The life and work of Antigone Metaxas
What was the life and work of Antigone Metaxas (1905-1971), the legendary Aunt Lena with whom so many children grew up listening to the radio shows “Good morning children” and “The Child’s Hour” in the 50s and 60s? Antigone, daughter of the teacher George Metaxas, studied pedagogy in Paris and briefly worked as an actress. She was the first Greek woman to write plays for children, made four and a half thousand broadcasts on EIR radio, wrote over fifty books, pioneered vinyl records of fairy tales and songs, and made television shows for children. Aunt Lena used every means to entertain and educate children, and most importantly taught them important values to get ahead in life: to be themselves, to cooperate, to give back. At the same time, she taught them good Greek, a vibrant vernacular language. In 1965 she was awarded by the Academy of Athens for all her work. A locked cupboard in the family house by the sea, opened by her granddaughter Maria Iliou, brought to light the lost photos of the radio broadcasts and the “Happy Sundays” in the Radio Hall of the EIR, in Zappeion. The rare audio material with fairy tales, songs and family films presented in the film is from the archive of Lida Krontiras, the daughter of Aunt Lena, who collaborated on the radio broadcasts with her mother. The film was first shown at the Benaki Museum in 2016.
PRODUCTION
Proteus & Proteus NY
WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF
Benaki Museum