Attenberg

Colour, 35 mm
Greece, 2010, 95 min
Section: Young Greek Cinema

Synopsis

In a small, industrial seaside town, 23-year-old Marina (Ariane Labed) is growing up with her architect father (Vangelis Mourikis) who is dying of cancer. Although she maintains an exceptionally close relationship with her dad, she finds the human species strange and repellent, and she keeps her distance. Instead, she chooses to observe life through the songs of the band Suicide, Sir David Attenborough’s mammal documentaries, and the sex education lessons she receives from her only friend, Bella (Evangelia Randou). A visiting engineer (Yorgos Lanthimos) comes to town and challenges her to a foosball duel at her own table. Meanwhile, her father ritualistically prepares for his exit from the 20th century, which he considers to be "overrated.” Caught between the two men and her friend, Bella, Marina investigates the wondrous mystery of the human fauna. An unconventional coming-of-age film, Attenberg tells the story of a young woman who comes to terms with sex and death as natural parts of life.

About the director

Athina Rachel Tsangari (Greece) received a BA in literature from Thessaloniki’s Aristotle University, an MA in performance studies from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and an MFA in film directing from the University of Texas in Austin. Her debut feature, The Slow Business of Going, was voted "one of the best undistributed films” in the 2002 Village Voice Critics’ Poll. She co-founded and was artistic director of the Austin-based Cinematexas ISFF (1997-2007), and was projections designer and video director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In 2009 she directed the animated film Reflections. Attenberg premiered in competition at the 2010 Venice IFF where it received the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress (Ariane Labed).