Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise

The Paddy network is very wide and not much goes on without someone knowing something about anything Paddy related, and then getting in touch with your favourite blog. A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by our spy on the ground in Karadmyli to say that he had heard rumours that Paddy’s house was being used as a film set. Further investigations revealed this to be filming for a movie to be called Before Midnight which will star the actor Ethan Hawke, and co-start Julie Delpy. It is the third in a series of movies which I guess one could call the ‘Before Series’.

As we know the house was left by Paddy to the care of the Benaki museum and there have been some concerns voiced about the approach to essential maintenance at the house. Sources close to the museum and to Paddy’s family have confirmed that shooting has been taking place in the garden of the house and that Mr Hawke has been relaxing on the beaches playing his guitar whilst during some relaxed evening barbeques with fellow cast and crew and some locals.

The good news is that there should be a substantial fee for the use of the house which we hope will be put toward the essential maintenance, an issue highlighted only in July by John Chapman in his piece about a recent visit.

The movie series started with the 1995 film Before Sunrise which is all about a young man and woman who meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one romantic evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together. But we all know that this can’t be the end, after all this is Hollywood, and nine years later the characters Jesse and Celine encounter one another during the French leg of Jesse’s book tour, and that film was called Before Sunset. I have no idea how that movie ended but it is possible that as travellers they had come across Paddy’s work and became true fans. Upset to hear that he had died each of them decided to make a summer pilgrimage to his house to make a ‘connection’. Whilst Celine gazes at the sunset across the bay from Paddy’s patio after sneaking in through the rickety blue gate, Jesse arrives with Elpida (Paddy’s housekeeper who has been kept on) and from then on they only have eyes for each other, and the local ouzo.

There is speculation that Hawke, who has apparently been in the area since late July, has plans to stay until early September so if you are quick you may be able to join as an extra. If it is of interest there are no reports of sightings of Delpy, so anything could be happening. So exciting! We will keep you posted.