Nyfes

This is a wonderful film which manages to combine a historical film and romantic tearjerker all in one. The cinematography is nothing short of amazing with beautiful imagery of both the mysterious and oh so distant world of the north eastern regions of Greece and its residents. But it is not only our eyes that are offered such a visual feast as the plot is utterly engaging and the chemistry between the lead characters so immaculate that before long the audience is completely captivated and can not help but submit to the passion and sadness of the two lead characters in the face of unrequited love. A journey rich in cultural elements represented against backdrop of nostalgia, passion and love!

The 2005 Greek Film Festival has come to Canberra, and this movie was the biggest attraction. Wow! What a film! A touching yet subtle story of love, longing and desire. The tragedy of the situation of these mail-order brides, lost without a connection to their homeland, without money, family or hope for the future. This was a beautifully shot and acted film. The director Pantelis Voulgaris should be congratulated. Damian Lewis has never been stronger, a gorgeous leading man, who gives his character Norman, such a natural on screen presence, that there appears to be nothing artificial about him. Niki is a fine leading female character, strong, resolute, yet naturally human and weak. The love story, not just amongst the principles simmered and grew, the sexual tension not forced or faked. Wonderful.

One of those "if all movies were made like this" films. Kudos to all involved. A real-life story of passionate love. Bravo.

Sad, beautiful, subtle, it is a strange poem about limits of love and shadows of duty. A film about sacrifice and emotions of worlds and searches. A picture of the last century, very old, small, paper cry. The people and their desire. Confuse, heavy, cold. Signs of resignation and pieces of innocent beauty. Splendid images and a delicate emotion as nimbus of confession. A parable of lost smile. Some women and a photographer. And a long travel to America. A new world, a new life and a love without bones. A Greek story. Or a story of every day in a land of nobody. It is not important. The pain, the dreams, the illusions are the same. The faces and looks are pieces of a huge game of existences, hopes and emotions. So, a sad, beautiful, subtle movie.

My English are not very well but I'll try. This is a movie that I really love. It moves me a lot and contains some so wonderful scenes and quotes that I'll remember for years. Of course I have the special edition of DVD and I've seen it again and again. The movie has the most powerful erotic moment that I saw in cinema for a long time now – so far from the cliché and stereotypes of Hollywood. Her shoe, his hand, their eyes! Nothing more. No sweet words, no unnecessary movements. Just a touch and a look. The performances are very emotional and the same time realistic, the direction of Pantelis Voulgaris strong and precise and the music haunts you many hours after the viewing. And don't forget that the movie tell us some true events that happened at the early of 1900. Imagine a women (700 in the movie) who travel with an old ship cross the Atlantic (when till then she never goes farther 1 km from her poor village). She's going to a foreign country, an unknown future and a stranger husband with only some clothes and the photograph of him. She is clever, dynamic and good looking, and in spite of all that marks she accepts her destiny, against to her heart and her deepest feelings, because the family and the traditional values have the first priority in her choices. After "Brides" I feel deeply grateful for the fact that I am a citizen of 21 century and in a democracy which NOW respect the women as equal as the men. I recommend you strongly this film.

Every time I watch Nyfes, I think of many of my older relatives, my mom included, who emigrated to Canada in the 1940s and 1950s under very similar circumstances. The scenes shot in Greece are especially breath-taking. Voulgaris made me think how ironic it was that people were forced to leave such a beautiful, but poverty-stricken country. Damian Lewis is excellent as the hopeless romantic while Victoria Haralabidou, as Niki Douka, manages to convey the fatalistic acceptance her character must have been feeling. These two performers develop one of the best examples of culture clash in a movie. Martin Scorcese is one of the producers of this movie, and I don't think he would ever let himself be associated with something which is not artistically sound. As for Voulgaris, he has done an excellent job.