Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria

Greece, 2014, 94mins (Drama)

Director Syllas Tzoumerkas

"Freewheeling and full-on... a shrill expression of anger, driven forcefully and with a certain fearlessness." Screen Daily

In a striking and courageous lead performance, Angeliki Papoulia plays Maria – a woman who started her adult life with the best of intentions but, ten years later, feels her world falling out from under her.

Unwilling to reconcile with a reality of unreturned care, lost dignity and a broken-down desire to live, Maria attacks. She attacks herself, her past, the people she loves, her country and the perception of her sex in a relentless battle to find truth.

Only a day before, she was a caring mother, a loving wife and a responsible daughter. Today, she has gone rogue...

"[Maria] moves to a place where good and bad, the morals of it all, are not what they used to be. And that, for me, makes her a hero worth watching and investigating." Syllas Tzoumerkas

Written by: Syllas Tzoumerkas, Youla Boudali

Produced by: Maria Drandaki, Titus Kreyenberg, Ellen Havenith, Jeroen Beker

Cast: Angeliki Papoulia, Vassilis Doganis, Maria Filini, Themis Bazaka, Giorgos Biniaris, Makis Papadimitriou

About the Director:

Born in Thessaloniki, Syllas Tzoumerkas studied theatre, film direction and acting in Athens, Ultrecht and New York. His first short film was the 'dogma-like' The Devouring Eyes (2001). He collaborated on a number of prime TV documentary shows before completing his feature film debut, Homeland (2010). A Blast is his second feature film.

Greek Synopsis:

Η Μαρία, που άρχισε την ενήλικη ζωή της με τις καλύτερες προθέσεις, ανακαλύπτει, δέκα χρόνια αργότερα, πως ο κόσμος της φεύγει κάτω από τα πόδια της.