Greece is not Asia, and therefore Olga Malea’s film “Majoran” can not be called Asian, but it can be rightly called “oriental”, since Greek cinema is closely connected with the triumphant film of Turkey this year, and therefore with the East as a whole. A few words about this strange film.
“Majoran”, as well as a lot of other Greek films, such as “The Girl in Black” (To koritsi me ta mavra), “Madalena” (Madalena), “The Way of a Woman” (Strella), “The Fang” (Kynodontas), “The Man with the Knife” (Macherovgaltis) beats the viewer at will (among other things). It's a sentimental movie, but a cruel movie. And quite close to the Turkish in ethical and aesthetic principles, despite the external enmity of the Greeks and Turks. Tragedy, drama, catharsis – these words in Greece know the value. Theo Angelopoulos, of course, works more restrained, but his cinema is built on pathetics, on tears cried a long time ago.
The film is controversial, politically poignant. With close analysis, it can tear the audience apart.
3 out of 10