Salute my Foot

Χαιρέτα μας τον Πλάτανο
Hereta mas ton Platano

The story unfolds on New Year’s Eve 1967 and takes us to the night of the first anniversary of the so-called “National Rebirth” of 21 April 1968 and chronicles the story of young Makis. Makis lives with his grandmother and widowed father Theodoros (an admirer of dictator Papadopoulos and his cronies) on the outskirts of Athens, in Mandra. A central role is played by his fiendish grandmother, Vangelia, who controls the father and her fragile and alienated grandson.
The situation is complicated by the arrival of the grandmother’s brother and his wife from New Jersey.
   The complex world of adults seen through the eyes of a child: intrigue, intervals of joy, deceptive and conflicting interests, a misguided pursuit of love, tender gestures, endless wanderings, brief glances and eyes full of tears, dim faces, which all form the background of Greece’s seven year dictatorship. And in the backdrop, the height of kitsch culture permeates throughout the film.
 

Director: Dimitris Makris | Rating: R 18+ | 2004 | Drama | 96 minutes | Greek dialogue with English subtitles

Director's Bio - Dimitris Makris

Dimitris Makris was born in Athens in 1937. He studied at Rome’s International University of Social Studies and spent many years working for various Italian film production companies, directing sociological, cultural and environmental documentaries, films, programmes and commercials.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Betty Valasi, Panayiotis Filipeos, Panos Kranidiotis, Dimitra Hatoupi, Vana Zaka, Mihalis Ainatzoglou, Eleni Gorgi, Kostas Darlasis, Makis Papadimitratos, Ioakim Anatzoglou, Kelly Markandonatou, Maria Konstandaki, Iris Pandazara.

DIRECTOR's – PREVIOUS FILMS

1974 This is the Polytechnic Speaking

1975 Fanafani Rapito (Fanfani Kidnapped)

1977 Angelopoulos: A Journey Through History (doc)

1978 The Iron Gate

1986 Shaved Heads

1993 A Darling Story

1999 Original Sin

2002 As Long as There is Alcohol
 

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

45th Thessaloniki International Film Festival – 2004


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