NakedNaousa. A film by Tony Kariotis on the island of Paros, Greece.
What is NakedNaousa? A film by Tony Kariotis. A tour around the village of Naousa on the island of Paros.
NakedNaousa is a short film that I shot in 2020. It is the sequel to my first film series, NakedSantorini. In NakedSantorini I took viewers on a quiet walk around Santorini in the middle of the winter. No narration, just still views and natures sounds did all the talking.
To keep the series going, I decided to shoot the village of Naousa on the island of Paros. Paros is a bigger island, so shooting it as a whole island would make it a very long film, plus it would take away from the intimate dynamic the series intends to serve.
Why Naousa? Picture short white washed buildings, Greek fishing boats, octopus hanging to dry, the Aegean Sea, and a slight breeze. Everything you'd expect from a Greek island, right!?
Shooting NakedNaousa was a ton of fun. Unlike NakedSantorini where I shot the entire series by myself, this time I had help! This allowed more recording times with multiple cameras.
We shot the film in June of 2020. In the middle of a pandemic, which allowed us to shoot exactly what we were looking for. A barren Naousa. The theme of the Naked series is to showcase places of Greece without tourists in the way. Naked of tourists. There were people still visiting the island as travel had just recently opened up to parts of Europe, however the traffic was about 10% of normal years. To avoid traffic we did not need to wake up before everyone. It made everything a lot easier. Shooting NakedSantorini was different. We were not in a pandemic, however it was in January of 2020, there are no tourists on the island that time of the year.
Naousa is one of my favorite villages in all of Greece for every reason I mentioned above. It offers so many dynamic vibes. If you wander Naousa early in the morning, you will see fishermen preparing their day of to work. If you wander it in the afternoon, you will see restaurants open for business preparing for their evening rush, however are more than welcoming to join them for lunch. Wander at twilight, and experience an array of colors beaming off the white washed buildings. Finally, at night? Experience its nightlife as many of the bars are now open for business, from serving you at a tall table in the heart of the bay, or seating you on a bench several feet from the sea.
While all of these experiences are amazing, the one that is the most unique are the afternoons. You have to feel it to understand. The short buildings allow for the sun to hit from every angle. It's quiet. You can hear the silverware at all the restaurants dinging. Small chatter. A breeze. Its an unmatched feeling no matter where else you visit in Greece.
Like shopping? Well the white washed buildings by the sea have narrow walk ways and yes they are filled with boutique shops and more restaurants including coffee shops, ice cream shops, and more!! Just like a place like Mykonos, these narrow walk ways feel endless and each corner is a new surprise.
Add Paros to your itinerary next time you visit Greece and visit the village of Naousa. You will not regret it.
In the meantime, watch my film. Let me know what you think!
The film will be released on May 10th, but you can watch the trailer here.
Have questions about Naousa or any other part of Greece? Send me a note! You can find me on Instagram or Twitter: @iamgreece
My email: info@greece-media.com