Isolated and abandoned, surrounded by decaying sport venues, the Athens Olympic Village is today a near-deserted city, its only residents a few working class families offered free housing following the 2004 Games. Stuck inside the Village, a group of boys wander around the ruins playing distorted versions of Olympic games and organizing dog matings for money. The eldest of the gang, Dimitris, aged 17, along with Anna, a retired athlete of 22, will try to escape the confines of the Village for the seaside b-class resorts in the outskirts of Athens. During their visits and as they penetrate more and more into the lives of the foreign tourists, Dimitris’ desire for acceptance is tested in brutal ways. The film is made with very little dialogue, which the director explains (in FilmNewEurope.com): “Kids often express their emotions through yelling and whistling.” Park is a stunning look at the consequences of economic ruin on disaffected youth.
Director’s Biography
Sofia Exarchou: Born in Athens, Sofia Exarchou studied electrical engineering at the Athens Polytechnic, film direction at the Stavrakos Film School, and theatre at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York. In 2014, she participated in the Sundance Screenwriters & Directors' Lab. Park, her first feature, premiered at TIFF and was selected at San Sebastián IFF, where it won the New Directors' Award.
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