“Thanasis, why are the mountains black?” asks Christopher King, speaking to Pontic lyra virtuoso Thanasis Stilidis. The two men exchange a long, almost conspiratorial glance before Stilidis replies: “The mountains are always black before dawn. Because dawn is near. That’s why the mountains are black. Because after sorrow comes joy. After death comes resurrection.”
This poetic, philosophical question recurs in various forms across the six episodes of the eponymous series – a Cosmote TV co-production – as the American collector and researcher journeys through the Greek landscape – from Macedonia to Crete, and from the Peloponnese to his beloved Epirus. In the episode we watched, he introduces himself as an “ethnomusicologist” and a “taster of tsipouro.”
“The idea came from our team at White Room. I had read ‘Lament from Epirus,’ Christopher’s book on the folk music of Epirus, so we approached him with the idea of creating a series on regional musical traditions,” says Michalis Aristomenopoulos, producer and artistic director of the series. “He, however, preferred to focus on mirologi, connecting Epirus’ traditions with those of the rest of Greece. We ultimately settled on a thematic approach, followed in each episode and reflected in their titles.”
The first episode, set to premiere on April 13 on Cosmote TV under the title “Air,” explores how nature shapes music through the evolution of musical instruments – for example, how the humble shepherd’s flute of Epirus gradually transforms into a more versatile instrument, such as the clarinet. In “Words,” viewers travel to Crete to immerse themselves in the world of mantinada poetry; in “Plumage,” traditional costumes are explored; and in “Steps,” the dances that translate regional music into movement are examined.
“For me, the series is about both the literal and metaphorical journey of Christopher King. We began filming in November 2024 and wrapped in September 2025, following local festivals, rituals, and customs,” Aristomenopoulos notes.
In the fifth episode, titled “Rituals” – which was also screened at the recent Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival – the team travels to Macedonia to document the Pontic custom of “Momoeri.” With roots in pagan and Dionysian traditions, this ritual involves disguises and a (inebriated) procession through the village streets, accompanied, naturally, by music. Initially hesitant, King soon grasps the meaning of the tradition and participates fully. One of the disguised villagers warns him: “There will be chaos here today.”
The atmosphere changes in Pogoni, Epirus, where locals celebrate the “dolia,” a tradition centered on forgiveness and reconciliation among villagers. It is also a moment to honor those who are absent or have died – the music mirrors this, with the clarinet’s plaintive cry echoing the emotions of the crowd. The series concludes in Drama, where participants of the “anastenarides” ritual – closely tied to Christian faith – walk barefoot across hot embers, some playing the lyra as they go. In this case, the protagonist does not dare step onto the coals himself.
Elsewhere in the series, dramatization is pronounced – the script also benefited from Katerina Kafentzi (Kafka) – to the extent that Aristomenopoulos describes the project as docu-fiction.
“Christopher’s personality plays a big role. When I first met him, I imagined someone who had won a Grammy, an academic, serious and well-read. Instead, I found a larger-than-life character who loves music and classic American literature. He is deeply influenced by Hunter S. Thompson’s gonzo approach and experiences everything with all his senses. The night we met, at an Onassis Stegi festival around 2-3 a.m. after a few drinks, he challenged us to a bare-handed fight. ‘You will not leave here until blood is shed,’ he said. It seemed strange at first, but I realized that, in his philosophy, this was a way to forge a bond,” Aristomenopoulos recalls.
The six-episode documentary “Why the Mountains Are Black” will premiere on April 13 on Cosmote TV
