RKS 2024 Film: The 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival: “Wishbone”

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Sorry for jumping ahead here. Do you like “happy endings” and by that I don’t mean that term as used in that “Curb Your Enthusiasm” episode with Larry David and his Korean masseuse I watched on my KLM flight from Thessaloniki to Toronto this week.

There is no clear-cut ending here. Director Penny Panayotopoulou has crafted an ending assisted by fuzzy camerawork having you guessing if it is a fairytale or a deathly illusion. I love being held hostage in the movie theatre.

Kostas (Giannis Karampampas) is a 28-year-old security guard at a major urban Greek hospital. Intentional or not the impression is the Greek healthcare system is struggling with under resourcing both in equipment and personnel.

Kostas’ brother Tassos dies of a brain aneurysm leaving behind a very young child Niki (Garifalina Kontzou). Niki’s mother Chrysa (Elena Mavridou) suffers from mental illness unable to care for Niki, that responsibility devolving on her uncle Kostas and his mother.

Money is tight for Kostas and his mother and mortgage payments are due.

At the hospital Nondas, a hospital orderly, tracks deaths and runs a “scheme” with a corrupt lawyer to litigate against both doctors and the hospital in the hope of being awarded damages with the lawyer and Nondas sharing a cut of the proceeds.

Desperate for money Kostas accepts 6,000 Euros from Nondas to give false testimony against a hospital physician for negligence. He deposits the money to pay for the outstanding mortgage payments and his morality kicks in and “double deals” Nondas by refusing to agree to provide false testimony and in that exchange angrily headbutts Nondas causing a healthy flow of Nondas’ blood.

Where does Kostas’ double dealing land him? Please see the first paragraph above.

Giannis Karampampas won the Fos Award for Debut Actor in a Greek Feature Film at the 65th Annual Thessaloniki Film Festival.

You may watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/embed/ASZ7Na_dmKI

RKS 2024 Film Rating 86/100.

Published by Robert K Stephen (CSW)

Robert K Stephen writes about food ,drink, travel, film, and lifestyle issues. He also has published serialized novels "Life at Megacorp", "Virus # 26, "Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog" and "The Penniless Pensioner" Robert was the first associate member of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada. He also holds a Mindfulness Certification from the University of Leiden and the University of Toronto. Be it Spanish cured meat, dried fruit, BBQ, or recycled bamboo place mats, Robert endeavours to escape the mundane, which is why he has established this publication. His motto is, "Have Story, Will Write."

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