Megalomaniacs - 31st Greek Film Festival

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Date Reviewed: 15/10/2026

Reviewed by Vivien Lynch

The Megalomaniacs is a visually striking but often exasperating film, full of eccentric ideas, Mediterranean beauty and characters whose self-importance is matched only by their narcissism. While the scenery is gorgeous, with carefully composed shots reminiscent of Wes Anderson, I found the film’s artistic ambitions considerably more successful than its storytelling.

The landscapes are beautifully framed, and I particularly appreciated the duck-egg blue styling of the kitchen, which added to the film’s quirky, meticulously curated aesthetic. Punky the Cockatoo was another highlight for me, bringing a welcome spark of personality and humour to a world otherwise dominated by self-absorption and excess.

At its heart, the film follows Sofia, whose fascination with sound leads her to pursue the unlikely theory that ancient clay vessels might preserve the sounds of the past. It is an intriguing premise, raising questions about memory, mortality, art and the human desire to leave something behind. Unfortunately, the film’s exploration of these ideas becomes increasingly overextended, with lengthy sequences that test the viewer’s patience rather than deepen the story.

The characters were, in my opinion, equally self-centred and narcissistic, making it difficult to form any meaningful emotional connection with them. Their eccentricities often tipped into outright unpleasantness, and when the film appeared to be pushing boundaries simply for the sake of being edgy, the result was more cringe than provocative. I saw some audience members walk out during scenes I found intolerable. That reaction felt understandable, given how often the film seemed to confuse provocation with substance.

One image that particularly resonated with me was the flushing of ashes down the toilet. In a film so preoccupied with preserving history, legacy and the remnants of human existence, this felt like a fittingly brutal metaphor for my own response.

Ultimately, The Megalomaniacs has no shortage of visual flair or intellectual ambition, but I found its execution frustrating. The beautiful Mediterranean scenery, the Anderson-esque compositions, the distinctive kitchen styling and the delightful Punky were its strongest assets. Beyond these, I struggled to find enough substance to justify the film’s excesses.

As part of the 31st Greek Film Festival in Melbourne, The Megalomaniacs will no doubt provoke discussion. For me, however, its attempts to shock and challenge too often crossed the line from daring into distasteful, leaving behind more irritation than insight.