Murderess (film)
| Murderess | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Greek | Φόνισσα |
| Directed by | Eva Nathena |
| Written by | Katerina Bei |
| Based on | The Murderess by Alexandros Papadiamantis |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Panagiotis Vasilakis |
| Edited by | Aggela Despotidou |
| Music by | Dimitris Papadimitriou |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Tanweer |
Release dates |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country |
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| Language | Greek |
Murderess (Greek: Φόνισσα) is a 2023 Greek drama film directed by Eva Nathena in her feature debut. The film based on the 1903 social novel of the same name by Alexandros Papadiamantis, is written by Katerina Bey. The film set on a secluded Greek island around the year 1900, follows Hadoula, a woman ensnared by her mother's rejection and the suffocating grip of a patriarchal society, as she fights to carve out a life of her own.[1]
It had its premiere at the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival in 'Meet the Neighbours Competition' section on 6 November 2023,[2] where it won 6 awards including The Best Artistic Achievement Award.[3] It was selected as the Greek entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[4][5]
Cast
- Karyofyllia Karambet as Hadoula or Frangogiannou
- Georgianna Dalara as Hadoula at a young age
- Maria Protopappa as Delcharo, Hadoula's mother
- Penelope Tsilika as Delcharo, daughter of Hadoula
- Elena Topalidou as Amersa
- Dimitris Emellos
- Yannis Tsortekis
- Christos Stergioglou
- Maria Skoulas
- Mania Papadimitriou
- Stathis Stamoulakatos
- Christina Maxouri as Krinio
- Olga Damani
- Ersi Malikenzou
- Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos
- Niki Papandreou
- Agoritsa Economou
- Michalis Economou
- Galini Hatzipashali
- Veronica Davaki
Release
Murderess had its premiere at the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival in 'Meet the Neighbours Competition' section on 6 November 2023.[6]
The film was released in Greece theatres on 30 November 2023 at the Pallas Theatre in Athens. The premiere of the film was attended by then President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.[7][8]
It was submitted as Greece entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards in September 2024.[9]
In November 2024, it competed in the Critics’ Week Competition at the Cairo International Film Festival[10]
Reception
Emilios Harbis of Kathimerini awarded the film 4 out of 4 stars and praised Murderess as a bold and meticulous debut by Eva Nathena, who adapts Alexandros Papadiamantis' classic into a dark psychological thriller. Harbis highlighted Nathena's background in set and costume design, noting that she "relies (rightly) on what she knows well" to create a wild, almost dystopian setting that reflects the bleak lives of women trapped by poverty and prejudice. The film's focus on female suffering and complex mother-daughter dynamics is central, with male characters portrayed more peripherally. Harbis described the atmosphere as "heavy, closed, collected," mirroring the emotional weight of the story. He commended Karyofyllia Karabeti's performance as Hadoula, calling it "masterful," and emphasized her ability to channel the film's theatrical tone, including a "dance of ancient tragedy," to portray a woman torn between duty and deep remorse.[8]
Accolades
The film received five awards out of a record 17 nominations in Iris Awards at the Hellenic Film Academy Awards.[11]
| Award | Date | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thessaloniki International Film Festival | 12 November 2023 | Best Artistic Achievement Award | Murderess | Won | [12] |
| Best Greek Film Premiered at Thessaloniki | Won | ||||
| Finos Film Award | Won | ||||
| The FISCHER Audience Award for a Meet the Neighbors competition section | Won | ||||
| HELLENIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION (ERT) AWARDS | Won | ||||
| Greek Film Centre Award (ex aequo) | Eva Natena | Won | |||
| Shanghai International Film Festival | 19 June 2024 | The Belt And Road Film Week: Media Choice Award for Filmmaker | Won | [13] | |
| Hellenic Film Academy Awards | 26 June 2024 | Best Cinematography | Panagiotis Vasilakis | Won | [14] |
| Best Music | Dimitris Papadimitriou | Won | |||
| Best Scene Design | Eva Nathena | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | Won | ||||
| Best Make-up Design, Hair and Special Effects | Evi Zafeiropoulou, Chronis Tzimos | Won |
See also
- List of submissions to the 97th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Greek submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
References
- ^ "Murderess". Cineuropa. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Economou, Vassilis (24 October 2023). "The 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival unveils its competition line-ups". Cineuropa. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "The awards of the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival". Thessaloniki Film Festival. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Κι όμως... η "Φόνισσα" της Εύας Νάθενα είναι η επίσημη υποβολή της Ελλάδας στα Οσκαρ" [And yet... Eva Natena's "Murderer" is Greece's official submission to the Oscars]. Flix (in Greek). 12 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Mike Fleming Jr (23 December 2024). "Alexander Payne & Director Eva Nathena On Greece's Oscar Submission 'Murderess' – Watch". Deadline. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Murderess". Thessaloniki Film Festival. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Στην πρεμιέρα της ταινίας «Φόνισσα»" [At the premiere of the film "Murderer"]. Presidency of the Hellenic Republic (in Greek). 30 November 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ a b Emilios Harbis (30 November 2023). "Οι νέες ταινίες της εβδομάδας: Η μάνα, η γυναίκα, η «Φόνισσα»" [The new movies of the week: The Mother, the Woman, "The Murderess"]. Kathimerini. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "European titles submitted for the Oscars race". Cineuropa. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Mariana Hristova (5 November 2024). "The Cairo International Film Festival is back for its 45th edition, with a full line-up revealed". Cineuropa. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Alexis Grivas (2 July 2024). "Sofia Exarchou's 'Animal' leads winners at Greece's Iris Awards". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Economou, Vassilis (13 November 2023). "Animal scoops Thessaloniki's Golden Alexander". Cineuropa. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Βραβείο σκηνοθεσίας στην Εύα Νάθενα για τη «Φόνισσα»" [Directing Award to Eva Nathena for "Murderer"]. Naftemporiki (in Greek). 9 June 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Υποψηφιότητες" [15th Hellenic Film Academy Award: Nominations]. Hellenic Film Academy Awards (in Greek). 26 June 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.