Washed Out

There's something weird going on in Greece. No, we're not referring to its people's decision to vote for austerity measures after overstretching the EU's credit. We're talking about the country's cinema. For a country known as a source of theatrical drama, several filmmakers are breaking the rules of the art...

By Hans Morgenstern

July 5, 2012

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There's something weird going on in Greece. No, we're not referring to its people's decision to vote for austerity measures after overstretching the EU's credit. We're talking about the country's cinema. For a country known as a source of theatrical drama, several filmmakers are breaking the rules of the art form to explore a type of movie with more kinship to the surreal, freeform stylings of David Lynch. The new aesthetic features odd, deadpan delivery of lines by actors in black comedies. Why would a paramedic insist on asking a dying girl the name of her favorite actor? Why must a father pull over to the side of the road to remove all the labels off water bottles before bringing them in with the groceries to his family's home? Those moments establish the odd dramas at the heart of Giorgos Lanthimos' Alps and Dogtooth. Lanthimos arrives on the film scene with a buzz not seen since Theo Angelopoulos won the Palme d'Or at Cannes for Eternity and a Day in 1998. The Miami Beach Cinematheque has dedicated an entire Greek weekend to some of the more acclaimed films coming out of that country.
June 28-July 1, 2012

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Hans Morgenstern has contributed to Miami New Times for too many decades, but he's grown to love Miami's arts and culture scene because of it. He is the chair of the Florida Film Critics Circle, and most of his film criticism can be found on Independent Ethos (indieethos.com) if not in New Times.

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Twitter: @HansMorgenstern