Iosif Vardakis

Strella

Yiorgos is released from prison after 14 years of incarceration for a murder he committed in his small Greek village. He spends his first night out in a cheap downtown hotel in Athens. There he meets Strella, a young trans sex worker. They spend the night together and soon they fall in love.

Bonus

Pandelis is a garbageman who is anxiously waiting to retire and receive his well-earned superannuation payout. His wife and mother-in-law are also awaiting the super payout, but they have different ideas as to how the money should be spent. The usually submissive and calm Pandelis suddenly decides to react... Philippides does a sterling job as the long-suffering Pandelis and his vicissitudes leave one with a warm feeling. Unlikely though the scenario may seem, one wishes it to be true, thus giving hope for the many Pandelides out there who find themselves contemplating life in their middle years with regret and disappointment.