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Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-09-22
CONTENTS
[01] BBC filming Durrell's 'My Family and Other Animals' on Corfu
[01] BBC filming Durrell's 'My Family and Other Animals' on Corfu
A BBC crew is currently on the Greek island of Corfu, in the Ionian
Sea, filming a new adaptation, by Simon Nye, of Gerald Durrell's famous
1956 autobiography "My Family and Other Animals", which recounts his
adventures while growing up on Corfu with his mother and three
siblings.
Durrell was born in India, but after his father died in 1928, his
mother, Dixie, decided to move back to England, and then to the sunny
island of Corfu.
Thus, the budding naturalist and animal conservationist Gerald Durrell
(1925-1995) and his family moved to Corfu in 1935, when he was ten
years old, where he spent the next five years, until 1939. 'My Family
and Other Animals' is the first and most famous of a trilogy -- that
also includes "Birds, Beasts and Relatives" (1969) and "The Garden of
The Gods" (1978) -- which recount the family's Corfu years.
Award-winning actress Imelda Staunton stars in the BBC's new TV drama
film, a remake of the BBC drama mini-series in the 1980s, in the role
of the mother. Gerald is played by Eugene Simon, with Tamzin Merchant
featured as his sister Margot, Russel Tovey as his brother Larry, and
Matthew Goode as the third brother, Larry (Lawrence), while Omid
Djalili holds the role of larger-than-life taxi driver and devoted
family friend Spiro. Chris Langham is featured as Theodore Stephanidis,
a biologist who played an important role in introducing young Gerald to
Corfu's abundant marine and insect life, as well as its rich cultural
beauty.
'My Family and Other Animals' is directed by Sheree Folkson, and
produced by Simon Lewis, while Susan Hogg is the executive producer.
Filming is expected to last five weeks.
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