When you think of Greek cinema, often it’s the films of Oscar-nominated director Yiorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Favourite) and Athina Rachel Tsangari (Attenberg, Chevalier), whose ‘Weird Wave’ offerings have mesmerised, disturbed and enthralled cinephiles.
What signifies these newer Greek films is the dry comic delivery of the actors. While they are mostly set in contemporary times, they also follow that Ancient Greek storytelling tradition of the tragedy and comedy mask.
However, the international success of Greek cinema has seen a new school of filmmakers thrive and what better time than the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence Day in March to showcase the country’s best films, in .
Here are some films to watch out for.
Winona
Directed and written byAlexander Voulgaris, Winona is a dreamy experience whose ambient melancholic soundtrack infuses the mood of the film with intrigue, joy and a sense of foreboding. Four young women, played by Anthi Efstratiadou, Sofia Kokkali, Iro Bezou and Daphne Patakia, are on screen during the entire film and their performances are as enthralling as their antics on the beach as they hang out with their sheepdog, Fros.
As they chill on a picturesque Greek island, Meryl, Eiko, Jennifer Jason and Giulietta spend the day talking like they are characters in their own films, debating Woody Allen’s best movies and how first dates can go horribly wrong. It all seems like an ordinary day trip to a remote beach but as the women spend their day basking under the warmth of the sun, playing, dancing, singing and revelling in each other’s company one question hangs over them, where is Winona?
Winona is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Cosmic Candy
Directed by Rinio Dragasaki, Cosmic Candy is a black comedy-drama with supernatural elements that centres on a 10-year-old girl Persa (Pipera Maya). When Persa’s father suddenly disappears, she only has her eccentric neighbour Anna, played by Maria Kitsou, who works as a supermarket cashier to take care of her. Anna, who lives alone in Athens, in her parents’ sizable apartment, dreams of escaping the doldrums of her soul-destroying daily routine.
Anna’s world is upended when she is not only forced to take care of Persa, she’s also confronted with the scenario of being fired from her job under the overwhelming pressure of an unexpected workplace romance. This strange turn of events takes place while Anna is under the influence of her favourite psychedelic treat Cosmic Candy. Can she hold it together as she tries her best and worst to escape and deal with her new reality?
Cosmic Candy is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Afterlov
Afterlov is a funny, moving and biting exploration of what happens when a couple breaks up. The comedy-drama is from writer-director Stergios Paschos and features Winona’s Iro Bezou as Sofia and Haris Fragoulis as Nikos.
A year after his break-up with Sofia, Nikos, a 30-year-old broke musician, is taking care of a luxurious Athens villa that belongs to a friend. Unable to get over Sofia he invites her over for what at first appears to be a laidback holiday weekend between former lovers. However, things start to turn creepy as Nikos’ hidden agenda comes to light. Nikos refuses to unlock the door and release Sofia until she helps him understand exactly why they broke up.
Afterlov is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Zizotek
Zizotek is a touching odd couple story about the longing for intimacy. Its dreamlike visuals and stunning depiction of nature make this film a mesmerising experience and unsurprisingly it won best cinematography at the Hellenic Film Academy Awards in 2020.
Directed by Vardis Marinakis the story centres on nine-year-old Jason played by August Lambrou-Negrepontis. After being abandoned by his mother at a folk music festival, he takes refuge in a forest cabin that belongs to a mute loner, Minas (Dimitris Xanthopoulos).
After being rejected by the people around them Jason and Minas form an unlikely bond which eventually leads them to form the closest they have to a family – it’s something that both have craved for a while.
Zizotek is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Chevalier
Directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari, Chevalier takes its rightful place among the Greek ‘Weird Wave’ for its deadpan humour. Featuring a bunch of dudes on a boat, Chevalier is an exploration of male vanity and competitiveness but taken to bizarre and disturbingly hilarious extremes.
Chevalier is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
The Republic
An action crime thriller directed by Dimitris Tzetzas this 2016 offering was nominated for a Hellenic Film Academy Award for Best Special Effects and Cinematic Innovation. Taking inspiration from Hollywood revenge thrillers The Republic shines the spotlight on Achilles, a photojournalist and surveillance expert who after witnessing the murder of his brother is hellbent on revenge and justice as he embarks on a mission to take on a corrupt political system.
The Republic is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Thread
Award-winning film Thread is directed by Winona’s Alexander Voulgaris. Featuring a resistance fighter whose son is pivotal in the fight against the regime, Thread is a sci-fi drama set against the backdrop of the political chaos of 1970s Greece.
Thread is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Kala Azar
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a young couple working for a crematorium take their love of animals to the extreme when they make house calls to people whose pets have died. After collecting and cremating the dearly departed pets, they return the ashes to their owners but as they give animals the respectful send-off they feel they deserve, their relationship breaks down.
Kala Azar is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas
This 2013 Greek drama, written and directed by award-winning Elina Psikou, was screened in the City to City section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Paraskevas, played by veteran Greek actor Christos Stergioglou, is seeing his successful 20-year career as a TV presenter begin to decline. The solution? Staging his own disappearance, but are he and his audience ready for him to return?
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Son of Sofia
Set against the backdrop of the 2004 Athens Olympics, this film, also directed by Elina Psikou, sees 11-year-old Misha, played by Victor Khomut, travel to Greece from Russia to reunite with his mother, Sofia, from whom he has been separated for two years. Russian actress Valery Tscheplanowa stars as Sofia, who is harbouring a secret that will irrevocably change the young boy’s life.
Son of Sofia is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
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