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What does it mean to capture reality? The creative documentaries of Alcaeus Spyrou (1991) are experiments in getting closer to the truth behind certain locations. These are invariably industrial or urban landscapes in transition. As a filmmaker he attempts to visualize the effects these transitions have on local residents or users. Following the tradition of cinema verité, he does this with minimal means and by interfering as little as possible. His main concern is creating the framework in which the story can unfold.
This also applies to his new film, Pave Paradise (2024), which focuses on the complications surrounding the redevelopment of the Omonoia (Greek for harmony) Square in Athens, his native city. This oldest square in the city is often the place where migrants first arrive, but has been in a state of dilapidation for decades. The municipality’s announcement that drastic renovations, which will inevitably lead to gentrification, are to take place, results in mounting tensions among the local residents and violent confrontations with the authorities. Spyrou follows three of these local residents with a small, handheld camera, capturing them in atmospheric nocturnal images. Little by little he unravels both the physical and emotional relationship they have with this square. They each experience a sense of being excluded by innovations that take place beyond their control. They each find comfort in poetry, music, or in a balcony resembling a green oasis filled with plants. With minimal means, Spyrou reveals how the personal and political are intertwined in the spaces we live in.
Text: Esmee Postma
Translated from Dutch by Marie Louise Schoondergang (The Art of Translation)