Film Overview"Lines" is an intriguing 2014 Greek drama film directed by Vasilis Mazomenos. The realist movie praises the principles of Greek nationalism and checks out the societal, economic, and personal battles faced by its seven main characters representing 7 various stories, during the extreme period of Greece's economic crisis.
Setting and ThemesThe majority of the film takes place from the year 2008 to 2014 in various areas all around Greece, painting a brilliant picture of the nation's recession. The film provides each story along the lines of social and personal alienation, psychological misery, and economic deprivation. Through this multi-dimensional and socio-political framework, Mazomenos seeks to depict a bleak, but reasonable, photo of contemporary Greece, highlighting themes of loss, desperation, and hopelessness.
Characters and PlotThe film starts with "The Man", an anonymous Greek resident who shoots himself in the Athenian Parliament's courtyard, signifying a remarkable protest against the government's severe austerity steps. Following this poignant image, the film retells the stories of six more characters each reflecting numerous facets of the Greek population's suffering.
"The Financial Controller" illustrates a man who, falling under financial crisis, relies on a life of criminal offense to pay his expenses. "The Swan", embodying the youth losing their dreams, follows a ballet dancer who, after failing to attain her ambitions, enters into the lurid world of club. "The Mother" has to do with an impoverished lady selling her minor daughter in a set up marriage to handle destitution-- a decision leading to alarming effects. "The Businessman", dealing with layoffs and insolvency, comes to grips with his conscience while considering suicide. "The Photographer" has to do with a conflicted war photographer, not able to handle the injury of seeing brutal human ruthlessness. "The Immigrant" provides a bleak illustration of a Moroccan in Greece facing racial discrimination and physical violence from violent nationalists.
Techniques and AestheticRegardless of its grim material, "Lines" utilizes appealing cinematographic techniques, frequently combining broad breathtaking shots with close-ups. Furthermore, the movie's design greatly releases the symbolic use of darkness and light, producing a sense of alienation, fear and despair. These elements, integrated with the haunting musical arrangement by Alexandros Christaras and the soul-stirring efficiencies by the ensemble cast, include depth to the raw narrative, showcasing an intimate capture of the human condition under monetary, political, and individual pressure.
Conclusion and Reception"Lines" explores the extreme consequences of the Greek recession through its poignant and reasonable narratives. Its portrayal of social and financial iniquities remains resonant, symbolizing the universal human battle in times of severe difficulty. The movie has triggered substantive discussion and has been popular by global critics. Despite being set in Greece, "Lines" is a universal story of despair, struggle, and survival under grinding socio-political environments.
In closing, "Lines" functions as a review of the socio-economic turmoil that has actually swallowed up Greece in enormous waves of misery and disillusionment. It is a plain tip of just how rapidly and painfully a country can fall into financial and humanitarian stagnation, and how its individuals can be driven to offensive actions under the concern of anguish. This movie is a mentally extreme and philosophical journey to the heart of human anguish, requiring the audience to confront the bitter truths of life and the world we reside in.
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