Céline Roustan
The summer is coming to an end, even though most of us are still in denial. So let us transport you to a beautiful, secluded beach by the Aegean Sea, where two groups struggle to share the space. The sweltering heat will only exacerbate tensions, revealing everyone’s true intentions and desires. With Γοργόνες (Gorgones / Mermaids), writer/directors Dimitris Tsakaleas and Lida Vartzioti craft an effective pressure-cooker ensemble dramedy set in a gorgeous location.
“We wanted to celebrate queer joy, queer humour, queer friendship, and queer bodies”
Tsakaleas and Vartzioti described their own summers in Greece as “a time when we felt freer, able to reinvent ourselves among tourists and strangers, and to experience fleeting yet meaningful connection”, which is ultimately what they bring to the screen with this film. They also explained that “although Greece remains a deeply conservative country in many ways, summer always felt like a space where anything was possible”. These ideas are very much present throughout the film, not only through the characters and their group dynamics, but also through the sense of freedom and carelessness that a beach holiday with friends can provide.
At the centre of the film is a love story, for which they use a touch of magical realism that blends perfectly with the film’s tone. All the characters feel carefree and unapologetically themselves, even when that ultimately threatens the peace and quiet of the beach. This freedom allows for authentic and raw dialogue between the characters as tensions mount. “We made this film because we wanted to celebrate queer joy, queer humour, queer friendship, and queer bodies,” they confessed.
“A film about attraction, gender, sexuality, and consent. It is an ode to queer bodies, the Greek summer, and romances that unfold under the sun.” – directors Tsakaleas & Vartzioti
Shot handheld by DP Dimitris Lambridis, the film places the audience on that beach as if we were part of the groups sprawled out on the towels. Not only does this give us a (pleasant) sense of place, it also puts us in the middle of the escalating, frantic chaos, giving the actors the freedom to bring the conflict to life with compelling spontaneity. Editor Panos Angelopoulos finds the perfect pacing to heighten the increasing tensions and make the climax(es) all the more poignant. In the sweeter moments, the film slows down and lets us stay with the characters as they flirt and attempt to seduce one another. The rhythm expertly echoes their shifting states of mind.
That beautiful chaos is so captivating thanks to the performances from the entire cast. Their chemistry is undeniable and charming, making you genuinely wish you had been invited to that beach day. This energetic mess is balanced by the film’s more ethereal layer, with a score that, paired with what’s happening between the other characters, creates a little bubble for the two protagonists, whose connection feels undeniable from the beginning.
Ahead of its online debut, Gorgones premiered on home turf at the Drama ISFF before earning selections at AFI Fest, Brussels ISFF, and SXSW London, to name a few. The directing duo is currently developing their first feature, Friends, Birthdays, Murder, etc.