Tweet
Variety, CA
Dec 5 2007
The Homecoming
I Epistrofi (Greece)
By DEREK ELLEYA CL Prods. production, in association with Greek Film
Center, Hellenic Broadcasting Corp., Nova. (International sales:
Greek Film Center, Athens.) Produced by Costas Lambropoulos.
Executive producer, Yorgos Kyriakos. Directed, written by Vasilis
Douvlis.
With: Arto Apartian, Maria Skoula, Artur Luzi, Elisavet Nazlidou,
Alexandros Moukanos, Konstantinos Langos, Pygmalion Dadakaridis,
Katerina Mavroyorgi, Yorgos Nakos, Mihalis Bizios, Vasilis Hristou,
Hristos Nomikos, Grigoris Kapsalis.
(Greek, Albanian dialogue)
The long-running antipathy of Greeks toward Albanian migrants --
generally depicted as criminals or hijackers in movies -- finds a
much more solid dramatic base in "The Homecoming," a notable first
feature by writer-director Vasilis Douvlis. Chamber drama centered on
a handsome young Albanian who's employed by a Greek couple clearly
draws some inspiration from "The Postman Always Rings Twice," but is
much more than just a yarn of sexual betrayal. This is quality, and
accessible, festival and Euro tube fare.
Pic falls into three sections of roughly equal length, each focused
on one of the three main characters but continuing the story in a
linear fashion.
Opening half-hour follows Ilias (Armenian vet Arto Apartian), a proud
father celebrating the marriage of his daughter in his home village
in central Greece, whither he's returned with his younger wife, Eleni
(Maria Skoula), after a long spell in Germany. When he left, in '69,
the village had nothing; now he's bought a small gas
station-cum-taverna that he wants to bequeath to his son-in-law.
However, it's soon clear all is not right beneath the happy-family
surface. As soon as they're hitched, both daughter and son-in-law
skedaddle back to Germany, which they consider home. Eleni, too,
isn't happy about being "buried alive" in the village, preferring to
live in the nearest city, Ioannina. Then one day, Ilias gives a lift
to an illegal immigrant, Petro (Artur Luzi), and ends up employing
him.
Pic then switches to Eleni's viewpoint, as the lonely, still
attractive woman finds a fellow soul to talk to in Petro. Their
cautious, incremental relationship, under the stern eyes of the
autocratic Ilias, is beautifully written and played.
Final section fills in the background on Petro and ramps up the
simmering drama of whether or not Petro will betray Ilias' help and
trust.
Though the relationship between Eleni and Petro provides the dramatic
fireworks, pic is more about Ilias' own attempts to be accepted back
into the village he left for economic reasons, plus his de facto
adoption of Petro as the son he never had. Apartian's terrific
performance as the proud but secretly wounded paterfamilias anchors
the movie, matched by an equally skillful but quieter perf by Skoula
as the wife who's slowly dying inside.
Douvlis, himself born in Ioannina, sketches the landscape and
suppressed currents of local life with natural ease, aided by Kostis
Gikas' fine summery lensing. Other credits are smooth.
Camera (color), Kostis Gikas; editor, Ioanna Spiliopoulou; music,
Thodoris Abazis; art director/costume designer, Ioulia Stavridou;
sound (Dolby Digital), Spyros Drosos, Thimios Kolokousis; script
advisor, Nikos Panayatopoulos. Reviewed at Thessaloniki Film Festival
(Greek Films '07), Nov. 20, 2007. Running time: 97 MIN.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117935581.html? categoryid=31&cs=1
Dec 5 2007
The Homecoming
I Epistrofi (Greece)
By DEREK ELLEYA CL Prods. production, in association with Greek Film
Center, Hellenic Broadcasting Corp., Nova. (International sales:
Greek Film Center, Athens.) Produced by Costas Lambropoulos.
Executive producer, Yorgos Kyriakos. Directed, written by Vasilis
Douvlis.
With: Arto Apartian, Maria Skoula, Artur Luzi, Elisavet Nazlidou,
Alexandros Moukanos, Konstantinos Langos, Pygmalion Dadakaridis,
Katerina Mavroyorgi, Yorgos Nakos, Mihalis Bizios, Vasilis Hristou,
Hristos Nomikos, Grigoris Kapsalis.
(Greek, Albanian dialogue)
The long-running antipathy of Greeks toward Albanian migrants --
generally depicted as criminals or hijackers in movies -- finds a
much more solid dramatic base in "The Homecoming," a notable first
feature by writer-director Vasilis Douvlis. Chamber drama centered on
a handsome young Albanian who's employed by a Greek couple clearly
draws some inspiration from "The Postman Always Rings Twice," but is
much more than just a yarn of sexual betrayal. This is quality, and
accessible, festival and Euro tube fare.
Pic falls into three sections of roughly equal length, each focused
on one of the three main characters but continuing the story in a
linear fashion.
Opening half-hour follows Ilias (Armenian vet Arto Apartian), a proud
father celebrating the marriage of his daughter in his home village
in central Greece, whither he's returned with his younger wife, Eleni
(Maria Skoula), after a long spell in Germany. When he left, in '69,
the village had nothing; now he's bought a small gas
station-cum-taverna that he wants to bequeath to his son-in-law.
However, it's soon clear all is not right beneath the happy-family
surface. As soon as they're hitched, both daughter and son-in-law
skedaddle back to Germany, which they consider home. Eleni, too,
isn't happy about being "buried alive" in the village, preferring to
live in the nearest city, Ioannina. Then one day, Ilias gives a lift
to an illegal immigrant, Petro (Artur Luzi), and ends up employing
him.
Pic then switches to Eleni's viewpoint, as the lonely, still
attractive woman finds a fellow soul to talk to in Petro. Their
cautious, incremental relationship, under the stern eyes of the
autocratic Ilias, is beautifully written and played.
Final section fills in the background on Petro and ramps up the
simmering drama of whether or not Petro will betray Ilias' help and
trust.
Though the relationship between Eleni and Petro provides the dramatic
fireworks, pic is more about Ilias' own attempts to be accepted back
into the village he left for economic reasons, plus his de facto
adoption of Petro as the son he never had. Apartian's terrific
performance as the proud but secretly wounded paterfamilias anchors
the movie, matched by an equally skillful but quieter perf by Skoula
as the wife who's slowly dying inside.
Douvlis, himself born in Ioannina, sketches the landscape and
suppressed currents of local life with natural ease, aided by Kostis
Gikas' fine summery lensing. Other credits are smooth.
Camera (color), Kostis Gikas; editor, Ioanna Spiliopoulou; music,
Thodoris Abazis; art director/costume designer, Ioulia Stavridou;
sound (Dolby Digital), Spyros Drosos, Thimios Kolokousis; script
advisor, Nikos Panayatopoulos. Reviewed at Thessaloniki Film Festival
(Greek Films '07), Nov. 20, 2007. Running time: 97 MIN.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117935581.html? categoryid=31&cs=1