GRADE: 10
Greece, 1939-1952: Fascist, Nazi, and Communist conflict, as seen through the eyes of a family of travelling provincial players.
Original Title: O thiasos
Director: Theodoros Angelopoulos
Country: Greece
THOUGHTS:
Multi-layered, complex, and harrowing. A vivid depiction of a company of actors attempting to go about their lives while the country falls apart around them. Loyalties and betrayals exist outside the company and within it, showing us the many ways in which Greek society fragments as it’s torn between Fascist, Nazi, Communist, or US/UK interests. The film blends harsh realism, surrealist atmospherics, and allegory to paint a bleak picture of a turbulent period in the history of modern Greece.
Angelopoulos’ direction is sublime. He weaves an impressive spell with his camera, in full control of the storytelling, always directing our senses where he wants them to go, but also pausing when necessary to leave space for reflection.