Flea
Dimitris Spyrou
Greece, 1990
ACTIVITIES
ASSOCIATIONS
First Grade of Junior High: Chapter 6 – Older Ways of Living
Second Grade of Junior High: Chapter 10 – Loving the Fellow Citizen
Third Grade of Junior High – Composition: Chapter 5 – Discussing Work and Professions / Chapter 6 – Watch and Get Entertained by Different Sources
Second Grade of Junior High: Biology
FILM EXTRACTS
ACTIVITY 1
GENERAL DISCUSSION
– Observe closely the poster of the documentary and start brainstorming!
– In your opinion, what is the main theme?
– Who is the main character? How would you describe him?
– Where is the plot set, in your opinion? Is it in a city or in a village?
– In which period is the plot of the film situated?
ACTIVITY 2
Split into 3 Groups (Characters – Film Language – Historical & Social Context) so as to discuss the following question:
Characters
EXCERPT Α:
– After observing Elias’s attire and room, try to imagine his full profile eg. habits, economic and family status, character, etc.
– What is the psychological condition of the hero? What is the situation he is called to face?
– Which object/motif dominates in his room decoration? What does this taste suggest about his character
– What is his greatest wish? Do you think he will be able to fulfill it ?
– At the end of the clip, Elias’ father appears on screen. How would you describe their relationship?
EXCERPT Β:
– What did Elias come up with to make fun of his classmates? Did you ever do any similar pranks? Share your experience with the rest of the class.
– The teacher is being strict when trying to impose himself. What kind of relationship has he seem to develop with his students?
– How does Krinio react when her teacher prompts her to tell who’s guilty?
– What is the new thing we get to learn about Elias’ character in addition to the profile we made after watching the first clip?
– How did this particular scene made you feel?
ACTIVITY 2
Split into 3 Groups (Characters – Film Language – Historical & Social Context) so as to discuss the following question:
Film Language (see Manuals: Shot)
EXCERPT Α:
– How many shots does the particular snippet comprise? Which one lasts longer?
– At what points does the camera fail to remain static? What is the term for this specific camera movement and what is its function in these specific shots, in your opinion?
– Cinema sound functions as a means of transition in space and time, but also as a means to express emotions. Do you think that the soundtrack of the clip manages to reflect the psychic mood of the hero?
– What are the elements of mise-en-scene that signify the era the film is taking place?
– In this excerpt, we listen to Elias’s thoughts and concerns. What is the name of the sound technique that is applied when the hero expresses what he thinks (see Manuals: Sound)?
– How important are Elias’ body language and facial expressions Elias in the rendering of his emotional state?
EXCERPT Β:
– At the beginning of the clip, there is camera movement. What does this specific option serve?
– When Elias admits he is guilty, where is the camera set and what kind of shot is used?
– What do you think will happen next?
ACTIVITY 2
Split into 3 Groups (Characters – Film Language – Historical & Social Context) so as to discuss the following question:
Social-HIstorical Context
EXCERPT Α:
– Elias sits on the chair he used to prepare each page of his newspaper. What are the props that he seems to use for each edition;
– Elias wishes to visit a printing house. What does he expect to see and hear over there? If you visit newspaper’s office today, will you encounter the same tools?
– In which ways do news get disseminated today?
– If you were given the opportunity to publish a newsletter of your own in the present day, what topics would you like to cover?
– Today’s journalists follow the current code of ethics. If The Flea was a journalist today, how would he feel?
– What kind of information does set design give us regarding the decoration of a 1960s country house?
– Look for the definition of flea in the school library dictionaries. Consequently, make an online search for riddles, proverbs or songs (such as Greek songs Kato sto Yalo, Paramythi tou Bousali) that could be related to the flea!
EXCERPT B:
– In the beginng of the clip, the children are gathered in the courtyard. What activities do they engage with? Are their games similar to what you were playing at a younger age?
What information do we get about dressing and style of students of that specific era?
– What conclusions do we draw on the relationship between students and teachers in this particular era?
– Compare the methods used by Elias’s teacher to the features of school life as narrated by Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis in the passage New Pedagogy (New Greek Literature, First Grade of Junior High).
ACTIVITY 3
Association: Second Grade of Highschool: Composition (Presentation/Review)
Step 1:
Read the reviews below and fill in the table according to the topic of each column.
- Dimitris Spyrou’ The Flea is a sympathetic film, because the director’s gaze is sympathetic and sweet, in his narration of true “heroic” story, which he recreates. A twelve-year-old student creates and distributes a DIY handwritten newspaper in a mountainous village of Olympia, Peloponnese, in 1965. This little aspiring publisher in this remote village runs through the film and manages – with perseverance, patience and stubbornness – to open a window to the world, to keep his hope up, and to confront the conservative microcosm of his village with the childish innocence of his actions. Yannis Bacoyannopoulos, https://cinedraseis.wordpress.com/tainies/%CE%BF-%CF%88%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%82/
- The Flea is made of genuine materials, such as the newspaper that gave the original inspiration to the director. The acting is genuine and modest: it’s full of emotion, authenticity, and freshness. Dimitris Spyrou narrates a story that moves him in a frank, open way, without employing intellectual tricks to pass his sentiment to the viewer. In this way, he doesn’t force our engagement with the film. Chrisovitsanos, Ethnos https://cinedraseis.wordpress.com/tainies/%CE%BF-%CF%88%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%82/
- From a technical point of view, the film is very good, featuring an excellent cinematography capturing the picturesque stone houses and mountainous landscapes scenery. The original music, with solo clarinet, guitar and flute, fits neatly into action. The performances, and particularly those of the children, are absolutely enjoyable. Variety 18-2-1991, https://cinedraseis.wordpress.com/tainies/%CE%BF-%CF%88%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%82/
- Last Sunday at the London Film Festival, the English audience, which is usually difficult to please, welcomed with warm and prolonged applause the Greek film The Flea: This pure and simple, but by no means simplistic or pseudo-intellectual film with the genuine Greek touch moved the audiences created emotions without getting melodramatic, and its subject matter naturally unraveled its social relevance. The film discusses how mediocrity and petty interests monsters coalesce to suppress all creative effort (unless they can exploit it), to erase any spark that can pop up from an extinguished fire. Eleftherotypia https://cinedraseis.wordpress.com/tainies/%CE%BF-%CF%88%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%82/
- In this year’s Berlinale, Southern Europe is represented by the Greek film The Flea. This is the film debut of director Dimitris Spyrou! A sample of cinema of high aesthetic values, that captures the suffocating narrow-mindedness of a Greek village in the late 1960s. Film – Dienst https://cinedraseis.wordpress.com/tainies/%CE%BF-%CF%88%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%82/
Script |
Technique |
Actors |
ACTIVITY 3
Association: Second Grade of Highschool: Composition (Presentation/Review)
MY REVIEW
LIKE & DISLIKE
Liked Disliked
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FILM ASSESSMENT
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ACTIVITY 4
COMPARE
The script of the film is based on Dimitris Spyrou’ novel of the same title, which was published by Patakis editions in 1993. http://www.biblionet.gr/main.asp?page=results&Titlesid=98531
After you trace the book in the school or municipal library, split into two groups (examining excerpts A & B respectively) and look for the pieces of the book that are related to the excerpts you used. Each group is invited to make a presentation with the similarities and differences found between the literary and the cinematic narrative. During your preparation stage, you can think of issues such as the following:
- Has the dialogue of the heroes of the book been embedded verbatim to the script? Where there any additions/adaptations?
- In a piece of literature, time and space are usually described through prepositions, adverbs or subordinate clauses. How do these two entities “translate” in this film clip?
- Which type of shots or camera movement replace the attribute that the author has chosen to describe the hero? How about the metaphor or simile he has chosen to convey his characters’ emotions?
- Do we agree on the selection of these particular actors who impersonate the main characters? Is their performance convincing?
- In which way is the intradiegetic narrator expressed in the film excerpt?
ACTIVITY 5
I DREAM
You take on creating a series of commercials on the topic When I grow up, I dream of…
Your goal is to present how do you and your classmates envision yourself after a couple of years. Split into four groups. It is imperative that each group comprises at least five members.
Each member picks up a role such as (director, assistant director, cameraman, sound engineer, interviewer, interviewee), however…
Each member of the team needs to play the part of the interviewee and complete the sentence: When I grow up, I dream of…
Organize the shooting starting by the storyboard (see Manuals – Script), where you will keep notes about the distribution of roles (see Manuals – Credits), your selection of settings, your preferences in costumes, make up or musical score, the anticipated shooting time, etc. Create! If you are in the mood for some craft work, you can design your shots with pen and paper on the story board that you can find further down this page (see Manuals – Script). Otherwise, you can create a digital story board by clicking on the following page: http://www.comicstripcreator.org/.
- Turn on your camera, lights, camera, action!
- For those who are interested, you can send the spots you will create at inf0@cinemuseum.gr
1. Create your own Story board (please refer to Glossaries Section– Script). Imagine film setting, costume, make-up, music. Think of character dilemma.
2. Start filming, 3-2-1, Go!
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