Despina Tomazani, actress and writer of ‘Sweet Gang’, dies at 81

Greek actress and writer Despina Tomazani has passed away at the age of 81. She died in an Athens hospital following a two-day hospitalization due to pulmonary edema.

Born in Chios to roots from Ayvalik and Kotyora, Tomazani had a multifaceted career spanning theater, cinema, television, and literature. She was widely recognized for her role as Sofia in the iconic film ‘Sweet Gang’ (Glykia Symmoria) by Nikos Nikolaidis. Her filmography included notable works such as ‘Periplando’, ‘Photografia’, and ‘Telos Epochis’, as well as international roles in French, Swedish, and American productions.

Beyond acting, she was an accomplished writer of poetry, short stories, and novels. Her literary works have been translated into several languages, including French, German, Turkish, English, and Italian. She also contributed to screenwriting, notably working on the Swedish film ‘Stelio’ (Me Lene Stelio), which received critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival in 1973.