Papadopolous & Sons - Q & A with Marcus Markou

The director of Papadopolous & Sons, Marcus Markou, came to our school to talk to us about his film.
He described the casting process and how he was able to get actor Stephen Dillane to play the lead character, Harry Papadopolous. Dillane read the script and loved the character and the story, but was initially unable to take the role because he needed to shoot Game of Thrones. Markou then asked if his son, Frank Dillane (Tom Riddle from Harry Potter), would be able to play the role of Harry's son James. Because Stephen Dillane really wanted to act in this film alongside his son, he was able to move forward the entire production schedule of Game of Thrones.
Marcus Markou wanted the Greek-French actor Georges Corraface to play Uncle Spiros, and sent him the script, which Corraface liked and so agreed to take the role.

When Markou was writing the script, he didn't have a specific audience in mind - he wanted it to be something that anyone could relate to. After Cineworld agreed to distribute the film, he chose for it to be shown in cinemas in or near Greek communities, where he specifically targeted Greek audiences by handing out leaflets and tweeting. He even told us that by marketing Papadopolous & Sons to Greek communities, the film ended up being blessed by a Greek priest…
He also targeted fish and chip shops, for example, by tweeting them, and as a result people who worked there went to see the film with friends and family.

Marcus Markou had never made a feature film before, but he made Papadopolous & Sons because it was a story he loved and wanted to tell. I find it interesting that he was able to write and direct the film without any previous experience in the film industry. He had studied history at university, went to acting school in his late twenties and then worked as an internet entrepreneur before studying at Met Film School and finally making his first feature film. Usually, you hear about directors who have been making their own movies since they were kids, but Marcus didn't have this experience and told us that even after making the film, he still has a limited technical knowledge.