What started as a small production in Cyprus has now gone global.
Watched by audiences in cinemas in Cyprus and on Netflix worldwide, "Find Me Falling," the new romantic comedy written and directed by South African Cypriot Stelana Kliris, is currently the #1 English-language film in the world, according to Netflix's weekly global results released on Tuesday.
"Find Me Falling" stars mega star actor and musician Harry Connick Jr. as John Allman, a washed-up, misanthropic rock star who returns to Cyprus, the home of the only true love of his life, who inspired his decades-old smash hit single. Coming off a flop album and his biggest hit’s dwindling popularity, the aging rock star decides to take a break from his career to reclaim his spark.
He unwittingly buys a cliffside house on the idyllic Mediterranean island, not realising that the location is a popular haunt for people contemplating or actually committing suicide. John's dream of keeping a low profile is derailed when he is routinely confronted by desperate souls, and later faced with even more complicated surprises when an old flame reignites.
“Find Me Falling was actually inspired by an article I read about Don Ritchie who lived at a notorious suicide hotspot in Australia known as 'the Gap',” Kliris tells me.
Donald Taylor Ritchie, born on 9 June 1926 and passing on 13 May 2012, was an Australian who resided next to The Gap, a location in Sydney, Australia, known for multiple suicide attempts. Ritchie officially rescued at least 180 people who had intended to attempt suicide at The Gap over a 45-year period, although his family claims the number is closer to 500.
Upon seeing someone on the cliff in distress, Ritchie would cross the road from his property and engage them in conversation, often beginning with the words, "Can I help you in some way?" Afterwards, Ritchie would invite them back to his home for a cup of tea and a chat. Some of the people he helped would return years later to thank him for his efforts in talking them out of their decision.
“He was a kind man who saved many lives by reaching out to people who would go there to jump. I wondered what it would look like if a misanthrope lived in a spot like that. It felt like an interesting starting point for a story about human connection,” says Kliris.
While the topic of suicide is an extreme device, the purpose was to show the importance of human connection and looking out for each other, Kliris explains.
“This is how John is able to find his humanity again. I think that a romantic comedy can still look at deeper themes and have substance while being accessible. The idea was that in helping others, we also help ourselves,” she says.
A Love Letter to Cyprus
Kliris’s parents, John and Athanasia, for whom the main characters are named, are from Rizokarpaso and Louvara in Cyprus. Although Kliris herself was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, she returned to live in her family’s homeland14 years ago in 2010.
“This was helpful because, while I'm familiar with the local culture, I also had the 'fish-out-of-water' experience and could use that when I was writing John's story,” says Kliris. “But even though I didn't grow up in Cyprus, it has become home and through various shoots, I've discovered some of the most amazing places!”
“Originally we were supposed to use the cliff in Akrotiri, which stands over my favourite beach in Kourion, but it had too many restrictions and so we moved to a less challenging location for filming.”
Filmed in Cyprus from May through to September 2022, through the movie, a whopping 14.4 million viewers in its debut week alone were able to marvel at the beauty of the sun soaked backdrop of the island.
“Cyprus itself is like a small film studio with great weather and a variety of locations in close proximity,” says Kliris.
The crew shot in Peyia (Pegeia), in Paphos, for two weeks and then back at their base in Nicosia, the national’s capital on the other side of Mount Olympus, for another four weeks. A scene in which John’s skinny dipping adventure goes awkwardly wrong, is filmed on the island’s east coast, at Titsiros/ Pezounospilioi Beach.
“This was never meant to be a tourism ad for Cyprus, but instead a 'love letter' and I wanted to find a subtle, organic way to incorporate it's unique, local flavour into the film,” says Kliris. “So I suppose the challenge was to make it feel as authentic as it is in real life and not cliche.”
“This might also sound like a village cliche, but I've never had a shoot in Cyprus where a herd of goats didn't roam through at least one shot, so we sometimes had visitors up on our cliff set,” says Kliris when I inquired as to whether the location posed any unique challenges.
“That's actually a highlight, not a challenge,” she laughs.
"Pure Joy" - Working with Harry Connick Jr.
When I ask Kliris what it was like to work with the multiple Grammy and Emmy award winning as well as Tony nominated Harry Connick Jr, she sums it up saying, “It was joy. Pure joy.”
Although originally the lead character John was to be a writer, once he evolved into a musician who also performs on screen, Harry Connick Jr. – both an incredibly talented actor and musician - became the obvious choice.
Kliris and her producer Keith Arnold reached out to Connick through the Clark Geier Casting agency and aside from loving the script, he really connected with a personal letter that Kliris wrote, explaining to him what the experience of shooting in Cyprus would be like - “that we work like a family and that the focus is telling our story in a lovely, intimate setting,” says Kliris. “It was the best feeling in the world when he came on board because the film suddenly became a reality.”
“Harry is not only super talented, but the loveliest person,” she says. “He was kind and generous to everyone on set and when he wrapped he bought a bottle of champagne for every crew member and individual gifts and notes for people he worked closely with.”
“He's also incredibly funny and kept things fun and light on set. For me personally it was a very empowering experience to have an artist of his stature put such trust in me. This really was a life-changing experience.”
While filming in Cyprus, Connick immersed himself in Cypriot culture, and in fact according to Kliris, he genuinely loved it.
“He said it was the best film production he was ever on and that’s a huge compliment to us! I think that's attributed mainly to the warmth he experienced from our cast and crew,” says Kliris.
During one instance when travelling from Nicosia, the island's capital, to the west coast of the island, Harry’s local assistant Evi Hadjipieri asked Connick if he'd like to stop by her parents' farm for lunch.
"We got there, and they had — I'm not kidding you — food for 50 people. There were like six of us. So much food," he recalled in a recent interview. "I said, 'That's what life is. Being with people you love. Family and friends and having substantive conversation. That's what I enjoy doing."
“Evi gave him this experience and it's just one example of what we call "philoxenia" or hospitality and the warmth we like to extend to all visitors,” says Kliris.
As for the remainder of the stellar cast, the film features a talented and lovable lineup including Agni Scott as Sia, Tony Demetriou as Captain Manoli, and the legendary Aggeliki Philippidou, already a firm audience favourite, as Yiayia Marikou.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Ali Fumiko Whitney, who originally had a smaller role, was recommended by the film’s US producer, Steve Shapiro, who had worked with her on "The Road Dance." However her remarkable singing talent led her role to be expanded to that of Melina, and despite her not speaking Greek; she learned her lines in the Cypriot dialect and performed four Greek songs for the role.
Lead actor Connick’s involvement also extended to music, offering to write two songs for the film when he came on board – an offer that Kliris quickly snatched up. He wrote "Girl on the Beach" which was supposed to be a dated pop song and one of the character's early hits; and also "Find Me Falling" which is the main ballad of the film and also became the title of the film. Harry wrote "Girl on the Beach".
Both non-Greek speaking Harry and Ali were coached by local singer and coach Julia Petrou. “Harry had to sound like he was singing Greek for the first time, so we didn't want it too polished and he has such a good ear that we had to tell him to make it sound a little worse. He only needed one session, he's that good!” says Kliris.
Becoming Part of the Conversation
The first Cypriot film to be featured on Netflix, Find Me Falling is already making its impact in more ways than one, attracting more productions to the island. “It's proof that we can produce world-class films there and it means that we can develop into a sustainable industry,” says Kliris. “Not only that, but the power of cinema is that it has an effect beyond its own industry and can impact tourism and other sectors as well. I hope this has a positive ripple effect for our country and that that our film is now proof of what we're capable of in Cyprus.”
Despite the island country’s complex history, in “Find Me Falling”, Kliris deliberately steers away from this, choosing instead to create a "nonpolitical" and "non-historic" movie.
“In the case of Find Me Falling, I wanted to created something light, fun and heartfelt. I think that Cyprus is defined by more than just its past and has a lot more to show to the world, “says Kliris. “Plus,” she adds, “if we want people to care about our political situation, they have to know we exist in the first place and I hope that our film has shed some more light and attention on our island and can make it a part of people's conversations.
“My next film will deal with our very complicated history,” says Kliris, referring to her next cinematic masterpiece - a romantic drama called "Apart from Her" set between Cyprus and South Africa, for which filming begins in November. “It follows my parents' generation who left Cyprus during the war for South Africa and all that meant. It's a real passion project for me.”
Taking the world by storm, through her movie “Find Me Falling”, Kliris explores a number of ideas but the film’s central and touching theme is that people need each other and should be looking after each other.
“I wanted to look at the theme of legacy and what we leave behind when we go. Is it our children? Our work? Or just how we treated each other?” Kliris poses the question.
And I think we all know the answer.
“Thank you again for the support,” Kliris says to me sincerely in closing. “I really believe that the diaspora has been a huge factor in this film's success.”
Read also Harry Connick Jr. to Sing in Greek in New Netflix Movie Filmed in Cyprus
In Australia, if you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help now, call triple zero (000). You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
