On New Year's Eve 1900, a dangerous bandit escapes from prison, riding a white horse. The people call him Magalexandros, seeing in him the mythical analogue of the heroes of popular uprisings. With the help of his lads, he kidnaps a group of English diplomats and holds them hostage in his village, asking the government for amnesty and the return of the land to the villagers. The community of the villagers, under the guidance of a socialist teacher, greet Alexander as their savior. The harmony, however, does not last long... Angelopoulos, in a masterful way, deals with the contradictions in the formation of the nation-state that permeate both the popular uprisings and the corruption of state officials.
Theo Angelopoulos (1935-2012) was one of the most important Greek auteurs. He studied law at the University of Athens and cinema in Paris (Sorbonne and IDHEC). His films have been screened at many international festivals and have won many awards and distinctions, while he and his work hold an important place in world cinema and film literature.
