Enterprising local starts film company

From Yiorgo Aretos's list of accomplishments, he should be 150 years old ... or at least 50.

He is a successful restaurateur and an accomplished magician. He is also a musician who plays a number of instruments including piano, bass and saxophone.

He speaks five languages and writes screenplays. He spent a year on the PGA Tour. He's established his own production company, made his first movie and is launching a music division.

He recently launched a new company, YoN Records. It produces graduated house music and techno music for distribution locally in clubs, and nationally and internationally on radio and for clubs.

He's accomplished all these things in his 27 years of life. He also dismisses his accomplishments as merely the way things worked out.

"I'm absorbent," he said. "It's easy for me to learn new things."

What he's learned is that he wants to focus on his venture, Number Five Film Production Company.

The name is an inside joke but the purpose is pure and simple: make films using Las Vegas talents, Las Vegas backstage crews and shoot at Las Vegas locations.

His first film, "Lickin' the Quits," did just that, using his restaurant, Sonio's Café and Rotisserie, as the location. Aretos co-wrote the screenplay with Allison Gray, a university drama student.

The film was made with a European flair to it. He said the images are not unfamiliar, just bent a little.

"When you watch it, it makes you think," he said. "You have to pay attention to it. There are no cars smashing or buildings crumbling."

The movie's title makes people pay attention to it, too. Aretos decided on it because it "raises suspicions and makes you say it twice."

He vowed that all Number Five's productions will carry a positive message. The message behind "Lickin' the Quits" is: Don't let your weakness become your obsession.

The idea for the film was spawned about two years ago. It took only four months to write and began shooting last January. It also took $100,000 to make.

Editing and post production proved the most difficult part of the project but was also the most fun. Aretos said the experience taught him he had more patience than he believed. As for his creativity, it was challenged by forcing him to see "through a different set of eyes, the camera's."

"It was exciting to see the actors bring your words to life," he said.

The film was screened at the Charleston Heights Arts Center in October. A deal is in the works to give it South American distribution. He also penned a deal to take the film to Cannes this year.

Unfortunately, the filming location -- his restaurant -- burned to the ground four weeks before the screening event. Damage was estimated at $1 million and he said he will re-open as soon as June.

His goal is to produce two more features. The second one is still under works and is reportedly more mainstream and has a larger budget.

Aretos, who lives at The Lakes, grew up in Chicago and went to college to study law. He ended up getting his degree from DePaul University in two majors, pre-law and communications. He also had double minors -- French and English.

"Doing the movie reassured me my communication skills were still there," he said. "And I learned that I really love sharing ideas with people."

Meanwhile, he is working on the next Number Five production, a play called "Gemini," which he said he hopes will be performed at a theater at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.


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