Greek TV director Dionysis Ferentinos dies at 51, funeral set for 29 October

A sudden death at home

Dionysis Ferentinos, director of the MEGA series Έχω παιδιά and the Alpha series Μην αρχίζεις τη μουρμούρα, died suddenly at the age of 51, according to reports published on 26 October. Several outlets say he suffered a cardiac arrest while at home in the southern suburbs, where his partner was with him. Before the arrest he reportedly complained of back pain and had trouble walking. According to the same reports, the arrest came roughly 20 minutes after the first symptoms appeared. Some reports also say he had been dealing with blood pressure problems in the period before his death.

Ambulance and hospital

The ambulance reportedly arrived about 40 minutes later, and he was taken unconscious to Asklepieio Voulas. Doctors there confirmed his death, according to the reports. Lambros Fisfis, an actor and screenwriter who starred in Έχω παιδιά for MEGA, was at the hospital alongside the director's partner. Ferentinos was the father of two children, and his family, friends and colleagues are expected to bid him farewell at his funeral.

Final series and funeral

His funeral is scheduled for Thursday, 29 October. At the time of his death he was in the middle of filming the new MEGA series Η νταντά της γειτονιάς, which NEWS 24/7 describes as his last job for the channel. The series is due to premiere on the same day, at 21:00, and MEGA decided to keep the premiere schedule as a minimal tribute to his work. Iefimerida reported that he had been due to meet MEGA executives that day ahead of the premiere. The channel and production company are now looking for a replacement to direct the remaining episodes.

Career

Ferentinos also directed the film Νήσος 2: Το κυνήγι του χαμένου θησαυρού and took part in the productions Υπέροχα πλάσματα and Νύφες. Iefimerida notes he worked with Kostas Sousoulas, now MEGA's programme director, on Μην αρχίζεις τη μουρμούρα, a series that reports describe as a sweeping success.