Zacharis Mavroeidis' The Summer with Carmen is a Greek film that radiates with sun, sensuality, and sharp scriptwriting. From its provocative opening sequence to its exploration of relationships, the film is an exploration of desire, queer identity, and the pursuit of artistic ambition – all served with a side of distractions.
The opening sequence of the film unfolds at a nudist beach, immediately setting the tone for what's to come. If there's one thing that the writer/director Mavroeidis does, it's making the film's objectives very clear. From this exact moment, a provocative and playful mood lingers throughout the film's 1 hour and 46 minute runtime. The film's beginning is followed by text on screen outlining the basic structure of how to tell stories for the big screen – “1. Every movie has 3 acts; 2. Every movie has a hero; 3. Every hero has a goal; 4. Every hero changes in pursuit of his goal.” The words set the stage for what to expect, but admittedly, it's difficult to focus on the film's message when there's a naked bottom on screen at the same time. This is one of the many instances throughout the film where nudity – often in the form of a bum or exposed genitals – is on display.
When the film's hero, Demosthenes (Yorgos Tsiantoulas), a trained actor, is chatting with his friend Nikitas (Andreas Lampropoulos) – whom he met at acting school – about a script Nikitas is trying to write but hasn't delivered to an executive yet, the protagonist is struck with inspiration. He encourages his comrade to write about their summer with Carmen. Instantly, the direction of the story shifts and what, at first, appears to be a raunchy film is later shown to be a journey about relationships and a search for ambition within the lives of the two gay men, Demosthenes and Nikitas. Through flashbacks that flit between the past and the present day, we piece together what happened during the Summer with Carmen, who just so happens to be a sweet rescue dog that Demosthenes takes into his care following an abrupt breakup. Carmen comes into Demosthenes' life after he dogsits for his ex, adamant on taking her back to the shelter and getting rid of her. Our protagonist simply cannot let this happen and steps in. What begins as a good deed soon becomes a burden for Demosthenes's love life.
Whether it's fellatio on the beach or attending a funeral, the film balances moments of intense passion and humour. The queerness of the characters isn't just a backdrop, it's an essential aspect of the story, reflected in the relationships, the encounters and the hearty and vulnerable moments. Breakups, celebrations, and intimacy are woven into the storytelling seamlessly. The sex scenes, often explicit and confrontational, are more than just physical – they play a significant part in understanding Demosthenes as a character and his conflicted emotional state. Each intimate scene feels like a window into our hero's psyche.
Scriptwriting and acting come with their pressures. Mavroeidis doesn't shy away from exploring the less glamorous aspects of filmmaking. Nikitas has had small acting jobs here and there, and his frustration and insecurities about his waning career and sense of self-worth are made apparent multiple times within the film. Through flashbacks, we hear that Nikitas has been told he is “too gay” for straight roles. It's a poignant moment that highlights the pressures of masculinity. On a phone call, he confides in Demosthenes, expressing that he was on the receiving end of a quip that no one has seen him in anything lately, spurring him to try and write a killer script.
The relationship between Demosthenes and Nikitas is tender, but there are also elements of tough love. Nikitas tells his friend that he has an obsession with hook-ups and that he is prioritising the wrong type of relationships. He should instead be focused on helping Nikitas finish the script. But despite Nikitas's honest words, we do see him come through for his friend when Demosthenes experiences a personal loss. It's a refreshing portrayal of male friendship, seeing the two gay friends call each other out, and in the same breath, share tender moments of playfulness and joy.
The Summer with Carmen is more than a film about nudity, scriptwriting and a pooch. But Carmen's cuteness definitely helps.
The Summer with Carmen is in UK Cinemas from February 28
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