«Chevalier» is a Greek work that I receive with gratitude, which surpasses the enthusiasm I felt for «Attenberg», the other film that I know of its director, Athina Rachel Tsangari. Right from its inspired opening, in which, through the sea mist, we see several divers emerge from the water to a deserted beach, Tsangari built in an enigmatic way this tale of dueling men, full of humor and knowledge of male vanity. Little by little, the portrait of six mature men takes form. They have spent a few days, plying the Aegean Sea in a luxurious yacht, diving and practicing sea sports, and they are shortly returning to Athens. During a dinner, the friends have the idea of playing Chevalier, a game to decide who the best of all is. The winner will receive a (Chevalier) ring as his prize. As Tsangari did in «Attenberg», dealing with recognizable characteristics of female psyche and sensuality, in «Chevalier» she successfully displays the competitive spirit of the challenged male, through the different tests and evaluations that they put themselves through, reaching moments in which it is revealed how aggressive, absurd, stodgy, stupid, ridiculous and funny we can become to win a game. «Chevalier» is a beautiful film: it captures the strength and simplicity of its plot with clarity and brightness, in interiors, open spaces and the faces of the small cast, made up of accomplished actors. When I saw the film I thought of Yorgos Lanthimos and I said, "This is what you should be doing, Yorgos". To my surprise, I found out in the credits that the script was co-written by the director and Efthymis Filippou, the same author who wrote my favorite films by Lanthimos, from «Dogtooth» to «The Killing of the Sacred Deer». (In fact, he worked on the script of «Chevalier», after «The Lobster» and before the "Sacred Deer"). It is a pleasure to see a cinema that is so different, to feel airs of peace, other ways of seeing the world, without violence or slaughters to control the world, and I applaud it with joy. Bravo, Athina Rachel Tsangari, for understanding us and being compassionate to us, men.
