''The Illiac Passion'' is a 1968 American

avant-garde film Experimental film or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that does not apply standard cinematic conventions, instead adopting non-narrative forms or alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working. Many experimental films, ...

directed by

Gregory Markopoulos Gregory J. Markopoulos (March 12, 1928 – November 12, 1992) was a Greek-American experimental filmmaker. Biography Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1928 to Greek immigrant parents, Markopoulos began making 8 mm films at an early age. He attended USC F ...

Production

Jerome Hiler was an assistant on ''The Illiac Passion'', working on costumes and scouting locations. Working titles for the film were ''Prometheus Bound'', ''Himself as Himself'', and ''Eternity''. The soundtrack is based on a recording of Markopoulos reading

Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading Transcendentalism, transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon sim ...

's translation of ''

Prometheus Bound ''Prometheus Bound'' () is an ancient Greek tragedy traditionally attributed to Aeschylus and thought to have been composed sometime between 479 BC and the terminus ante quem of 424 BC. The tragedy is based on the myth of Prometheus, ...

''.

Release

''The Illiac Passion'' premiered at the Film-Maker's Cinematheque in April 1968. The film screened at the fourth in 1967. The festival jury made the controversial decision not to consider ''The Illiac Passion'' for any prizes, since Markopoulos had previously won for '' Twice a Man''. A planned 1980 screening at the

National Gallery of Athens The National Gallery (, ''Ethniki Pinakothiki'') is an art museum located on Vasilissis Sofias avenue in the Pangrati district, Athens, Greece. It is devoted to Greek and European art from the 14th century to the 20th century. The newly renov ...

was cancelled out of concern that the film contained nudity. ''The Illiac Passion'' is now part of

Anthology Film Archives Anthology Film Archives is an international center for the film preservation, preservation, film studies, study, and film distribution, exhibition of film and video, with a particular focus on independent film, independent, experimental film, ex ...

' Essential Cinema Repertory collection.

References

Bibliography

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External links

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''The Illiac Passion''
at the Temenos {{DEFAULTSORT:Illiac Passion, The 1960s American films 1960s avant-garde and experimental films Films based on classical mythology Films directed by Gregory Markopoulos Works based on Prometheus Bound Films based on works by Aeschylus