Niko Volonakis
- Director
- Actor
- Editor
Though born in Queens, New York, Niko Volonakis grew up in Athens, Greece. He attended Greek schools, and is fluent in both English and Greek. Niko divides his time between Athens, which he considers home, and northern California, where he studied film at City College in San Francisco, and embarked upon his indie film career, writing, producing, and playing in a number of indies. It was during this period he met another filmmaker, Egyptian Taher Medhat, from Cairo. When Medhat returned home he kept in contact with Niko during the Egyptian uprising. Shortly thereafter, Greece had its own upheaval, and the two decided to 'guerilla- film' both rebellions, and use them as the backdrop for a short, "Cairo Year Zero", and a feature, "Hate Your City." Niko self-financed both by exchanging filming services with colleagues, creating music and short videos for other artists and production companies, and living on the cheap.
When Covid lockdowns in Greece brought production to a halt on "Hate Your City", Volonakis left the country to be with family in California. There, he was approached to direct another indie feature, Lyvia's House. Although he liked the script, he turned the offer down, anxious to get back to his passion project, "Hate Your City." But when the lockdowns in Greece continued to thwart his return, he agreed to create a fund-raising short for Lyvia's House. It was then that he met the film's DP, Cody Martin, and the two worked so well together, that Niko decided to take on the project. In development for Niko is a second feature with the Lyvia's House team, with plans for "Hate Your City", to also be completed.
When Covid lockdowns in Greece brought production to a halt on "Hate Your City", Volonakis left the country to be with family in California. There, he was approached to direct another indie feature, Lyvia's House. Although he liked the script, he turned the offer down, anxious to get back to his passion project, "Hate Your City." But when the lockdowns in Greece continued to thwart his return, he agreed to create a fund-raising short for Lyvia's House. It was then that he met the film's DP, Cody Martin, and the two worked so well together, that Niko decided to take on the project. In development for Niko is a second feature with the Lyvia's House team, with plans for "Hate Your City", to also be completed.