The Christmas Tango

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?—Nick Riganas