A Cypriot Gothic by Minos Papas
Eleni, a scorned painter in Cyprus in 1882, attempts to resurrect her dead children, but instead awakens the Kalikantzari creatures of Cypriot folklore. Now she must find a way to overcome her grief and anger and dispel the curse that has befallen her village.
Eleni, a French-educated painter, roams the countryside with her three children, gathering flowers to grind into pigments while singing the lullaby of St. Marina, a mother’s plea for a child’s return. Under uneasy English rule, tragedy strikes when her children wander into the ruins of an ancient chapel and are killed by a collapsing wall.Branded cursed by the villagers, Eleni withdraws from life, burning her paintings and burying toys. Her isolation is broken by Michalakis, a sensitive boy abused by his violent father, who becomes entranced by her art. Against her better judgment, Eleni draws him into a forbidden ritual rooted in folklore, believing that creation itself can restore her children.
As Christmas nears, the ritual darkens: she needs blood for the portrait that wil lresurrect them. Though she hesitates, Michalakis offers himself. That night, shadows swarm, Michalakis vanishes, and something ancient is unleashed.The village is soon terrorized by the Kalikantzari—cruel, mischievous spirits. Eleni convinces herself her children have returned, but the truth emerges: she has given form not to life, but to grief. In the ruins, she confronts Lamia, a demon-mother who feeds on loss. Rejecting anger and destruction, Eleni redeems herself as a mentor to Michalakis. In a final act of creation, she offers her own blood so Michalakis can paint truth instead of rage. Dawn comes. Grief remains, but no longer rules. Through art, life goes on.
Cyprus, 1882.
HORROR BUZZ
"Motherwitch is a surprising miracle of a film."
MACABRE DAILY
"A precise and pristine piece of periodic folk horror from Cyprus."
FILM CARNAGE
"The cinematography ... is utterly enrapturing."
HORROR BUZZ
"The atmosphere is rich with dread.”
FILM CARNAGE
“[Margarita Zachariou] gives an intense, compelling and fractured portrayal.”
MACABRE DAILY
“[Finds] the beauty in struggle and the magic in art."
Cast & Crew
Screenings
- BIFAN, South Korea (1)Fri, Jul 10CGV Sopung 5
- Galway Film FleadhWed, Jul 08Palas Screen 3
- BIFAN, South KoreaTue, Jul 07CGV Sopung 8
Behind the Scenes
