the mother's amulet

Vera Kontaxis (Martha Vourtsi), a wife and mother whose husband dies, is forced - in order to feed her son - to leave him in someone else's hands (her godmother, who had raised her from childhood) and leaves with a close friend (Despina Stylianopoulou) for Australia, to find work there as factory workers. Vera's prospect is to return some years later and take the child back from her godmother, to raise it a little better, having made a certain compote in Australia.

Directed by Errikos Thalassinos, the mother's amulet leans on a strong ensemble — Martha Vourtsi, Giannis Voglis, Aliki Zografou — 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 1965.