The Summer with Carmen

This Greek film subverts the love story by having gay partners working on the script of a film, extracts of which are cleverly interspersed with the action and sometimes amusingly contradicts it. I'd go so far as to say this is a real original. Even if I'm wrong, I believe I'm right in saying the film will lead to a major offer to director Zacharias Mavroeidis. He's made a few films before but nothing that's had potentially international appeal. This will be a particular joy for film fans, referencing Hollywood and British cinema. Pretentious or not, I knew from the first perfectly framed shot, on the rocks of the Athens coast, that Mavroeidis has talent. This was indeed the case. He draws excellent performances from his entire cast, notably charismatic star Yorgos Tsiantoulas. The film is also beautifully filmed around Athens and some of the footage on the coast is stunning. It includes a sequence in which the partners imagine turning their film into a musical, which is a delight. Zacharias and Yorgos were both at the British premiere at Flare last night, 15 March 2024, and told us great stuff about the Greek film industry (no agents, no intimacy co-ordinators), Carmen the dog, and Zacharias's hope that the film will be condemned by the Greek church. Yes, there's a lot of male nudity and that may be the main reason the screening was sold out. But the film is much more than exploitation: another critic has said that "existential philosophy has never been more playful than it is here" and he's dead right.

Demos looks like he walked straight out of an ancient Greek vase (definitely a big 'eye candy' element in selling the film), but inside he's an ordinary man like you and me. He's full of fibs and little hypocrisy, and loses his clarity as he often lets his cock think for his head. But he's not a bad guy. He just wants a piece of happiness for himself, that's all... like you and me.

Now, how can one turn such an ordinary summer of an ordinary guy into an entertaining film? Enters Nikitas, an aspiring director. But alas, he is not a genius who can magically turn this ordinary summer into a masterpiece either - he is full of his own little hang-ups and broken expectations too. The film uses their struggling of making a coherent script out of their life as the frame. It's an interesting self-mockery from the film maker's part.

But the end result is well put together and entertaining. There are lots of elements but it never lets itself get too serious. There are plenty of humour, handsome guys and sexy scenes to keep you entertained. Some moments came across as trying to be too clever (like the little moment of mock-musical), but overall it stays within its frame of the ordinary people trying to turn their ordinary story into a film. But as an ordinary guy full of little BS myself, there definitely was something to take from it.

Certainly worth a look.

This is an incredibly well-constructed movie, brimming with irony and following the tragic yet thought-provoking patterns reminiscent of ancient philosophers like Plato. The narrative subtly explores the complexities of human emotions, where the love between the main characters remains purely platonic, highlighting themes of connection beyond the physical.

A special mention goes to the dog, who delivered a surprisingly nuanced performance. Her presence is not just charming but integral to the plot, adding emotional depth and symbolizing loyalty and companionship in ways that enhance the storytelling.

The film's unique sense of humor stands out, masterfully blending subtle wit with a post-ironic visual narrative that keeps the audience engaged. This clever approach elevates the movie, offering layers of meaning that invite reflection long after the credits roll.

I give it an extra 100 out of 100 for its brilliance-both in its humor and innovative narrative structure. It's been over 100 minutes of pure cinematic delight, leaving me entertained and impressed in equal measure.

I got to forty minutes and switched the film off. As a concept, the film was a good idea. Unfortunately its execution was poor. Initially the idea of a script within a script fascinated me but it didn't take long to get tired of the continual switchings from the nudist beach where much of the devising of the script was going on to "real" life.

I had very little investment in the lives and ideas if the two main protagonists. Their friendship didn't seem real and neither did their characters. I certainly didn't find Demosthenes sexy either, something that others have a contrary view on.

This might appeal to a certain audience, particularly one that's involved deeply in the gay scene. It didn't rock my boat.

Our hero is Demosthenes (played by hunky Yorgos Tsiantoulas), who recently broke up with his partner Panos (Nikolaos Mihas) after a four-year relationship. His best friend is Nikitas (Andreas Labropoulos), a former actor who is now a director.

Sitting on a nude beach where gay cruising is the order of the day, Nikitas and Demosthenes try to come up with ideas for a script Nikitas has to present as his next film project. Demosthenes reflects on his own life as inspiration for the film.

As Demosthenes tells his story, the film jumps backwards and forward depicting the events. We learn quite a bit about each character in the process. Although Demosthenes broke up with Panos, we still notice hints of regret despite him trying to convince Nikitas otherwise. We also meet Demosthenes' mom, who looks after his sick father. And then there's the dog, Carmen, who changes everyone's lives.

Filled with gorgeous physiques and full frontal male nudity, there's plenty of eye candy to keep you drooling, depending on your inclinations, off course. Apart from that, I found the film very realistic. The drama and humour were well balanced and never over the top or sentimental. It was current and relatable. I also thought the actors were perfectly cast in their respective roles.