Intrigue

A village in Arcadia invites a "famous" icon painter and his assistant to restore the worn-out murals in a historic church. One is an amateur astronomer, and the other is involved in various scams.

A village in Arcadia invites a "famous" icon painter and his assistant, Theofanis and Theodosios (Argyris Bakirtzis and Dimitris Vlachos), to restore the worn-out murals in an historic church. Theofanis is an amateur astronomer, and Theodosis is involved in various scams. A pure young girl (Dora Masklavanou) is apprenticed to them. The villagers flock to the church calling them saints, but in reality they are two minor con artists, who falsely philosophize, observe with their telescope the curves of the women and organize a false auction. With the arrival of winter, the miracles end, and the "cobblers realize they should stick to their last."—Greek Film Archive

Summer of 1992. With the intricate religious murals of the village's historical, 15th-century Byzantine chapel rapidly deteriorating, the inhabitants of a small community somewhere in the mountainous region of Arcadia, Greece, enlist the help of the renowned iconographer, Theofanis, and his assistant, Theodosis. As their arrival sparks hope in the villagers, many arrive in the church--including the honest apprentice, Anna--to see the duo at work; nevertheless, apart from eating, reposing, and philosophising, Theodosis and Theofanis seem reluctant to get down to business. But, winter is fast approaching. Will they finish the project in time?—Nick Riganas