Despite Greece’s economic woes, it’s still exporting exciting film product to our shores. Yorgos Lanthimos’ Academy Award-nominated Dogtooth arrived in 2010 and now we can enjoy its close relative, Athina Rachel Tsangari’s bizarre but brilliant coming-of-age tale, Attenberg. Opening with one of the most awkward onscreen kisses in cinematic history, the film focuses on Marina, a naive 23-year-old small-factory-town girl who parcels her time between working her boring job, playing with her only friend Ella, and coping with her father’s impending death. Attenberg, the title of which comes from a mispronunciation of Sir David Attenborough, is clearly the handiwork of a filmmaker fascinated with human behavior. Quirky and unusual, the film gets brownie points for its stellar soundtrack, which employs songs by Suicide, Daniel Johnston, and Françoise Hardy.

Attenberg is a Strand Releasing release.

(Originally appeared on Flavorpill.com in March 2012.)