Against the soothing backdrop of a Greek summer, Kostis Charamountanis ambitiously crafts a light-hearted story exploring the past of a family which keeps the mirage of reconciliation alive. As quirky as its title, which means vacation in Japanese, this feature debut unfolds restlessly, driven by a hectic montage of nostalgic home videos, slapstick sketches and curious meditative scenes. Between fragments of formal experimentation, the relationship between the two siblings and their father's struggle with melancholia deliver a muddled but tender summer chronicle.
In the scorching sun, Konstantinos (Konstantinos Georgopoulos) and Elsa (Elsa Lekakou) wait for the father on the dock. They act silly and are constantly teasing each other, anticipating what will be an enjoyable sailboat vacation. The arrival of their father, Babis (Simeon Tsakiris), brings some tension as he can't seem to find the boat's keys. We soon find out his mind is preoccupied with his secret plan to reunite.
In the scorching sun, Konstantinos (Konstantinos Georgopoulos) and Elsa (Elsa Lekakou) wait for the father on the dock. They act silly and are constantly teasing each other, anticipating what will be an enjoyable sailboat vacation. The arrival of their father, Babis (Simeon Tsakiris), brings some tension as he can't seem to find the boat's keys. We soon find out his mind is preoccupied with his secret plan to reunite.
- 5/22/2024
- by Sergiu Inizian
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Athens-based boutique film outfit Heretic has two titles in the Cannes Acid (Association for the International Distribution of Independent Cinemas) sidebar.
Heretic’s own Greek production, co-produced with North Macedonia’s List Production, “Kyuka Before Summer’s End,” by debut director Kostas Charamountanis, is the opening film of the Acid program. The film follows a family of three, a single father, Babis, and his twin children on the verge of adulthood, Konstantinos and Elsa, who sail to the island of Poros on the family boat for their holidays. In the midst of swimming, sunbathing and making new friends, Konstantinos and Elsa meet, unbeknownst to them, their birth mother Anna who abandoned them when they were babies. The encounter stirs up long-held feelings of resentment in Babis, resulting in a bittersweet coming-of-age journey.
“Kyuka Before Summer’s End” is produced by Danae Spathara, Giorgos Karnavas and Konstantinos Kontovrakis of Heretic, Greece...
Heretic’s own Greek production, co-produced with North Macedonia’s List Production, “Kyuka Before Summer’s End,” by debut director Kostas Charamountanis, is the opening film of the Acid program. The film follows a family of three, a single father, Babis, and his twin children on the verge of adulthood, Konstantinos and Elsa, who sail to the island of Poros on the family boat for their holidays. In the midst of swimming, sunbathing and making new friends, Konstantinos and Elsa meet, unbeknownst to them, their birth mother Anna who abandoned them when they were babies. The encounter stirs up long-held feelings of resentment in Babis, resulting in a bittersweet coming-of-age journey.
“Kyuka Before Summer’s End” is produced by Danae Spathara, Giorgos Karnavas and Konstantinos Kontovrakis of Heretic, Greece...
- 4/16/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
by Juan Carlos Ojano
There is a sequence in the romantic crime dramedy Broadway where a lot of things clicked with me. Street performer Nelly (Elsa Lekakou) is dragged by policeme. Suddenly, a mob of queer queens swarm in to snatch them from the police. A few moments later, Nelly is reunited with fellow performer Jonas/Barbara (Foivos Papadopoulos). They kiss and rejoice to the orchestral version of Irene Cara’s “Fame”, that they were performing before this arrest.
This scene, which paves way for the film's midpoint, negotiates a variety of tones in a circular structure demonstrating Broadway's sophisticated storytelling. Christos Massalas' surprisingly thoughtful feature film mixes complex imagery, delicate writing, and sensitively portrayed romance with rhythmic movement and striking craft...
There is a sequence in the romantic crime dramedy Broadway where a lot of things clicked with me. Street performer Nelly (Elsa Lekakou) is dragged by policeme. Suddenly, a mob of queer queens swarm in to snatch them from the police. A few moments later, Nelly is reunited with fellow performer Jonas/Barbara (Foivos Papadopoulos). They kiss and rejoice to the orchestral version of Irene Cara’s “Fame”, that they were performing before this arrest.
This scene, which paves way for the film's midpoint, negotiates a variety of tones in a circular structure demonstrating Broadway's sophisticated storytelling. Christos Massalas' surprisingly thoughtful feature film mixes complex imagery, delicate writing, and sensitively portrayed romance with rhythmic movement and striking craft...
- 4/28/2023
- by Juan Carlos Ojano
- FilmExperience
A 30-something Greek-born filmmaker who has checkboxed major stops on the international film festival circuit with his short film output, Christos Massalas could have leaned towards the Euro film festival circuit (his short film Copa-Loca was a Directors’ Fortnight entry) in 2021 but something tells me his feature debut film might secure a Park City/Rotterdam spots instead. Set in Athens, production on Broadway took place in autumn of 2020 (it was set to shoot pre-pandemic) and saw Massalas re-team with lead actress Elsa Lekakou and his Dp Konstantinos Koukoulios (from Babis Makridis’ Pity fame – premiered in Sundance in 2018). Perhaps a modern wink to Bresson’s Pickpocket, Broadway was workshopped Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2018 and Cannes Film Festival’s L’Atelier Cinéfondation.…...
- 11/22/2021
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
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