DIRECTOR: Eva Nathena
STARRING: Karyofyllia Karabeti, Maria Protopappa, Elena Topalidou
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 36 minutes
LANGUAGE: Greek
It is the early 20th century on a dystopian Greek Island. Hadoula, a widow who lost her husband, Ioannis Fragkos, at a young age, is a woman who has learned how to survive in a male-dominated and extremely patriarchal society. Hadoula carries a difficult burden within her. Like a baton passed on to her from her mother, and the generations before her, she is meant to accept the belittling and degradation of women.
***
Murderess is based on the classic novella of the same name by Alexandros Papadiamantis. It's the directorial debut of leading art director and costume designer Eva Nathena. The film won five prizes at Greece’s Iris Awards. The film debuted at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in November 2023, and it was released in theatres shortly after across the country.
Greece's selection process was highly controversial beginning when the initial selection committee was replaced by the Greek Culture Ministry in August 2024. The ministry denied any members had been officially chosen and blamed an overzealous internal employee for the mix-up. In protest, all but one of the more than 20 films submitted for consideration were withdrawn by their filmmakers and a few members of the newly formed committee resigned. The Greek Culture Ministry said, despite the resignations, a quorum for voting was met, and Murderess, the only film not withdrawn from consideration, would be the Greek submission.
The film was produced by Tanweer Productions.
Murderess is a drama and it was filmed on a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea.
To check out all previous submissions for Greece, click HERE.
STARRING: Karyofyllia Karabeti, Maria Protopappa, Elena Topalidou
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 36 minutes
LANGUAGE: Greek
It is the early 20th century on a dystopian Greek Island. Hadoula, a widow who lost her husband, Ioannis Fragkos, at a young age, is a woman who has learned how to survive in a male-dominated and extremely patriarchal society. Hadoula carries a difficult burden within her. Like a baton passed on to her from her mother, and the generations before her, she is meant to accept the belittling and degradation of women.
***
Murderess is based on the classic novella of the same name by Alexandros Papadiamantis. It's the directorial debut of leading art director and costume designer Eva Nathena. The film won five prizes at Greece’s Iris Awards. The film debuted at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in November 2023, and it was released in theatres shortly after across the country.
Greece's selection process was highly controversial beginning when the initial selection committee was replaced by the Greek Culture Ministry in August 2024. The ministry denied any members had been officially chosen and blamed an overzealous internal employee for the mix-up. In protest, all but one of the more than 20 films submitted for consideration were withdrawn by their filmmakers and a few members of the newly formed committee resigned. The Greek Culture Ministry said, despite the resignations, a quorum for voting was met, and Murderess, the only film not withdrawn from consideration, would be the Greek submission.
The film was produced by Tanweer Productions.
Murderess is a drama and it was filmed on a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea.
To check out all previous submissions for Greece, click HERE.
FILM REVIEW:
(This review contains spoilers.)
“I wish I had a dozen boys and not a single girl.”
Murderess, directed by Eva Nathena, is a haunting exploration of gender oppression and societal cruelty set in early 20th-century Greece. Based on Alexandros Papadiamantis' novel, the film centers on Hadoula, a midwife and healer living on a remote Aegean island in the year 1900. She is tasked with the horrific responsibility of ending the lives of newborn girls for families unable to afford the dowry that would eventually be required for their marriage. Nathena’s debut film is a striking adaptation, tackling the dark history of gendercide with a raw, emotional intensity that highlights the devastating consequences of patriarchal traditions.
The heart of the film lies in the performance of Karyofyllia Karabeti, who delivers a masterful portrayal of Hadoula. Her character is both a perpetrator and a victim, caught in the web of societal norms that demand her complicity in the cruel act of female infanticide. Karabeti’s restrained, yet deeply emotional performance captures Hadoula’s internal struggle as she wrestles with the weight of her actions. Her internal monologues, reflecting on the twisted logic behind her actions, give the film a psychological depth that elevates it beyond a simple historical drama. Karabeti embodies the tragic complexity of a woman trying to navigate the crushing expectations of her society.
Visually, Murderess is stunning. Nathena’s background as a costume and set designer is evident in every frame, with the rugged, desolate landscape of the island serving as a perfect metaphor for the stark, unforgiving reality of the characters’ lives. The minimalist sets, authentic costumes, and muted colour palette create a timeless, almost monochromatic aesthetic that feels like a living painting. The cinematography is understated yet powerful, allowing the bleak beauty of the setting to speak to the emotional isolation and desperation of the story.
At its core, Murderess is a poignant critique of the patriarchal systems that devalue and destroy women. Nathena does not shy away from the brutal realities of gendercide, a practice rooted in economic desperation and societal pressure. The film’s exploration of this dark chapter in Greek history resonates with contemporary feminist concerns, making it both a historical reflection and a commentary on the ongoing violence against women. The fact that the dowry law in Greece persisted until 1983 underscores the long-lasting impact of these oppressive traditions.
Murderess reflects the deeply entrenched gender biases that have persisted throughout history, particularly in patriarchal societies where sons are often seen as assets while daughters are viewed as burdens. This sentiment, likely tied to cultural norms such as dowries, inheritance laws, and the perceived roles of women, captures the tragedy of valuing one gender over the other based on economic or societal pressures. It highlights the emotional and psychological toll on families, particularly mothers, who are forced to internalize this inequality, often at great personal and moral cost. This desperation drove some families to become murderers and commit terrible acts of infanticide, further underscoring the dehumanizing impact of patriarchal systems on both women and men.
(This review contains spoilers.)
“I wish I had a dozen boys and not a single girl.”
Murderess, directed by Eva Nathena, is a haunting exploration of gender oppression and societal cruelty set in early 20th-century Greece. Based on Alexandros Papadiamantis' novel, the film centers on Hadoula, a midwife and healer living on a remote Aegean island in the year 1900. She is tasked with the horrific responsibility of ending the lives of newborn girls for families unable to afford the dowry that would eventually be required for their marriage. Nathena’s debut film is a striking adaptation, tackling the dark history of gendercide with a raw, emotional intensity that highlights the devastating consequences of patriarchal traditions.
The heart of the film lies in the performance of Karyofyllia Karabeti, who delivers a masterful portrayal of Hadoula. Her character is both a perpetrator and a victim, caught in the web of societal norms that demand her complicity in the cruel act of female infanticide. Karabeti’s restrained, yet deeply emotional performance captures Hadoula’s internal struggle as she wrestles with the weight of her actions. Her internal monologues, reflecting on the twisted logic behind her actions, give the film a psychological depth that elevates it beyond a simple historical drama. Karabeti embodies the tragic complexity of a woman trying to navigate the crushing expectations of her society.
Visually, Murderess is stunning. Nathena’s background as a costume and set designer is evident in every frame, with the rugged, desolate landscape of the island serving as a perfect metaphor for the stark, unforgiving reality of the characters’ lives. The minimalist sets, authentic costumes, and muted colour palette create a timeless, almost monochromatic aesthetic that feels like a living painting. The cinematography is understated yet powerful, allowing the bleak beauty of the setting to speak to the emotional isolation and desperation of the story.
At its core, Murderess is a poignant critique of the patriarchal systems that devalue and destroy women. Nathena does not shy away from the brutal realities of gendercide, a practice rooted in economic desperation and societal pressure. The film’s exploration of this dark chapter in Greek history resonates with contemporary feminist concerns, making it both a historical reflection and a commentary on the ongoing violence against women. The fact that the dowry law in Greece persisted until 1983 underscores the long-lasting impact of these oppressive traditions.
Murderess reflects the deeply entrenched gender biases that have persisted throughout history, particularly in patriarchal societies where sons are often seen as assets while daughters are viewed as burdens. This sentiment, likely tied to cultural norms such as dowries, inheritance laws, and the perceived roles of women, captures the tragedy of valuing one gender over the other based on economic or societal pressures. It highlights the emotional and psychological toll on families, particularly mothers, who are forced to internalize this inequality, often at great personal and moral cost. This desperation drove some families to become murderers and commit terrible acts of infanticide, further underscoring the dehumanizing impact of patriarchal systems on both women and men.
