Eva Kotamanidu
Eva Kotamanidou (1936-2020) was a Greek actress, an emblematic figure of auteur cinema. She is primarily known for her prolific collaboration with director Theo Angelopoulos, of whom she was one of his muses and a signature actress. Her cinematic career is closely linked to Angelopoulos's masterpieces, where she played complex and often enigmatic roles.
Among her most significant performances are those in *Voyage to Cythera* (1984), the film that marked the beginning of her collaboration with Angelopoulos, *The Suspended Step of the Stork* (1991), and *Ulysses' Gaze* (1995). Kotamanidou's style was characterized by a restrained yet intense presence, capable of conveying profound emotions and moods through minimal gestures and penetrating gazes. She often embodied melancholic women, symbolizing memory, exile, and the search for identity in a world in transition, making her an iconic face of contemporary Greek cinema.