Locarno 2023 Review: ANIMAL, Instincts Drive Existential Alienation

Greek filmmaker-on-the-rise Sofia Exarchou presents Animal as a spiritual successor to her San Sebastian-winning debut, Park.

Nestled within an all-inclusive Greek resort, Animal delves into the lives of entertainers tasked with crafting an endless stream of enjoyment, games, and dances for vacationers, ensuring they remain ensconced in the holiday mirage.

Yet, away from the hotel's glittering facade, these entertainers seek solace in each other's company, indulging in shared drinks and intimate nights — a parallel escapade to the illusions they craft for their audience. Additionally, in pursuit of supplementary income, they endeavor to secure gigs at a neighboring nightclub.

Animal initially evokes the sensibilities of Ulrich Seidl and Andrea Arnold, but swiftly, Exarchou's distinct critique of capitalism within the machinery of mass tourism emerges, amplified by her enduring collaboration with cinematographer Monika Lenczewska.

The ensemble of entertainers, drawn from diverse European locales, serve as a cohesive character unit. Even so, it is the resort's veteran dancer and choreographer, Kalia (a compelling Dimitra Vlaopoulou, reprising her collaboration with Exarchou from Park), who stands out.

She becomes the poignant vessel that captures the near-tangible struggle of entertaining an array of vacationers, all while desperately striving to maintain her personal equilibrium and mental well-being.

Kalia emerges as the embodiment of an individual fragmented by the whims of a seasonal economy. Once an aspiring dancer, she was drawn to the transient allure of fleeting spotlights and applause from vacationing seniors.

In theory, the seasonal gig should suffice; yet, her recurrent departures from the group to engage in ephemeral liaisons with strangers hint at a deeper, unmet longing. Despite her radiant aura, Kalia's contentment with her life's course may not be as genuine as she portrays. For her, the all-inclusive resort has morphed into a limbo, offering no discernible exit.

Lenczewska persistently shadows Kalia, maintaining proximity through the resort's bustling venues and the night club, even during her alcohol-tinged adventures. As Kalia relentlessly tests her limits, an unsustainable routine and mounting internal strife morph her into a perpetually cheerful performer.

Behind the scenes, she strives to maintain this facade, especially in front of newcomers who might still find a glint of joy in their summer job. Given her life experiences, one can't help but feel Kalia ought to be on a different path altogether.

Animal soon immerses the viewer in a cyclical narrative, with the plot seemingly stuck in neutral as Kalia lapses into a habitual rinse-and-repeat. Exarchou deftly pivots from a critique of capitalism, focusing on the underbelly of the all-inclusive resort, to an incisive psychological exploration of a protagonist grappling with a profound existential crisis.

Even as Kalia's body manages to trudge on after consecutive all-nighters, the cracks begin to show beneath her holiday veneer. This weariness is more of the mind and soul than of the body. Exarchou's second outing encapsulates a generational outlook, poised precariously between a quarter-life and mid-life crisis as yet another ill-fated milestone.

Animal stands as a thematic extension of Park's portrayal of youthful aimlessness, echoing the sentiments of a generation seemingly bereft of future promise. Ulike Park, though, Animal refrains from laying the blame squarely on Greek society. Entertainers, including Kalia, hailing from diverse European origins, voluntarily choose to ply their trade at the resort.

Much like Park, rituals and rites of passage continue to play pivotal roles in shaping dynamics and social interactions, transitioning from youth to adulthood. Furthermore, the human body persists as a central motif in the film's narrative, consistent with its predecessor's visual language.

Though Animal showcases a more vibrant cinematographic palette, its denouement mirrors that of Park: an existential estrangement within a contrived, soulless setting, mirroring the very artifice of the entertainment the resort delivers to vacationist.

Visit the official festival site for more information about the film.