The Christmas Tango

(To tango ton Hristougennon)

Synopsis:

With only four days to go before the Christmas Eve of 1970, the resolute, hard-as-nails officer of the Greek Army, Colonel Manolis Loggos, has the entire regiment of the Vatis Camp in Evros going full steam, to get ready for the traditional annual Christmas festivities. Now, against the backdrop of a cold, grey, and perpetually wet winter, conscientious and taciturn First Lieutenant Stefanos Karamanidis enlists the help of the soft-spoken and reserved soldier, Lazaros Lazarou, to pull off two equally daunting feats: learn the basics of tango, so that he can ask the colonel’s beautiful wife, Zoe, to dance with him. But, it takes two to tango, and love demands courage. Will things ever be the same again after the brief but passionate Christmas tango?

Quick Thoughts:

I finally had the chance to watch “The Christmas Tango”, and overall I was rather captivated! Foreign films often require a bit more dedication when watching (due to having to read subtitles), but I found myself drawn into the slow building story as it evolves. There’s a few different aspects that draw you in, but I found the homoerotic tension between Lt. Karamanidis and Lazarou especially catching my eye. There’s a struggle going on between them, as Karamanidis is fighting so many internal struggles in order to learn how to tango – including having to ask a male soldier for help. Meanwhile, it’s quite clear that Lazarou is not only gay but in love with Karamanidis. Despite being two very different types of men, that all melts away while they slowly learn the tango – and how to work together.

Unfortunately, the queer narrative doesn’t take us much further than that mere glimpse of hope. However, the entire storyline as well as the rest of the cast makes this holiday film worth watching! The twist that it’s Cl. Loggos’ wife Zoe whom Karamanidis hopes to woe with the tango adds a bit of drama to the story. “The Christmas Tango” is a difficult film to find, but it’s certainly worth watching if you happen to find it back on streaming sites for the holidays.