Fonissa

The movie is killer would be another (no pun intended) summary headline I could have used. And I am quite sure that after I watched it, I had another one in mind. Which I do not remember - but I am content with my choice. Now is the main character content with her choices? Well let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Let's start with the source (book) material ... I have not read. I was not even aware of it - same is true of the story (or rather true history behind it all). Now while we do not get to see things explicitly ... this still is not for the faint of heart ... this really cuts to the bone ... takes away your breath one might say (again no pun intended).

Some of the acting may feel ... well not top notch and I understand that the movie also feels low budget and many other things ... but the rawness of it is exhilarating to say the least. With a title like that, you may have some notion of where this might go - if you read the book you already know obviously. But if like me you haven't ... not sure if you will guess it from the start - it took me a minute to realize what this was about and what dark turns it would take.

When you look back - the way you lived, you handled your life ... you likely will make up excuses for poor choices you made (and I am being a bit nonchalant considering what we are talking about here) ... but everyone is a hero in their own story ... and the same is true for the main character here ... she does not see herself as a bad person ... she thinks she helps. The dialog may be too on the nose, too obvious instead of reading things between the lines ... but the message is strong nonetheless ... a powerful movie/theme ... that is hard to grasp if you have a modicum of empathy ...

Lets start with the basics. The same name novel is outstanding!!

A great thriller novel with ethographic (represents the ethic and customs of a society) elements of a poor agricultural society.

The novel explores the psyche of an old woman (Hadoula), who lived on the margins of society and suffered a lot from poverty and other people mostly from her mother. The old woman having existential thoughts, starts to "Psilonei o nous tis" that means to embrace madness. These thoughts and her insane believings lead her to become a serial killer of young girls.

On the other hand the movie has nothing to do with this. On the movie the society not only seems to know about Hadoula killing girls, but also invite her sometimes to kill their girls. There is no suspence, no existential dilemmas, only a sick corrupted society where all the problems comes from the evil slothful Men. And of course the film doesnt explore the psyche of a troubled woman who turns into serial killer, which is amazing on the book, reaching Dostoyevskys explorations of troubled people!!!

In few words the film has a dull and misleading atmosphere with no suspence and very slow plot. Without any deeper meanings and dilemmas.

I would like to see a different "spin" from the director on the classic "Fonissa" of Papadiamantis . Personally, I wanted a more modern approach and building of the main character of Kariofilia Karabeti. Karabeti on the role of Fonissa - the murderer- delivers perfectly and throughout the whole film building her psychological background and her opinion which is that when you kill a young woman you save her from world's cruelty. I would like some deeper profiling without the simplicity that is noticed on the film. I felt a rush on it but also getting a repetitive pattern . The main female actors on the film were absolute breathtaking especially in some scenes , but the directing of the film making it a horror version of the classic nouvelle, was just not that what was needed . The sense that something is missing was there , the social era was depicted and the film was saved by it's actors . Needed something extra to reach on top , and that couldn't come with ghosts but only maybe with the true horror of the eyes of a gifted artist such as Karabeti.

What misery a bad Papadiamantis story in its bad film adaptation. The case is moving slowly. Very late, you could barely watch it if you have sleep problems. The protagonist saves the situation a little, but in the midst of a bad mess, she too gets carried away. What a bad movie. How Bad interpretations. A mess of an hour and a half that you just want to end before you get a headache. Don't make the mistake of seeing her. Don't press cinema and if you happen to be on TV just change the channel. An attempt by the director to give a dramatic tone to the film is very dark in every scene. The countless overcast shots and the constant black clothing of the actors. A bad music and overall a golden mediocrity.

Nai men alla...

The story needed more work; as Georgousopoulos once told me when we were having coffee in Kolonaki, if a creator uses Papadiamantis' work they should respect the main structure, and then they may add whatever the heck they wish to add; if they don't, the plot starts to have problems.

I went to watch the movie hoping it would be a masterpiece. I think they did a good job but something was missing...

On the other hand I loved the level of production; them cloths; the scenery; the beautiful village; the actresses; Karampeti, in particular.

Maybe next time a creator makes a movie out of Fonissa they try to use Zoulias' work for "the women of Papadianantis".