O Maestro e o Mar

This debut of a Greek production on Netflix is remarkable. It has all the ingredients that make for a great cinematic experience: diverse themes that affect ordinary people, titillating music, engaging dialogue (terse but thoughtful, sometimes witty and wise) and creative use of foreboding.

The viewer is able to relate to each of the major characters. Episodes are devoted to a major character. Orestis, Haris, Sofia, Fanis, Maria, Michalis and Haralambos come to life. Thus, the viewer knows how he/she develops. Compelling drama then ensues as the characters interact.

The settings help in making a heart-rending story: the idyllic Greek islands of Paxos and Corfu on the Ionian Sea.

Haris Alexiou, Maris Kavoyianni, Marisha Triantafyllidou, Christopher Papakaliatis, and the young actors Khelia Andriolatou and Orestis Chalkias deserve our ovation.

Now that Greek cinema has caught the attention of Netflix, do we expect more of the same quality Greek films from this video streaming leader? Parakalos.

Powerful! That's the only word that comes to mind when thinking about this show. Mainly known for their cuisine, and the beauty of their country, here the Greeks have, unlike what the large majority might expect, hit hard with this incredible piece of art. Their entry on the largest streaming platform in the world certainly did not go by unoticed nor dissapoint as the series easily found its way to the top 10 list for tv shows in many countries around the globe. The production designer of this series should definitely be applauded for the selection of the many sets, and locations, all of which were breathtakingly outstanding. Also, the actors knew exactly what they were doing when came the time to perform. They may be unknown for the large majority of us, but that did not prevent them from shining to the best of their ability for the whole planet to see. Additionally, knowing that this show told the story of a musician, I was not expecting anything less from the soundtrack. Saying that the composers nailed it in that area would be a understatement. So go ahead, watch it, watch it, watch it, for the actors who played wonderfully, for the plot that grips you from start to finish, as well as for the lanscapes that showcase Greece's natural appeal. You will not be deceived.

Oh how we love to hate that we like Papakaliatis' work, well, at least partially. He most definitely isn't some inventive, original, break-through mastermind. However, I think he's a clever cinema lover with good taste and charm, who knows how to pick actors (and singers apparently -wow, just wow) and what it takes to create an engaging spectacle that appeals to the vast majority of the audience (possible haters who are in fact secret watchers included):

• A catchy story. A mixture of love -always forbidden, relevant/trendy social/political issues, lots of drama and a dose of humor to lighten things up.

• Beauty. From the astonishing female lead to the wonderful cinematography and meticulously chosen music, everybody and everything are beautiful, super clean and tidy, extremely detail oriented.

But apart from these elements that tick Papakaliatis' boxes and most importantly, Maestro offers top notch acting. Natural, simple and truthful acting, that makes you forget his occasional beloved weaknesses: the copied scenes/dialogues from other movies/series, the cringey lines, his favorite Woody Allenish monologues and dialogues, the stereotypes, the politically correct preaching, criticizing capitalism from a capitalistic point of view like talking to a 5 yo (no hints or meaningful scenes, just spoon fed ideology) and the fact that he cannot resist keeping the male leading role (always portraying the moody, nice, romantic, charismatic guy that all women fall for) for himself. I must say though, I found him to be much more mature and relaxed here, acting and directing wise. Bottom-line, I enjoyed Maestro. It's well deserved being on Netflix, it's a huge success and well done to everybody.

I didn't expect much when I started watching Maestro in Blue, as I've never watched Greek series or movies. Even though I usually hate reading subtitles, from the very beginning, I realised that it was totally worth it.

After watching the trailer, it seemed to be just a romantic melodrama, however from the beginning you're presented with a mystery which keeps you want to watch more.

In my opinion the actors are also doing a great job. Some of the shots are beautifully done, and overall the series is visually pleasing.

P. S. I'm watching this straight after white lotus, so I have something to compare it with.

Unlike Papakaliatis early works, Maestro is a true gem. Without a doubt he has come a long way and has made great progress in film making. Above all, Maestro is a very good story told by real people who face every day problems and try to cope with them. Very important issues are raised such as domestic violence, racism and family matters that everyone could relate to, more or less. Moreover, the direction and cinematography of the series are brilliant. Another very big plus is the selection of music, which if i'm not mistaken is again Papakaliatis' job. In conclusion, i find Maestro to be one of the best greek tv series i've ever watched (well still do) and is the only one that makes me get emotional. Can't wait for the next episode and why not for a next season. So glad that it is airing soon on Netflix and it is going international. Cheers to the next one Christopher!