Born in Addis Ababa to Greek parents, Nikos Papatakis was a charismatic Greek-born naturalized French filmmaker and owner of one of the favorite hangouts for beatnik crowds, of the basement nightclub La Rose Rouge in the Rue de Rennes in Paris.

To commemorate four years since his death in Paris, on December 17, 2010, the Greek Film Archive hosts a special tribute titled "Papatakis, the Anarchist-Poet" featuring 6 films by Papatakis, including "Les Abysses" (1963) and "The Photo" (1986) 2 documentaries on his life and 2 films he has co-produced.