Arcadia, the second feature from writer-director Yorgos Zois (Casus Belli), is hoping to secure a nomination in the best international feature film Oscar race for Greece.
Since its world premiere in the Berlin Film Festival’s 2024 Encounters program, the metaphysical mystery drama, which he co-wrote with Konstantina Kotzaman, has won such honors as the best director award at the Sarajevo Film Festival and the International Federation of Film Critics’ (FIPRESCI) best international film prize at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. It also won the best film, best director and best screenplay honors at the Hellenic Film Academy Awards this year.
The film stars Vangelis Mourikis (The King, Digger) and Yorgos Lanthimos collaborator Angeliki Papoulia (Dogtooth, The Lobster).
They play Katerina, a neurologist, and Yannis, a respected retired doctor, who drive to an off-season seaside resort. Yannis has been called to the hospital in the small town to identify the victim of a tragic accident. Mystery ensues. During nightly excursions to a mysterious beach bar called “Arcadia,” Katerina begins to put the puzzle together of what is going on.
Konstantinos Koukoulios handled the cinematography for Arcadia, while Yannis Chalkiadakis served as the editor.
Arcadia has been described as a genre-defying meditation on love, loss, grief, the afterlife, and transitional places or states.
The Greek committee selecting the country’s Oscar submission lauded Arcadia for its “outstanding technical and distinctive artistic merit,” as well as conveying a “distinct Greek identity.”
THR can now premiere an exclusive clip from the film, which showcases, among other things, its otherworldly atmosphere. And yes, it also touches on memory, sex – in a very direct way, and expensive taste in clothing.
If you are wondering what all of that has to do with anything and are ready to be faced with more questions than answers, check out the exclusive Arcadia clip below.
