BASED ON THE NOVEL

ISLAND TIME

By Jeff Gross

The motion picture is adapted from Gross's novel of the same name, an account of his time on Astypalea.

The novel provides the incredible characters and detail of that world, an impossibly rich tapestry made seductively powerful by the visuals of the film.

At the center of the film, one simple human idea:

Sometimes we have to lose the future we planned before we can discover the future waiting for us.

THE FILM

An international production with Greece at its heart.

Island Time will be filmed on location in Greece, capturing the extraordinary natural beauty, architecture and atmosphere of Astypalea, with an international and Greek ensemble cast.

At its center will be Josef, surrounded by the characters who bring the island to life.

The 1980 period setting is fundamental.

Costumes, vehicles, boats, music, Greek salads and calamari sizzling on taverna stoves, everyday details will recreate a moment when the modern world had not yet transformed Shangri-La.

Authenticity will guide the production.

The objective is not for audiences to feel that they are watching filmmakers recreate 1980.

They should feel as though they have arrived there.

The Film

CASTING VISION

Island Time is fundamentally an ensemble film.

The role of Josef requires an actor capable of carrying romance, comedy, vulnerability and transformation , completely natural..

The Greek and international ensemble should feel like people who belong to this island rather than characters who have simply been placed there.

The personalities of Astypalea are essential to the humor and humanity of the story.

The objective is a cast audiences will want to spend two hours with—characters they will never forget.

WHY ISLAND TIME

Because heartbreak is universal. But you can recover with a bit of help.

Because almost everyone has experienced a moment when the future they expect suddenly disappears.

Because almost everyone has wondered:

What happens now?

Island Time answers that question by taking Josef—and the audience—to one of the most beautiful places in the world.

But the island alone is not the answer.

The people are.

The friendships are.

The laughter is.

The unexpected relationship is: a woman with an eternal perspective.

And ultimately, Josef discovers something that extends far beyond Astypalea:

Sometimes the end of one life is simply the beginning of another.

Photos © Jim Wilson