Man at Sea

“A tale of the transnational now in which characters rarely speak in their native tongues and everybody’s an alien in one way or another. An ocean tanker picks up a boatload of refugees in the Mediterranean, much to the displeasure of the crew’s employers, only to find itself unable to locate a country willing to take them in. Alex (Antonis Karistinos), the ship’s captain, meets with hostility wherever he calls, and meanwhile his crew are becoming increasingly discontented. In this visually gorgeous film, with its bold color, striking spatial geometry, and almost tangible light, everything looks sculpted, stylized and theatrical. Director Constantine Giannaris transforms the ship into a massive, multi-tiered stage: a setting fit for a tragedy.” —Olaf Möller, Film Comment, May/June 2011