SYNOPSIS

Today as tomorrow and as yesterday…

Four women, who have been sterilized and are under constant toxic restraint and surveillance, are serving their term in a government-run brothel. Their duty is to have sex and beat their customers without remorse. The relations between them are at a critical point; food and water are scarce, their house is rotting and ready to collapse. Nothing on the outside exists any more. Nightmarish visions, simulated miscarriages and rapes, injections and nausea all make up their daily routine. Yet their dream – even though they have been sterilized by the State – is to have a child.

One day, one of their customers disappears.

The interrogations begin…

N. N.

 AWARDS

awards-logo2005

Best Art Direction
Marie-Louise Bartholomew

CREDITS

Directed by: Nikos Nikolaidis
Written by: Nikos Nikolaidis
Produced by: Last Picture Pro. – Nikos Nikolaidis, GFC
Cast: Vicky Harris, Jenny Kitseli, Arhontissa Mavrakaki, Eftyhia Yakoumi, Michele Valley, Alkis Panagiotidis, Yiorgos Mihalakis, Maria Margeti, Nikos Moustakas, Angeliki Aristomenopoulou, Dorothea Iatrou, Anastasia Iatrou, Nefeli Efstathiadi, Christos Houliaras, Themis Katz, Natasa Kapsabeli

Original Music: Simon Bloom
Cinematography: Sifis Koundouros
Editing: Giorgos Triandafyllou
Sound: Yannis Haralambidis
Casting: Ordino
Art direction: Marie-Louise Bartholomew
Sets-Costumes: Marie-Louise Bartholomew
Makeup: Tereza Nikolson
Production manager: Marie-Louise Bartholomew
Art department: Giannis Barbarousis, Grigoris Tsigristaris, Konstantinos Konstandatos
Artwork: George Tasioulas

Assistant directors: Christos Houliaras, Themis Katz
Boom Operator: Grigoris Tsigkristaris
Sound Editing: Giorgos Triandafyllou
Sound Mixing: Kostas Varybopiotis
Music/Lyrics: Simon Bloom “IN MY HEAD”
Lyrics and Music By Simon Bloom
Music programing: Simon Bloom, Gordon Jensen
Music recording/mixing:  SHAKTI STUDIO
Image Lab: Cinefilm Athens Lab
Sound Lab: Accelere S.A.
Color correction: Giannis Tsiolakis

Video Transfer to 35 mm: ICON
Runtime: 120 min
Language: Greek
Color: Color
Printed film format: 35mm
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Sound mix: Dolby Digital
Athens, Greece, 2005
Subtitles: English

THE DIRECTOR’S COMMENT

Only eight years before the end of 20th century, and I wouldn’t like to add to the existing frustration by using my personal, vague testament. However, I can surely underline the triumph of state fascism, the final establishment of “stereotypes” and “mutant consumables” and finally, the successful transplantation of the tv control system into the social body.

”Cold… silence… communication breakdowns, assassins of the “Morning Patrol” and the last cursed individuals which lay low underground… And, if all this sounds a little incomprehensible, I have a faint impression that we’re all heading towards Hell, and that Rita Hayworth will never come to our rendezvous… ”

In terms of chronological order, this script was conceptualized before both Euridice BA 2037 and Morning Patrol. We are at the decadence of the New World Order. Silence, chemical suppression, state fascism, broken communication, fear and apathy have all been installed for good. That’s why the surveillance cameras are not in use anymore… they are no longer needed. Everything is settled.

As I noted in the synopsis:

It would be a mistake to interpret this as a futuristic story. No matter how harsh it may appear this movie is about the shape of things that are already here and established, along with the set of things that are just starting to be applied, while we already feel their consequences.

Therefore, the attitudes of the actors, the camera frame, decoupage in general as well as the light, must all provide for the particular atmosphere of the movie, yet they must move within entirely realistic levels.

I‘m referring to everyday life events. I‘m not describing the story of some crazy, imprisoned persons. I’m simply outlining the result that physical and mental violence has had on them.

Whereas, the twisting of reality is not a means of escape but it becomes a healthy reaction instead.  -And this was to be achieved by the camera, as well as the guidance of the actors. –

The plane where cohesion of space and time no longer exists, and the altered states of the mind compose a “viable” order, made up of chronological inconsistencies and the constant slipping of time. …The plane where the memory of freedom leads to suicide, rape, hysteria,  virtual miscarriages with deformed embryos and the implantation of fear… Horrifically justified, the nightmare evolves to where I had predicted. I have got nothing else to say.

Any other approach to the meaning of the movie, will fling it to the domain of futurism and I, assisted by the direction, want to talk about a story of today, instead of being misunderstood about describing something that will happen someday, somewhere.

N. N.

REVIEWS

Δ. ΔΑΝΙΚΑΣ – ΤΑ ΝΕΑ

Μ.Φ. ΜΙΚΕΛΙΔΗΣ – ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΤΥΠΙΑ

ΡΙΖΟΣΠΑΣΤΗΣ

ΤΑΣΟΣ ΓΟΥΔΕΛΗΣ

ΑΚΗΣ ΚΑΠΡΑΝΟΣ 9/2/06

Π. ΤΙΜΟΓΙΑΝΝΑΚΗΣ – ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΣ ΤΥΠΟΣ

Μ. ΚΑΤΣΟΥΝΑΚΗ – ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ

ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΜΠΕΛΛΑ – ΒΡΑΔΥΝΗ

CITY PRESS 9/2/06

ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΤΥΠΙΑ

ΕΘΝΟΣ – ΕΚΣΙΕΛ

ΜΙΜΗΣ ΤΣΑΚΩΝΙΑΤΗΣ –ΝΕΜΕΣΗΣ

VARIETY

ΜΠ. ΑΚΤΣΟΓΛΟΥ – ΤΟ ΑΘΗΝΟΡΑΜΑ

Τ. ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ – ΤΟ ΘΕΜΑ

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