The Erinyes, who once as inescapable judges guarded human oaths and punished transgressors, have for thousands of years lain powerless in the darkest pit of Tartarus. Yet one of the three sisters, Tisiphone, seems over the course of years to have come to terms with the peaceful side of her nature. The underworld gives her the opportunity to try to redeem herself by confronting her old, violent self in three past moments when she abusively wielded her power. Yet redemption remains risky and uncertain. If her current peaceful nature returns, she will be able to freely emerge into our world. But if her malevolent form is freed again, humanity will face an evil greater than any Erinyes.
“The Exterminating Angel: Three Portraits of Tisiphone in Latvian Lands” is a live-action/animation mythological non-dialogue film that focuses on the legacy of the Furies — ancient Greek goddesses of vengeance — in current human history. Moreover, the film specifies the last moments of Tisiphone, one of the three Furies, attempting to redeem herself from her vengeful and violent past, come to terms with humanity’s paradoxical nature, and sow hope in the hearts of humans after her own self-demise.
“The Exterminating Angel” is not only an artistic exploration of Tisiphone’s myth but a broader reflection on our longing to preserve, exhibit, and redefine past narratives. My goal is to use cinema as a medium to translate this mythological idea into a haunting and meditative visual experience that connects with today’s world.
– Helias Dzimoulakis, Director
