06/02/2014 - Standing Aside, Watching, At Home and Stratos ride the Greek wave into Berlin

Greece is celebrating one of its biggest years at the Berlinale, with three high-end titles being showcased in prestige sections of the festival, two shorts being screened in the Generation and Berlinale Shorts sections, and two projects vying for attention at the Co-Production Market.

Toronto-screened Standing Aside, Watching [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a gripping homecoming drama in which Yorgos Servetas mixes western aesthetics with a Blue Velvet-like storyline in modern-day rural Greece, is having its official European opening at the Panorama, after packing its screenings at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival last November. International sales are handled directly by co-producing firm Heretic.

Athanasios Karanikolas’ more grounded At Home [+see also:
trailer
film profile], his second consecutive entry in the Forum (after last year’s Echolot [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) explores the fine line between loyalty and naiveté, through the story of a beloved housekeeper who is unceremoniously fired by her employers after she falls ill. A Greco-German co-production, the film is world-premiering on Monday, with international sales being handled by co-producer SHPN3 Filmproduktion. 

Yannis Economides, the veteran of the bunch, is leading the Greek invasion straight into the Berlinale Official Competition. Economides will be world-debuting his fourth feature and second foray into noir territory, Stratos [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yannis Economides
film profile]. Starring co-writer Vangelis Mourikis, the film revolves around the titular character: a baker by night, but assassin by day, who is trying to gather enough money to break an old friend out of prison. The Match Factory will be handling sales.

In addition, Rinio Dragasaki’s short film Schoolyard will screen at the Generation 14plus, and Konstantina Kotzamani’s Washingtonia will be featured at the Berlinale Shorts, while Christos Georgiou (Small Crime [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Elina Psykou (The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elina Psykou
film profile]) will be participating in the Berlin Co-Production Market with their newest projects, Happy Birthday and Son of Sofia, respectively.