Landscape in the Mist – Topio Stin Omichli (1988)

Landscape in the Mist - Topio Stin Omichli (1988)

Taglines: A voyage of initiation.

Landscape in the Mist movie synopsis. Pubescent Voula (Tania Palaiologou) and her five-year-old brother Alexandros (Michalis Zeke) want to see their father, whom they have never met before. Their mother tells them he lives in Germany and so Voula and Alexandros one day secretly leave their home to find him. They go to the Athens Railway Station and try to use the Germany Express, but are removed from the train for not having a ticket.

A police officer takes them to a distant uncle, who convinces the officer that the children do not have a father in Germany. He informs him that their mother lied to them, to prevent them from knowing the truth: that they have different fathers and are simply the results of one-night stands. Although Voula and Alexandros eavesdrop on the conversation, they still believe their mother and believe the uncle is lying. When a blizzard suddenly hits the village and no more attention is paid to them, the children manage to escape.

Landscape in the Mist - Topio Stin Omichli (1988)

They continue their journey on foot and eventually meet a young man named Orestis (Stratos Tzortzoglou), who broke down with his van. He offers to take them with him, and the children accept the offer. Orestis is the driver of a traveling theater troupe playing a piece about the Greek history. Recently the troupe has been struggling with declining audience numbers, due to people searching for easier distraction.

As the path of Orestis splits from theirs, the children leave the troupe and look for different means of transportation to Germany. They manage to find a truck driver (Vassilis Kolovos), willing to take them with him. Later, while Alexandros is asleep, the driver rapes Voula, and flees afterwards, shocked by his own actions. Alexandros and Voula soon reach another train station, where they again try to travel by train.

Landscape in the Mist - Topio Stin Omichli (1988)

When they spot the ticket inspector, they escape just in time before being caught. They bump into Orestis again, who takes them with him on his motorcycle. Meanwhile, Orestis’ theater troupe breaks up and the members begin to sell their various requisites. Orestis takes Voula and Alexandros to an empty beach cafe and they walk the promenade with him. Suddenly, the children witness a huge marble hand held by a helicopter emerge from the sea. The index finger of the hand is broken off.

Landscape in the Mist (Greek: Τοπίο στην ομίχλη, translit. Topio stin omichli) is a 1988 Greek film directed by Theo Angelopoulos. The film was selected as the Greek entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. The film is the third installment in Angelopoulos’ Trilogy of Silence, following Voyage to Cythera (1984) and The Beekeeper (1986).

Landscape in the Mist - Topio Stin Omichli Movie Poster (1988)

Landscape in the Mist – Topio Stin Omichli (1988)

Directed by: Theodoros Angelopoulos
Starring: Michalis Zeke, Tania Palaiologou, Stratos Tzortzoglou, Eva Kotamanidou, Aliki Georgouli, Vasilis Kolovos, Vasilis Bouyiouklakis, Ilias Logothetis
Screenplay by: Theodoros Angelopoulos
Cinematography by: Giorgos Arvanitis
Film Editing by: Yannis Tsitsopoulos
Costume Design by: Anastasia Arseni
Makeup Department: Stella Votsou
Music by: Eleni Karaindrou
Distributed by: New Yorker Films
Release Date: September 10, 1988

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