By Valerie Milano
Photo by Hermes Lucas
Marcus Markou's Two Strangers Who Meet Five Times touches on the topical issues of racism and poverty. This must-see film has been selected for numerous high profile film festivals and won many awards. The live-action short stars Laurence Spellman (
Ready Player One), Sargon Yelda (
C.B. Strike), Dimitri Andreas (
Tyrant) and Alistair Cameron (
Silent Witness).
Alistair and Samir meet five different times, but it is only when they meet as old men that they can finally put their prejudices aside and meet as friends. This film champions friendship and compassion over separation and distrust.
Writer/Director Marcus Markou made his first short film The Last Temptation of Chris starring Ed Stoppard in 2010, and quickly created his first feature
Papadopoulos & Sons, starring Stephen Dillane. In 2014, Markou was nominated by the London Critics Circle Awards in the Breakthrough British Filmmaker category and founded the production company Double M Films.
The talented director is currently working on a number of original feature film and TV projects with Movie Collective, a new crowd funded production company he co-founded with Hollywood producer Cassian Elwes. Just some of the film festival awards include the Best Short at Maryland Film Festival, Best Short at Omaha Film Festival, the People's Choice Award at Taos Shorts Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Foreign Short at Long Island Film Expo, Best Dramatic Short at Beeston Film Festival and many more.
The film was co-produced by Sara Butler and Sophie Andrea Mitchell, the cinematography was created by Christopher Fergusson and the wonderful music by Sophie Mojsiejenka.