During a hot day at the beach, friends Demosthenes and Nikitas work on a screenplay about the summer two years earlier in director Zacharias Mavroeidis’ sexy comedy The Summer with Carmen.
Deconstructing the Hero's Journey
by Chris DrewThe Summe with Carmen
3.0 out of 5.0 stars
CAUTION: Here be spoilers
Contrasting friends Demosthenes (Yorgos Tsiantoulas, feature debut) – hairy, muscular and naked – and Nikitas (Andreas Lampropoulos, feature debut) – slim, smooth with pink and purple hair – spend a day at a gay beach working on ideas for a screenplay of an eventful summer two years previously.
The lines between memories of that summer and the working screenplay are blurred throughout with Demosthenes set up as the Hero and Nikitas as the Hero’s friend.
The film is divided between scenes at the beach (a far lighter snapshot of a gay beach than in Alain Guiraudie’s Stranger by the Lake) and flashbacks of the titular summer which are introduced with sub-headings and stage directions from the screenplay.
There we see Demosthenes fresh from a breakup with Panos (Nikolaos Mihas, Aigaio SOS) and dealing with his father’s ill-health problems whilst Xavier Dolan-obsessed Nikitas struggles with his lack of acting success and plans to adapt his show Sissies into a film with the help of Demosthenes.
Panos somewhat half-heartedly adopts a dog – Carmen – and Demosthenes is surprised to bond with her and soon takes her on.
Demosthenes has a passionate fling with fellow dog owner Thymios (Vasilis Tsigristaris, The Other Me) initially lying about being Carmen’s owner before she is his dog.
Demosthenes’ father passes away, with the funeral an example of the film’s mixture of pathos and humour; Pathos is over-emotional and Nikitas hugely supportive to Demosthenes before being surprised by the gay priest.
As Demosthenes, Yorgos Tsiantoulas gives a committed performance, spending significant portions of the film undressed. Amongst the character’s conflicts, his unexpected bond with Carmen is a delight.
Andreas Lampropoulos excels as Nikitas, nailing the character’s sassy quips while also shining in some more emotional moments.
Roubini Vasilakopoulou (120 Decibel) is very entertaining as Demosthenes’s mother imbuing humour into every expression and line reading. Initially comically scared of Carmen, she quickly comes to adores her.
There is a joyful feeling of Almodovar throughout in the general vibe, dialogue and colours.
At the heart of The Summer with Carmen is a lovely portrait of gay friendship between Demosthenes and Nikitas. There is a moving moment following a disagreement where they realise the most important thing is that their friendship is OK.
The film closes with a list of the film’s six messages in order of appearance with a mixture of amusing comments and knowing truths, a very meta and fitting ending.
The Summer with Carmen screened at the 2024 BFI Flare Film Festival and is released in selected UK cinemas on 28 February 2025.
