Dance Fight Love Die – With Mikis on the Road / Travelling with Mikis

Director's/Biography Biography:

Asteris Koutoulas was born in 1960 in Romania, to Greeks, political exiles, parents. At the age of 8, his family moved to Dresden in the German Democratic Republic, where he graduated from the Kreuzschule, and then studied German Literature and History of Philosophy at the University of Leipzig. Since 1981 he has translated into German numerous works of important Greek writers, among others, poetry, essays and prose by Cavafy, Seferis, Elytis, Ritsos, Engonopoulos and the autobiography, as well as writings of Mikis Theodorakis. In 1980 he began his collaboration with Mikis Theodorakis, in the context of which he produced about 40 CDs with his music and organized more than 150 concerts around the world. Since the early 1990s he has been active in the production of cultural events and musical works. As director of Asti Music's company, he organized not only many productions of Greek artists (Farantouris, Dalaras, Paspala, Protopsalti), but also their appearances in Europe, while he also participated in the organization of concerts of great international artists, such as Sting, Motórhead, Mercedes Sosa, Mike Oldfield, Scorpions and Zufli Livaneli and many others. Koutoulas was also a screenwriter and director in documentary film productions as well as a dramatist in theatrical performances. Koutoulas' last film was Recycling Medea in 2014.

Asteris Koutoulas was born to Greek immigrants in Romania in 1960, Asteris and his family moved to East Germany in 1968. He graduated from Dresden’s Kreuzschule and went on to study German language and the history of philosophy at Leipzig University (1979–1984). Since 1981, he has translated numerous works of notable Greek authors into German, a. o. poetry, essays and prose by Constantine P. Cavafy, Giorgos Seferis, Nikos Engonopoulos, Yiannis Ritsos and Odysseas Elytis, but also the autobiography and writings on music by composer Mikis Theodorakis. Furthermore, Asteris Koutoulas has published a range of his own essays and interviews as well as translations of works by other authors in several German and Greek literary magazines and newspapers. Until the latter’s death in 1990, he enjoyed a great friendship and collaboration with the poet Yiannis Ritsos. In 1980 he began his collaboration with Mikis Theodorakis, in which he produced about 40 CDs with his music and organized more than 150 concerts around the world. Since the beginning of the 1990s he has been active in the field of cultural events and musical works. As a director of the Asti Music company, he organized not only many productions of Greek artists but also their performances in Europe, and he also participated in the organization of concerts by major international artists such as Sting, Motörhead, Merseys Sosa, Mike Oldfield, Scorpions and Zufli Lebanese and many others. Koutoulas was also a screenwriter and director in documentary film productions as well as dramatist in theatrical performances. Koutoula's latest film was Recycling Medea in 2014.