Céline Roustan
Another day, another flight for senior crew member Vanina, as she completes boarding and conducts the safety demonstration before takeoff. Everything seems fine until Vanina realizes that she has lipstick stuck on her braces, sending her in a downward spiral. Despite her protests, there might be more to her crisis than she’d like to admit. Buckle up, this promises to be a bumpy ride! S/W alum Thanasis Neofotistos (Patision Avenue) is back on our website with the last installment of his short film trilogy, Airhostess-737. Blending comedy and drama, the story unfolds with a thrilling pace, intensifying the protagonist’s midair meltdown and keeping the audiences captivated throughout.
As mentioned above, Airhostess-737 completes a trilogy of films by Neofotistos (along with Patision Avenue and Route-3) that he describes as “about a road, a journey, a route” and featuring a central character “drowned” by their own subconscious, or the “surrounding space that encloses” them. For the narrative of Airhostess-737, Neofotistos explains that this was “a story that I experienced entirely in a dream”, adding that the relationship between a child and an “unprepared mother” allowed him to identify with his protagonist’s pain and add the enduring emotional impact of such a connection to his script.
There is something uniquely engaging about setting a story within the confines of a plane, especially when a member of cabin crew takes center stage. The plane, a set built by Neofotistos and his team, has a visual aesthetic that’s instantly fun to be in, however, it’s evident early on that this isn’t a particularly enjoyable day for Vanina. Like most workers in the service industry, we usually perceive flight attendants solely through the lens of their profession, with little insight into their personal lives. Airhostess-737 leans into this perspective with a score that complements the very mundane moments of the job and a slow build up of tension, which contrasts its protagonist’s anxiety against the rhythmic repetition of her tasks, row by row.
Lena Papaligoura as Vanina in Thanasis Neofotistos’ short film Airhostess-737
However amusing it may be to witness Vanina’s obsession with her braces, the film delves much deeper than this and as the film progresses it becomes clear that it is really the manifestation of a deep pain. The more she attempts to hide her physical discomfort, the more cringeworthy it becomes, contributing to the simmering anxiety that’s about to explode, as the audience, not unlike the passengers, are trapped in that plane with her. The film does allow a sort of emotional resolution after the intense climax, wraping on a humorous note. However, having gone through that emotional journey, we do not end where we started and so there is a hopeful layer in the film’s conclusion.
With the camera on her for most of the film’s 16-minute duration, Lena Papaligoura, who portrays Vanina, delivers an incredibly powerful performance. Bringing Neofotistos and co-writer Grigoris Skarakis’ words to the screen with an impeccable delivery, she dictates the rhythm of the film as she takes her character through escalating anxiety and eventually, a panic attack. As the use of long shots enables her to captivate the audience from various perspectives, depending on who she is addressing, she carries the energy of the film and makes the emotional beats of the narrative so compelling.
After its World Premiere at the 2022 edition of Locarno, Airhostess-737 took the festival circuit by storm with notable stops at Toronto, Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand or Palm Springs. The film is part of the Radiator IP Sales catalog and is currently FYC in the Best Live Action Short category of the Oscars. Neofotistos is currently working on his first feature The Boy with the Light-Blue Eyes.