Das Photo

"The Photograph" has been cited by Greek critics as one of the best Greek fims of all time. It is undeniably flawed: much of the dialogue sounds unnatural, or even post-dubbed, and Aris Retsos gives an awkward, weird performance - at times he seems to be playing someone mentally handicapped, although at other times he is as sharp as a nail. Hristos Valavanidis, in a thankfully small part, gives a comically overwrought performance. But the main story, once it kicks in, is powerful, and Christos Tsagas' performance is remarkable. The film came out at a time when the Greek movie industry was, by all accords, dominated by cheap commercial cinema on one side and inaccessible arthouse cinema on the other, and it is notable for being far removed from either extreme; it carves its own path. **1/2 out of 4.