Alexandros Konstantaras did a wide variety of jobs including postman, house keeper and film critic, before forming in Kenya a production and distribution company, Jitu Films with Egregious Jitu, also a film-maker. Both Konstantaras and Egregious are prolific film-makers, and together have been responsible for one-third of the total output of the Kenyan film industry since the early 2000s, though Jitu's work has found more favor abroad.
Alexandros’ films are quite short for feature length (he says a film should never run longer than 90 minutes, and many of his films are nearer 60-70min), eccentric parodies of various genres (road movies, film noir, dancing films), populated by lugubrious Kenyan characters and set to eclectic soundtracks.
Before that in 2004 he had co-directed and co-produced an 11 minute docudrama “Light in Shadow”, in Newport, South East Wales as his BA (Hons) degree film. The film won the best direction award in the Finest Films 2005 of International Film School of Wales and also won the 1st UK Film Council award with a cash award of ₤3000 in “Images of Black Women Film Festival” in 2006. Also it was screened in different main short film festivals around the world (UK, Finland, Greece, and Iran).
He attended International Film School of Wales at the University of Wales, Newport, 2002-2006 where he finished successfully both a BA (Hons) in Film and Video and an MA in Film. During this time, he made eight short films, documentary and fiction, (most of them during the BA) some of which have won awards (“Art and Animals” 2002, “Vae Victis” 2003, “The Bolshevik Dog” 2004, “Light in Shadow” 2005, “The Spacefish” 2006). They were also screened in national and international festivals. He finally had one of his films, “The Bolshevik Dog” screened on S4C digital as part of the best films of 2004.
“In my opinion BA Hons Film and Video in University of Wales Newport is one of the most promising and serious degrees in the UK. The tutors were always providing us with a strong theoretical and technical basis in order to challenge our selves through the media of film and create very bold and unique projects. Also the many chances we had to listen or work with many professionals of the field gave to us another perspective on how we can make it out there”.
Alexandros was born on 30th November in 1976 and is of Greek origin.
Kenya: Jitu Films, PO BOX 14488, Nairobi 00800
Greece: 29 Avdela st, Kalamaria, 55131, Thessaloniki, Greece
Tel: Kenya:+254736667716 Greece +306972146649
E-mail: grosmont5@yahoo.com