Breakage

The practice of the result of breaking / the act of breaking; state of being broken/ do ~: Greek idiom a. for someone who is very effective and successful b. something bad that has expanded / also catastrophe, smash.

“Mania”, by Georgios Panousopoulos                       
Saturday 10/11

“Strella”, by Panos Koutras                                       
Sunday 11/11

The definition of breakage is peculiar, it means catastrophe and success at the same time. Precisely as with the portraits of these two female characters who transgress limits. Two women who are broken and breaking at the same time. The first one, Alexandra in “Mania” is the definition of the norm. Everything in her life is in order, up to the moment she meets what might be her alternative, created by nature. That is the breakage point that will not destroy her but will rather bring out what always existed inside her. Respectively, Strella challenges gods with her actions. She will break into a thousand pieces for a love beyond any limit. Both films make references to antiquity, either through hybris and tragedies (she-Sophocles, she-Euripides, she-Aeschylus, in Betty’s words) in “Strella,” or through direct reference to god Pan in “Mania”. Both films touch upon archetype subjects. The catalyst that provokes the transgression of limits in both films is the opposite element, a man. However, it is a catalyst who will be swept away by the breakage of the two female characters, since the films are dominated by the women’s turbulent psyche. The breakage of limits in both cases ends well. The end resembles the quest for a utopia. Real, or imaginary, these utopias cannot but be the only purpose.