RIVIERA

After losing her father and shortly before the reluctant sale of the house, undertaken for financial reasons, the only things that remain to hold her back are the palm tree, called The Jerry, in the garden and a man ten years older than her; a father and friend substitute in one. With this film, director Orfeas Peretzis also wanted to create a homage to the weekend home communities of his childhood. Weekends away, nice houses, yet you can hardly afford them and have to sell up when the money runs out. Just as Alkistis' mother is now selling the family nest and, along with it, the memories of unthinkable times. Taking a Greek conceptual approach, everyday life is, in a manner emotionally raw, torn to pieces until only the psychological foundations of an uncertain coexistence remain – amongst the mutual disinterest, disappointed longing and glimmers of hope pursued with a latent aggression. All in sharp contrast with the Mediterranean sky and pleasant front yard music. Mild depression in a Garden of Eden that never aspired to such a status, portrayed in a manner that is brutally honest. A debut that hits the mark with its understatement and yet looks deep into the psyche of its protagonists – with sensitivity, sensuality and a remarkable accuracy. That's how weekend home communities work, and that's how it feels when coming-of-age turns into a farewell, forever.

Text: Bernd Buder

05.11.2024 | 19:00 | Weltspiegel Großer Saal (original version with English and German subtitles)

06.11.2024 | 13:30 | Weltspiegel Großer Saal (original version with English and German subtitles)