To The Wolf (2013) - Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou

Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou's To The Wolf is a quietly devastating film that tells the story of two sheep farmers and their families, living in a remote village up in the Nafpaktia Mountains in the west of Greece.  Living a life of isolation, due to poverty which has basically left the town deserted, these two farmers struggle to provide for their familes among the economic chaos.  Paxnis, the older of the two men, sees no path to prosperity, instead succumbing to despair.  Giorgos on the other hand barters and takes out credit as much as he possible can, but as his debts continue to mount, he himself turns to the bottle as a way to escape.  Blending documentary and fiction elements, To The Wolf is a beautifully rendered film speaking to the unsetting reality of today's Greece.  To The Wolf is clearly an angry film, but the filmmakers show restraint in only opening discussing Greece through ancillary means.  Whether it be background newscasts or drunken rants, To The Wolf speaks about the repercussions of corporate greed, announcing how the reality of the situation has infected the lower classes as well, with the trickle down effect of economics causing many to lose their pensions and livelihoods.  Without question the greatest attribute of this film is its cinematography.  Living up to the age old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, To The Wolf uses compositions drenched in blacks and greys to capture the sorrow and despair, visually representive of the dark days facing Greece.  While the film's cold gray color palette is fantastic, the static framing also effectively captures the utter and complete calmness of despair, expressing the abandonment these people feel from a government unable to help them.  The finale of To The Wolf perfectly expresses the anguish of its characters, as off screen we hear the whimpers and cries from Giorgo's flock, as he has no other choice but to slaughter them in an effort to feed his family.  Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou's To The Wolf is a quiet yet haunting piece of filmmaking that visually captures the anguish and abandonment that Greek civilians are feeling from their government. 

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