On the afternoon of April 15th, Greek director Steve Krikris attended the Press Conference of the 9th BJIFF Tiantan Award Official Selection, where he shared how The Waiter, his debut feature film nominated for the award, was produced.

　　The film tells a story that an old-style, weird waiter called Renos gets involved in a murder. He dwells in a downtown apartment and always secludes himself from others. One day, his neighbor Milan disappears, and everything changes. He falls into subtle relationships with The Blond and Tzina. As the plot goes further, the hidden truth surfaces.

　　Waiter is a dull, tedious job, indeed. But it fits well with the titular character and thus is arranged for the protagonist. In this way, he earns his living and gets a sense of safety. As the director said, “The film is set in a coffee house in Athens. I like its layout and choose it as the film location. More importantly, I once worked as a waiter in school days.”

　　The film is based on the director’s real-life experience—his neighbor was killed tragically and later he saw the murderer. This incident inspired him to create a story, in which complicated relations between Renos, The Blond and Tzina are arranged. As they get connected, the truth surfaces. Steven studied filmmaking in San Francisco, USA and amassed extensive experience, which paves the way for his later career. He first tried making several short films and started to prepare for The Waiter. It’s not expected that the preparation lasted five or six years. During that period, he had been devoted to shooting TV commercials and modern dramas. Moreover, he worked for other film festivals. In 2017, he got a fund in Greece and put himself heartily into making the film. “The film, albeit on a very small budget, attracted a group of professionals. All of them are my friends and work partners,” added He. “I often discussed my thoughts with Aris Servetalis to make the plot and characters a bit better.”

　　Famous Greek actor Aris Servetalis plays the protagonist in the film. Back in 2009, he co-starred with the director in Kynodontas. For this reason, they have developed a good friendship. Likewise, Yorgos Mavropsaridis, video editor of Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, and the director are on friendly terms. This time Mavropsaridis continues the black humour style in editing as before. Steve talked about his collaboration with Lanthimos, “In the past, we joined hands in making TV commercials. While he was shooting Dogtooth, due to scarcity in capital, he could not afford extra roles. I was invited to play a part in the film. So, it’s a great honour for me to collaborate with him. He is a great director.”

　　Despite being Steve’s directorial debut, The Waiter showcases his uncommon talent. The film hits theatres at the BJIFF on April 16th, also indicating its premiere in Asia.