommend TOUCH OF SPICE enough." AICN.COM

At A Glance "A Touch Of Spice" is Village Roadshows first Greek film production and has proved to be a popular success in its homeland. Shot on location in the historic cities of Athens and Istanbul, "A Touch Of Spice" broke box-office records when it opened in Greece on October 24th, 2003. Showing on just 41 screens across Greece, "A Touch Of Spice" recorded an incredible 65,000 admissions. For everyone involved in the film, the news only got better for unprecedented 53% increase in admissions in its second week. But isn't that to be expected, some would say. After all, it is a Greek film screening in Greece. Why wouldn't they flock to it. Well here's the punchline, the guts on why this is a remarkable effort. "A Touch Of Spice" held the number one box-office spot for seven consecutive weeks even though it was up against "Master and Commander" and the worldwide phenomenon, the smash hit "Finding Nemo". Winner of eight National Film Awards including best picture, direction, script, cinematography, editing, sound, music and art direction, "A Touch Of Spice" also picked up the People’s Choice Award at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. And the news only gets better. It's now Greece’s official choice for the Best Foreign Language Oscar for 2005. One could say, can 1.2 million viewers be wrong? According to some critics they can. I am sure that with the largest Greek population outside of Greece located in Melbourne, the film will receive great support here. But is it for everyone? The answer is no. Why? Well, take the film "Shrek 2". Did everyone like it? Strangely enough there were a lot who didn't, but that didn't stop it from becoming a runaway success. Not everyone likes every film they see, even if they don't get to see every film they'd like to. In a country where only the best fish and chips are found in fish shops owned by Greeks [like my mate Jimmy's at Port Noarlunga], where the freshest seafood is proudly displayed in shops owned by Greeks [Angelakis Bros] and where there are many fine Greek restaurants [like the Eros in East End Adelaide] to dine in, this sumptuous tale of growing up surrounded by culinary delights and the magical aroma of a myriad of spices, is indeed a tasty Greek dish. "A Touch Of Spice" is based on the life of Director and Writer Tassos Boulmetis who recalls; "I was born in Istanbul in 1957 and moved to Greece along with my family, after the deportation of 1964." It would be many years before Boulmetis visit his birth place. " After 30 years," he said, "I travelled back to Istanbul so as to visit our old house, my father’s shop and my grandfather’s grocery. When I rang my school bell, Mrs Emilia, my primary school teacher, opened the door. I hadn’t seen her since then. Both my grandfathers were born and died in Istanbul." Boulmetis's film is not one just about childhood and growing up. It is also a film about anger. Of seperatism. Of losing ones identity, not once, but twice. It is also a political statement. "The anger that smoulders in my film is mostly addressing Greeks and not my 'enemies'. Greeks living in Istanbul were active and dynamic members of a healthy community (and not passive and inactive members of a minority)", he explained. "Nevertheless, they had the bad luck to suffer the consequences of a political conflict: on one hand there was a countrywide Turkish policy, which with prowess and enduring patience depopulated a healthy part of the minority and on the other, a short-sighted Greek policy which, without national strategy and vision, led, without realizing it, to the depopulation of the healthy Greek society that lived in Istanbul." That political statement will be lost on many who see "A Touch Of Spice". What may seem important to Boulmetis may have little effect on audiences outside Greece. To the majority of viewers, this film will be seen as a joyous celebration of a colorful life filled with many wonderful memories. And an entertaining one at that! Crew Bytes "A Touch Of Spice" was .......
directed & written by Tassos Boulmetis ["Dream Factory"]; costume design by Bianca Nikolarizi ["Beware of Greeks Bearing Guns"]; edited by Yorgos Mavropsaridis ["Truants ", "Company of Women" and "Hardcore"]; director of photograhpy Takis Zervoulakos ["Rembetiko", "I Kondra", "Made In Greece" and "Me ton Orfea ton Avgousto"]; original music by Evanthia Reboutsika ["Athina-Thessaloniki", "Gia sena", "Aithousa tou thronou, I" and "Alma libre"] set decoration by Olga Leontiadou ["Company Of Women"]; produced by Lily Papadopoulos ["A Touch of Spice"]; production managed by Kostas Lambropoulos ["Touch Me Not ", "Fading Light", "Beware of Greeks Bearing Guns" and "Hard Goodbyes: My Father"]. Casting About "A Touch Of Spice" stars .......
Georges Corraface ["Escape From L A", "Not Without My Daughter", "Impromptu" and "Christopher Columbus, the Discovery"]; Ieroklis Michailidis ["Mavro Gala" and "Back Door"]; Renia Louizidou ["Safe Sex" and "Pamptohi A.E"]; Stelios Mainas ["Hard Goodbyes: My father", "Brazilero", "Valkanizater" and "Deserter"] and Tamer Karadagli [Greek TV star of "Babam Olur Musun", "Nasil Evde Kaldim", "Ferhunde Hanimlar" and "Children Shall Not Hear"]. The Story Popular Professor of Astrophysics Fanis Iakovidis is fourty years old and hasn't seen his grandfather, 'Grandpa Vassilis' since he was seven years old. Forced to leave Istanbul, Turkey in the early 1950's when political turmoil arose over claims to the island Cyprus, Fanis longs to see his Grandpa. Promises of visits to Greece by his Turkish Grandpa have never come to fruition. Of course Vassilis has kept in touch with Fanis by letter, always enclosing his latest x-rays for Fanis to get a second opinion on. Fanis often daydreams of his childhood, recalling time spent in Grandpa's spice shop. Of his childhood first love Saime. Of the wonders of cooking. Then news comes that Grandpa is in hospital. He is in a coma. Fanis travels to Turkey but Vassilis never regains conciousness. At the funeral he finally meets Saime. She is now a beautiful woman. But a hint of sadness tells Fanis her life may not have been easy. The Verdict 'If you love colorful, character driven stories, filled with childhood vision, then "A Touch Of Spice" is just the recipe you need for an enjoyable experience. Like a sumptuos buffet, "A Touch Of Spice" is many dishes that when combined make a memorable treat. Recommended for those who love the romance of childhood memories and the struggle to be ones self in an adult world." The Cast

Georges Corraface Ieroklis Michaelidis Renia Louizidou Stelios Mainas Tamer Karadagli Basak Köklükaya Tassos Bandis Markos Osse Thodoros Exarchos Yannis Firios Pavlos Orkopoulos Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos Athinodoros Prousalis Mimis Thiopoulos

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Fanis Iakovides Savas Iakovides Soultana Iakovidou Uncle Aimilios Mustafa Saime Grandpa Vassilis Little Fanis Doctor Grandpa's friend General of Police Fanis Iakovides[aged 20] Grandpa's friend Grandpa's friend

The Crew Directed & Written by Tassos Boulmetis Executive Producers Harry Antonopoulos & Robert Kirby Produced by Lily Papadopoulos Associate Producers Dionyssis Samiotis & Artemis Skouloudi Original Music by Evanthia Reboutsika Cinematography by Takis Zervoulakos Film Editing by Yorgos Mavropsaridis Set Decoration by Olga Leontiadou Costume Design by Bianca Nikolarizi Production Manager Kostas Lambropoulos Sound Effects Editor Yorgos Mikrogiannakis Run Time 108 minutes Rated M15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2004 - Village Roadshow Films - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2004 - Impact Internet Services & The Movie Pages - All Rights Reserved