We loved Beneath theOlive Tree, Greek-born/New York-based filmmaker Stavroula Toska's grippingdocumentary about women who survived the lesser-known Greek Civil War and keptdetailed journals throughout atrocities such as internment, torture, and evenstraight up murder. And apparently, so did the folks at the Santa Fe FilmFestival as the film took home the prize in the Best Documentary category this weekend.
The Greek Civil War is entirelyunder-acknowledged to this day, even by the Greek government, and our reviewstated that, "Must-see would be an understatement." We sat down with Toska to get a little extra information about the history, her processand why these women are all way more badass than you'll ever be.
Toska: We need tobe clear on that fact that Greece, at the end of World War 2, was America andEngland's guinea pig for new foreign policy. We come out of the war and theatrocities that took place in the concentration camps in Europe, and now youhave the British building these other camps [in Greece] and torturing thesepeople into being "good citizens." We're talking about people who wanted to puttheir own government in place and America and England saying, "No! We are goingto turn this into a colony!" Every single government put in place in Greecefollowing World War 2, the Greek Civil War and all the way up until now waspretty much decided by these powers that be, and Greece was given very directorders that this part of history was never to see the light of day. Let's notforget that history is written by the winners, and that it's also written bythe men.
How did you get learnabout this and get involved then?
I was born and raised in Greece but I never knew anythingabout the civil war. I never even thought to ask. In school we are just taughtthat the government fought and arrested these communists and thank god forthat! So at some point before this project, I decided I wanted to focus on myown work and making movies. I had written this story for a "based on a truestory" movie, and I would up meeting Olympia Dukakis. We spoke about her maybeplaying my mother in the movie, but eventually asked me why I was writing this movie, a romantic comedy, and 'What were the stories I really want to tell?' As a woman, as a filmmaker. Iburst into tears right there because I didn't have a good answer for her. So asI was leaving her home, she gave me a book called Greek Women in Resistance which was a translation of two of the journals these women had written. She'd hadthis book for 30 years and had just put it aside. Whatever it was that broughtit up, she handed me the book and I became obsessed with the stories of thesewomen. I tried to find everything I could get my hands on. My original idea wasto write a script based on true events. I knew I wanted to go to Greece andtalk to these women. It was a little difficult at first, but before you knewit, the women started opening up to me one after the other. No one would havebelieved these things actually happened if it had been a "based on trueevents." These women were just so inspirational and strong and just badass thatI had to tell the story as a documentary.
You say in the filmthat your mother didn't really want to talk about the war, but these otherwomen were open to that?
At first, nobody wanted to talk because they'd told thestories in the past and their words were twisted. They felt betrayed byjournalists, so they were very cautious of me. I was about buildingrelationships, and in the end it was a matter of just one woman talking to me,then the rest saw she did this and would also talk to me. Some of them knew whoOlympia Dukakis is. At a certain point I had to try and turn the tables on themand say like, "It's your fault you haven't talked about this or published abook, it's your fault you haven't spoken to your children or your grandchildrenabout this!" I was in tears. A lot of times it's easier, though, for people totalk to strangers. My mom didn't want to talk about it, but eventually she did.Eventually she called and asked if she could write stuff down, and she wouldwrite to me about it. My mom would sit down and write a little journal of herown. She was maybe a little ashamed of these things, I think. Like, almostmaybe as if she had brought it upon herself. There is still the fear that atany given moment, anything can happen. Every single time I asked the women whytheir children didn't know anything about this, it's because they feel the needto protect their children. When I started talking to them five years ago, they werevery worried. Even women who signed our release and did interviews with these greatstories found us after and asked us in the end not to feature them because theywanted to protect their children. The least I could do was respect that.
This has brought youand your mother closer together?
Oh, absolutely. Sometimes you don't know…there were manythings growing up that I didn't understand about my mother, like all kids, Iguess. Everything has fallen into place, everything about my mother. The wayshe raised us, me and my brother; it was almost as if I had this big puzzle andI knew the corner pieces, but the main picture wasn't there. Now she keepstalking to me and giving me more stories. A lot of those are just for me,though.
In the film, italmost seems like there is a network of imprisoned women working together towrite the journals like a program. How did they accomplish that?
Well, they'd see each other every single day and up in themonastery on the island of Trikeri for example, they had these smallrooms…whenever a woman would get really sick or be beaten really badly, they'dbe put in these small rooms and given care. They didn't want to deal with it ifa woman died, so they would get some medical attention. So, a lot of the womenwould pretend they were sick or, if a guard came and beat them the nightbefore, they would act like they were hurt much worse so they'd have an excuseto get into these little rooms and write. They would hide paper and pencils intheir underwear, or another woman would pass them these things through awindow. They became very inventive and creative.
What has the generalreaction for the film been like at screenings?
I am amazed every single time. I’m always a little nervousgoing into a new screening with a new audience. I don’t want to assume everyoneis going to love it. I’m beyond grateful to the story and to the power of thesewomen and the people who go on the journey. A lot of the comments I get fromAmericans is that they realize for the first time what an important role Greeceplayed in the way.
Have you screened yetin Greece?
Not yet. We’re anxious about it, but also excited. I’vesubmitted to the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival which happens in March. Itwould be great if they accept the film. All the women could come out, my momcould come…I’m intouch with the Prime Minister because I would love theMinistry of Education and the Ministry of Culture to set up screenings all overthe country.
Is screening inGreece a scary prospect?
I'm honestly more concerned with the women and whether theylike it. But look, when a civil war happens, it affects every single family.It's a very painful thing and there were a couple million people who wereliterally caught in the middle and didn't know what to do or who to support. Ihope the new government can see this, they're very left, and learn from themistakes of the past. We see these initiatives in Spain or Chile or Argentinaand the government has initiated these healing groups for people to cometogether and help heal each other. I haven't spoken to them specifically yet,but this is something I want to discuss with them once I get to Greece.
Ultimately, are youhappy with what your film is accomplishing?
Every time I go into a screening and the title card comesup, I have this tension headache because I just want people to like it, but I'mmore than happy. More that anything, though, I want people to feel for thesewomen and what they went through.
