Animal - English subtitled
Sofia Exarchou reflects on the downside of mass tourism in this social realist drama about a group of entertainment workers at an all-inclusive resort in Greece.
If you had enough money, you would choose a destination other than the run-down Hotel Mirage. But the guests have little budget. To still give their holidays some colour, they are entertained with live music, dance, cabaret and bingo. Their entertainers also live on the premises – in dilapidated rooms – but nevertheless do their work with pleasure. It is a close-knit group, comparable to a circus troupe. Newcomer Eva also finds a warm welcome here. But after nine years, this life begins to take its toll on the most experienced entertainer Kalia. Her body is increasingly suffering from the effects of daily efforts. She will have to break the vicious cycle, or be broken by it herself.
The strength of this film lies in its portrayal of the downside of life in the entertainment world; a side you don’t get to see on Instagram. Beneath the thin glitz of the performances, real life for the entertainment staff is a lot more melancholy and sad. This is all expressed in Kalia's final karaoke performance. (av)