Year: 1975
Runtime: 130 mins
Language: Swedish
Director: Roy Andersson
In a small town restaurant the dour manager creates a bleak mood. The figures are an unnamed male waiter (W), female waiter Anna, and “the Count,” a manipulative plate‑cleaner. Staff launch a plan to free, threatening police. Anna asks W to free her from a sexual tie to Count; he refuses. She leaves for a job elsewhere; W recognizes his feelings.
Get a spoiler-free look at Giliap (1975) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In a secluded port town, a modest hotel‑restaurant drapes itself in a persistent grayness. Its manager, bound to a wheelchair yet projecting an inflated sense of authority, steers the staff with a stern, almost desolate rhythm. The halls echo with the clink of cutlery and the low hum of unspoken expectations, creating a world where every gesture feels measured and every smile is scarce. The atmosphere is as much a character as the people who move through it, shaping a mood that is both intimate and oppressive.
Into this setting arrives an unnamed male waiter, W, whose quiet demeanor contrasts sharply with the establishment’s rigid order. He quickly forms uneasy alliances with two striking figures: Anna, a confident waitress whose presence brings a fleeting spark of warmth, and the Count, a manipulative plate‑cleaner whose charm masks a darker edge. Their interactions are layered with unspoken power plays, subtle flirtations, and a lingering sense that each is searching for something beyond the restaurant’s walls.
Behind the polished service lies a simmering current of ambition and desperation. The staff whisper about a risky scheme that could alter their constrained lives, a plan that teeters on the edge of legality and threatens to draw the police’s attention. Anna confides in W that she wishes to sever a taxing, intimate tie to the Count, hoping he will aid her in breaking free. His refusal plants a seed of tension, hinting at deeper currents of loyalty, desire, and fear that pulse beneath their everyday routines.
As the night settles over the dimly lit dining rooms, the trio navigates a fragile balance between duty and yearning. Each character carries a private longing that the bleak environment both conceals and amplifies, leaving the audience to wonder how far they will go to escape the confines of their roles and whether the shadows of the restaurant will finally give way to the light they each seek.
Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 18:13
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where quiet desperation slowly builds to a tragic breaking point.Explore a selection of films that share the slow, oppressive pacing and tragic atmosphere of Giliap. If you liked watching the quiet tension and despair build in Giliap, you'll find similar movies about isolated characters facing inevitable tragedy here.
These narratives often follow a linear but emotionally complex path, focusing on the psychological toll of a bleak environment on its inhabitants. The plot is frequently driven by a doomed plan or a fragile hope that ultimately collapses, leading to a sad or bleak ending that feels both shocking and inevitable.
These films are grouped together because they prioritize a consistent, melancholic mood over fast-paced action. They share a heavy emotional weight, a sobering tone, and a similar narrative structure where quiet tension gives way to despair, creating a cohesive and immersive viewing experience for those seeking deeply atmospheric dramas.
Desperate characters whose flawed schemes and fragile bonds lead to ruin.Discover films that explore the theme of futility, similar to the failed rescue plan and tragic romance in Giliap. If you were captivated by the characters' misguided efforts and emotional isolation, this collection features similar stories of plans gone wrong and connections that break.
The narrative pattern involves a central, ill-fated plan (often a crime) that unfolds alongside a complicated, ultimately destructive relationship between characters. The failure of the plan and the relationship are intertwined, reinforcing the overarching theme of emotional and situational hopelessness.
These movies are united by their exploration of futility and tragic outcomes. They share a somber mood, themes of emotional isolation, and a plot structure where character motivations are flawed from the start, leading to conclusions that are sad, bleak, and morally complex.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Giliap in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Giliap is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of Giliap, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of Giliap with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Giliap. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Giliap: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.