The Girl with Golden Hair

Antonis Katsaris stars as a teacher in the small village of Zante who fights the growing desire of many locals to abandon the village for the big city or other countries. He works hard to organize traditional cultural events, such as outdoor performances of the traditional play I Chrissomalloussa, in order to solidify local values and a sense of identity. The teacher is aided by a young woman, a widow who has just returned from Germany and lives with her father-in-law. Kazan walks away with the film, as his sinister desires for his daughter-in-law are inflamed when he sees that she has fallen in love with the teacher. These developments lead him to whip up protests against the play by conservative locals, claiming that the teacher has changed the traditional story by adding elements of propaganda with the potential of causing peasant uprisings. The result is an unexpectedly violent example of social censorship.

Directed by Adonis Lykouresis, Tony Lycouressis, The Girl with Golden Hair leans on a strong ensemble — Vera Krouska, Vangelis Kazan, Antonis Katsaris — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1978.