Boredom is a disease, the only cure for which is to engage in interesting things. But when we try to tame boredom with fun, we lose the meaning and core of life, because fun is not a cure for boredom, it is only a cure for the burns that boredom fills our lives with.
It’s the beginning of the tourist season and the third-class Mirage hotel, with tourists and workers from Eastern Europe, is slowly filling up with guests. Paper decorations, nylon costumes, comedy skits, stuffy atmosphere, fake karaoke and cheap glitter fill the outdoor stage every night to entertain the audience. But as the days go by and the weeks pass, the recurring summer celebration becomes wilder and wilder, more daring. The main character is a 35-year-old woman who has been working at the hotel for ten years and has completely immersed herself in this universe, confusing herself with the characters she plays in her shows every night. Kalia’s nights now seem uncontrollable. The pop ecstasy of the illustration under the sounds of “Live your myth in Greece” gives way to the void of a glittering spectacle and hard truths are revealed through the darkness. But when the lights come back on, the show must go on for the grace and merriment of the delirious and half-wild Eastern European tourists.
The group of animators, old and new, present their artistic program every night on the stage of the seaside hotel, trying to stimulate the summer nights of hungry tourists. Their leader, Kalia, the “oldest”, is responsible not only for the artistic result, but also for the orderly operation of the project. Next to her is Simos in the role of “presenter”, his little daughter Mary, the newly arrived Eva, Thomas, Vladimir, Fani, all members of an idiosyncratic, out of place family. The rest of the female characters act as mirrors of the protagonist and complement each other’s journey.
It took a full thirty years for a Greek film to win the grand prize of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival once more, and this happened in the 64th edition. Then it was “From the Snow” by Sotiris Goritsa, now the Golden Alexander was awarded to “Animal” by Sofia Exarchos.
In the director’s note of the creator Sofia Exarchou we read: “Set in a summer resort, where hordes of tourists flock every summer and the ‘fun’ never stops, Animal follows its heroes in front of and behind the lights of the stage. What is it like to wear the same costume, play the same roles and perform the same program with energy and a smile every day? Where the gears of the “Live your myth in Greece” fantasy turn and where, if one is not careful, it can burn even at night…”.
In her second feature film following the multi-award winning “Park”, shot in the fall of 2022 in Attica and Crete, Sofia Exarchou returns to film action with the captivating Dimitra Vlagkopoulou in the leading role. She is joined by newcomer Flomaria Papadakis and an excellent group of actors, dancers and performers.
The protagonist, a 35-year-old woman, has devoted a decade of her life to her work and inside the hotel, having become deeply involved in its world, to the point where she confuses her identity with the characters she plays during the daily nightly performances.
At one point, with a bitter smile and hurt self-mockery, Kalia says:
-Tell us what you want and I’ll dance, Jukebox, I’m a jukebox.
The film’s photography and color palette are closely related to the psychology and lifestyle of its characters. The film does not intend to show the bright sunny summer. He chooses instead to focus on night scenes and present our heroes as nocturnal creatures who sleep during the day and act and live at night and try to make others around them have a good time.
The film is open in both space and time, even though it has several strongly Greek elements. This particular hotel might be located in any touristic country mainly in the Mediterranean. The same thing happens with time. It’s a summer. Against the background of a summer resort, where hordes of tourists flock every summer and the “fun” never stops, Animal follows its heroes in front of and behind the lights of the stage. What is it like to wear the same costume, play the same roles and perform the same program with energy and a smile every day or rather every night? The dark side of the holidays drowned in fakes, smiles, bright spotlights, silent pain, paper decorations, nylon suits and dark dead ends.
The film’s near-naturalistic approach lends an air of authenticity to its depiction of life and relationships, while its poignant narrative delves deep into the complexities of its characters’ inner struggles. One of the film’s undoubted strengths is its evocative cinematography, which skillfully captures the atmosphere of the shuttered hotel and imbues each frame with a sense of realism. Sofia Exarchou’s directorial skill is evident in her ability to create an immersive viewing atmosphere, drawing us into the world of the characters and allowing us to empathize with their joys and sorrows. In terms of storytelling, “Animal” succeeds in exploring its themes of duty, identity, human capacity, strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
Additionally, “Animal” benefits from its ensemble cast, with outstanding performances from Dimitra Vlagkopoulou as the resilient Kallia and the supporting cast of animators who bring depth and authenticity to their respective roles.
However, despite its many strengths, “Animal” is not without its flaws. The film’s pacing feels uneven at times, with some scenes seeming dragged out while others go by too quickly.
Furthermore, while the naturalistic filming style lends an air of authenticity to the story, its “handmade” aesthetic can be off-putting at times.
It is true that a life without employment, work, decays, dissolves, but also a life with work without any meaning, a drop of interest, leads the worker to madness, despair and annihilation. Work can be a prayer or a curse.
#Animal #Dark #Side #Holidays
