Little England

The island of Andros is called Little England for its wealth; its men are at sea and its women wait at home. Orsa and Moscha are sisters and both love the same man, the captain Spyros. Their mother does the arithmetic herself: she marries Moscha to Spyros and Orsa to someone wealthier. Orsa does not object. From then on three people live for years in the same house with a truth nobody says. Pantelis Voulgaris adapted Ioanna Karystiani's novel of the same name. The narrative runs from the civil war years into the 1950s and keeps history in the background; the actual subject is women having their decisions made for them, and that continuing across generations. Penelope Tsilika plays Orsa, Sofia Kokkali plays Moscha, and Anneza Papadopoulou the mother. The period design and the island locations carry the film's visual strength. Who it's for: Viewers who like Greek period drama, family narratives centred on women, and literary adaptation. Who it's not for: It runs long and the pace is very slow. It is emotionally heavy throughout and no character gets relief.