Paradise (Paradeisos)

A Strada Films discharge of a Pan Entertainment production, in colaboration with Greek Film Center, Ert Hellenic Broadcasting Corp., Guanaco, Homemade Films production. (Worldwide sales: Pan Entertainment, Athens.) Created by Maria Drandaki. Executive producer, Constantinos Moriatis. Directed, compiled by Panagiotis Fafoutis.With: Natassa Zaga, Mihalis Fotopoulos, Olia Lazaridou, Erricos Litsis, Christos Loulis, Constantinos Avarikiotis, Maria Skoula, Andreas Konstantinou, Lila Baklesi, Vaggelis Alexandris, Thanassis Vlavianos, Liza Neohoriti.Romance and confetti are up in "Paradise," the 2nd feature from Greek scribe-helmer Panagiotis Fafoutis ("The Heir"). Set from the madness from the circus in Patras (an event to rival the greater famous ones in Venice and Rio), pic traces the interconnected tales of two couples and 2 one-on the sides obsessions. Colorful floats and costumes and moving music really are a constant, even while the very first hour's solid crosscutting gives way to some more muddled and protracted other half that rapidly reduces the pic's emotional resonance. Local movie theaters, mainstream-oriented fests and satcasters would be the likeliest takers. The 4 tales are attached to a Paradise-designed circus float within the Patras parade, which happens other family members . before Eastern Orthodox given. Pic is placed throughout the brilliant couple of times of formulations and parties that precede the parade, along with the eye-catching spectacle itself ("Production value!" because the budding filmmaker protag of "Super 8" would say). London-based Marianna (Natassa Zaga) has came back to surprise her b.f., the party-loving DJ from the float, Mihalis (Mihalis Fotopoulos). Have secrets: Uber-busy Mihalis has not quite quit using drugs, while Marianna, who purchased a one-way ticket, rapidly knows that returning permanently surprise was possibly not such a good idea. Eugenia (Maria Skoula), who helps by helping cover their the Paradise costumes, has began an affair using the handsome but slightly more youthful float organizer, Antonis (Andreas Konstantinou). She's afraid to inform her edgy teen daughter (Lila Baklesi), who -- within the pic's most contrived developments -- has got the hots for Antonis, too. A gay prepare (Constantinos Avarikiotis) is privately deeply in love with his handsome straight boss, Socrates (Christos Loulis), as the middle-aged float driver, Ilias (Erricos Litsis), still pines for his ex-wife (Olia Lazaridou), a singer who's scheduled to do at various parties. Scribe-helmer Fafoutis (whose name is from time to time transliterated as Panayotis) handsomely creates the 4 tales and, along with editor Panos Voutsaras, agilely cuts included in this because they build momentum. The big cast of figures as well as their quandaries are rapidly and strongly drew. But around an hour in, it might be obvious the loosely connected yarns aren't all going in the same speed as well as building toward one large crescendo. The story lines of Eugenia and Socrates are extremely determined by their large discloses and peter out soon after. And also the impact from the tragedies of Ilias and Mihalis might have been increased if Fafoutis had attracted clearer parallels between your youthful guy not able to understand what she has and also the old guy recognizing past too far what he once had. Acting is solid overall, along with other tech credits are strong. D.p. Yorgos Papandrikopoulos' lighting of inside is particularly significant, though a few of the outside crowd moments around the (overcast) day's the parade were clearly shot with inferior equipment. Ioanna Tsami's costume designs are fantastic in addition to a supply of unpredicted humor, such as with a go in which a nurse needs to often a partygoer outfitted because the same.Camera (color), Yorgos Papandrikopoulos editor, Panos Voutsaras music, George Pallikaris production designer, Pinelopi Valti costume designer, Ioanna Tsami seem (Dolby Digital), Dimitris Kanellopoulos Aris Louziotis, Panos Voutsaras. Examined at Thessaloniki Film Festival (Greek Films), November. 8, 2011. Running time: 108 MIN. Contact Boyd van Hoeij at news@variety.com