Private Project

George

George Manias has operated a shoe shine shop for 76 years, ever since escaping the Nazi occupation of Crete at 14 years old. Today, at 91, the loss of his sister Angela haunts him as he struggles to decide whether to retire, and whether to visit Crete again without Angela by his side.

  • Matt Richmond
    Director
    Never Had a Bad Day, Brauhaus
  • Jon Michael Ryan
    Producer
  • Matt Richmond
    Producer
  • Jasmine Kettenacker
    Editor
  • George Manias
    Key Cast
  • Emmanuel Manias
    Key Cast
  • John Morris
    Executive Producer
  • Lucas Harger
    Executive Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    110,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Greece, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Matt Richmond

Early jobs as a janitor, bartender and landscaper inform Matt Richmond's blue-collar approach as a director, writer and collaborator. Since then, he’s also put in time as a reporter, copywriter, independent publisher and TV producer for shows on CBS, Fox, MTV and more. Matt has directed two award-winning feature documentaries: Gemutlichkeit, about the untimely closing of a beloved family restaurant, and Never Had a Bad Day, about a visionary engineer working in Alaska's wilderness.

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Director Statement

This film is not only a documentation of George's life. It’s a fairytale about a man who exists apart from the modern world, toiling ceaselessly, quietly, right under our noses. George’s quiet consistency suggests a great power within him, despite his humble occupation and simple approach to life. It's the power of things that last.