The Ogre of Athens

A timid bank employee named Thomas is about to spend New Year's Eve alone when he horror-struck realizes that he bears a striking resemblance to a famous wanted criminal known as The Dragon. The newspapers and the police seize on the coincidence, turning his personal moment into a city-wide rumor. Fearing arrest, he becomes entangled in a high-tension chase through the night in Athens.

Hounded by the police, he escapes into a dim cabaret where music and shadows mask his presence. The club's murky atmosphere creates a strange sanctuary, drawing Carmen's protective attention. She helps shield him from immediate danger as the night deepens.

Inside the cabaret, the underworld crew treats the timid stranger as the legendary Dragon. Carmen, the dancer, takes a liking to him and becomes his protector. Roula, the orphaned girl, is brought into the cabaret world which will tie their fates together.

Thomas meets Roula, a pure and lonely girl, and they feel a quiet attraction. Their companionship offers a glimmer of hope amid the cabaret's chaos. Their bond deepens as the night wears on.

The Fat Man reveals the gang's goal: to steal and sell a pillar from the temple of Olympian Zeus to an American buyer. Thomas is invited to lead the operation, embraced as their Dragon. Despite growing misgivings, he begins to accept the role.

He struggles with the idea of taking part in an antiquities heist. The lure of the Dragon persona and his protectiveness toward Roula pull him toward compliance. The internal conflict intensifies as the plan moves forward.

Reluctantly, he agrees to play the Dragon and steps into a leadership position. The gang places their trust in him to pull off the theft. The atmosphere tightens with anticipation as preparation continues.

Thomas and Roula spend New Year's Day together, wandering Athens and finding happiness away from danger. They share a rare moment of peace before the criminal world closes in again. That same night, the police arrest him, identify him as The Dragon, and then release him.

Back at the cabaret, the Fat Man decides the operation will proceed despite the arrest. The Dragon myth is weaponized as a source of inspiration for the gang. The mood shifts toward a dangerous, ritual-like focus.

Thomas reappears, and the cabaret erupts in celebration, as if the Dragon has arrived to liberate them. They perform a heavy zeibekiko dance and voice their wants and prayers, turning the moment into a ritual. The mood mixes triumph with underlying danger as trust frays.

Just before dawn, Thomas's true identity as The Dragon is revealed to the cabaret’s members. The revelation triggers chaos as the gang turns on him. He is murdered by the very people who welcomed him, ending the night in tragedy.