45 CIFF: ‘The Murderess’ Reflects Greek Women’s Suffering Century Ago

On Friday, the Greek feature “The Murderess” was screened in its second screening at the 45 Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF). The film is participating at the festival’s International Critics Week competition.

The film’s director Eva Nathena attended the film screening and delivered a short speech after the show to the audience. Nathena thanked the audience for attending the film, and their interest to watch it. She also expressed her pleasure as she saw various Egyptian crowds in Cairo attending her feature.

Based on Alexandros Papadiamantis novel, The Murderess, the film takes places on a remote island in Greece, in early 1900s where the society is fully male-dominated, and women suffer from the horrors of the dowry laws. Hadoula works as nurse, herbal medicine expert, maid, and other jobs to get her own living. She also has three daughters and four sons who left the island to search for more profitable jobs.

Hadoula always suffers from the ghost of her mother who hated, and rejected her. Despite her good services, she is the killer of dozens of girls in the island. She dose these crimes to save them from her desperate suffering, and the cruel behaviors of men.

The film that reflects breathtaking visual images, and good directing moves, it also engages the audience to experience the suffering, torture, injustice, and pain of women in the Greek rural areas in early 1900s.

The film focuses on the inner conflict of Hadoula, and contradictions she experiences every day. it also gives an eye bird view for the conditions of marriage, pregnancy, sexuality, and girl’s lives at that time.

The film will represent Greece at the upcoming Academy Awards.