To agori troi to fagito tou pouliou

The original, eagerly anticipated debut from one of the greatest talents of Greek film powerfully investigates three days in the life of an Athens boy who is without a job, a girlfriend, or anything to eat. The only thing he has left is his canary, and he will quite literally share with it anything he’s got. Distinctive director Ektoras Lygizos steers his protagonist clear of the social context, referring to the current critical situation in Greece, where it is impossible to plan more than a half day in advance, exclusively by means of allegory. This radically intimist, Bressonesque movie is a fascinating visual puzzle about a dogged endeavor to maintain one’s inner freedom and human dignity during a time of crisis. Yannis Papadopoulos, for whom the director specifically created the title role, gives an uncommonly powerful performance grounded in his absolute identification with the proud and sensitive loner. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)