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Director: Athina Tsoulis
Cast: Penelope Collins, Vicky Yiannoutsos, Karla Eichblatt, Jessica Harding
Writer/director Athina Tsoulis's short film is a portrait of an immigrant Greek family in 1950s Auckland. The story focusses on middle child Thalia (Alexa Tsoulis Reay), who enjoys a close relationship with her mother Despina (Vicky Yiannoutsos). Father Dimitri (Yianni Tsitsiridakis) is a macho former soldier who frustrates his wife with his frequent nights out at the 'mens' club'. When Thalia goes to hospital for an operation, her feelings about her dad change. Tsoulis was born in Greece and grew up in Australia in a large Greek community.
Critical Reception & Ratings
While details on the critical and public reception of Athina Tsoulis's 1990 short film A Bitter Song are limited, the film is noted for its intimate portrait of an immigrant Greek family in 1950s Auckland and the personal journey of its central character Thalia. As a work from a filmmaker with Greek heritage, the film offers a culturally specific perspective on the immigrant experience.
Why you might like this:
Athina Tsoulis's 1990 short film 'A Bitter Song' offers a sensitive, slice-of-life portrayal of an immigrant Greek family in 1950s Auckland, with standout performances from Vicky Yiannoutsos as the matriarch Despina and Alexa Tsoulis Reay as the central character Thalia, whose changing relationship with her father Dimitri (Yianni Tsitsiridakis) lies at the heart of this nuanced family drama.