For this Out Takes, we went global reviewing films from Greece, Italy and a filmed staged production from the West End in London. We kicked off with the 31st Greek Film Festival which returns from October 13 – 25 in Melbourne, continuing its mission of celebrating the richness, creativity and diversity of Greek cinema while connecting Australian audiences with compelling stories from Greece and the Greek diaspora. Our first review was the powerful and touching ‘Mahi’ which tells the story of an 80-year-old trans woman who was a former military officer who became an acclaimed singer. Half a century later, she returns from Germany to Greece to reconnect with her daughter and rebuild their relationship while confronting their secrets and fears that led them to leaving their former life behind. We followed that with another highlight from the Greek Film Festival called ‘Maya & Samar’, a tense and engaging Greek – Canadian production that tells the story of Samar, a queer Afghani women who lives in Athens, dancing in a strip club for cash, following an escape from the Taliban. After meeting Maya, a Canadian journalist, at a rave, their worlds collide in an affair that exposes their conflicting cultures. As the story unfolds, we see Maya’s professional ambitions collide with her strong feelings for Samar who is caught between two worlds with no clear future ahead of her without some drastic action on her part. We then left Athens and traveled to Rome for the chaotic and highly enjoyable ‘Love Divine’ which is screening in this years St Ali Italian Film Festival. The film chronicles the romantic destinies of eight people across the course of four seasons from varied walks of life who are linked together by love, loss, passion, and betrayals, forming a network of entangled relationships and chaotic emotions. We finished up by heading to the National Theatre in London for the latest staged modern adaptation of ‘The Misanthrope’ from the National Theatre. Award-winning actor Sandra Oh plays Alice, the title role in this razor-sharp reimagining of Molière’s classic dark comedy. Telling the truth isn’t always that simple. Alice, a brilliant novelist, despises the carefully constructed lies of modern society. But the more she challenges those around her, the fiercer the backlash becomes. Soon, she must confront the price of speaking her truth in a world that would rather silence her. This production is exceptional as are the performances plus we are begging for someone to please release a clothing line based on the costumes in this play!
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