Front Stage & Back (in post)
Documentary feature by Charlie Williams
Produced by EXU Media in association with Cinomadic
Give him a mask and he'll tell you the truth.
Front Stage & Back is a warts and all character study of prolific, 58 year old, New York actor, Theodore Bouloukos, who has been in more than a hundred totally unheard of films. In a funny, unflinchingly honest and moving piece of cinema vérité, the camera follows Theodore's daily ups and downs over the course of two years, while exploring deeper themes of performance and the complexities of self knowledge.
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Punctuated by clips from many of his bizarre utterly forgettable films, Theo takes us on a muddled journey through painful auditions, embarrassing rehearsals and drunken dinner parties that describe his life in New York’s Upper East Side, where he shares a rent stabilized apartment with one of his brothers.
Poignant interactions with friends, family, and fellow artists highlight the loneliness of Theo’s quest but he remains always exuberant, audacious, insightful, and only too willing to roll naked in the mud for inexperienced directors. A witty and wonderful narrator of his own story Theo discovers himself with us - exploring the contradictions that make us human, and examining why on earth he has chosen this journey.
"In a sensitive, finely paced conversation between subject and camera, director Charlie Williams searches out the real story beyond this actor’s resilience and flamboyant wit and unfolds a tale of deeper hurt and familial complications. A portrait of true pathos told with real humanity and a light and loving touch, this is a film that speaks to all of our struggles with ourselves, and ultimately, our desire to rise above the ordinary and find significance in our lives." - Jacquetta May
