A girl from Limassol Cyprus has become the topic of discussion in Greece, a few days before the elections. She is not the winner of yet another talent show, but the protagonist of the political advertisement of Stavros Theodorakis’ party, who talks to us… about her first time.
The advertisement has caused a stir, as it was considered sexist by some, who seized the opportunity to attack ‘To Potami’.
However, Marilia Haridimou, the protagonist of the video, dismisses the accusations as nonsense. “The advertisement is clearly humorous. At least that’s how I perceived it,” said the 22-year old girl to “Vimatodotis”.
The young actress from Cyprus is a graduate of George Theodosiades’ drama school and has participated in several theatrical productions and video clips, in the few years she’s living in Greece.

Marilia also revealed that the advertisement was shot in a house in Eksarxia, in the presence of several members of the party and that it was directed by Panos Kokkinopoulos.
The shooting was done with one camera and lasted four hours: “First they asked me to say my lines in Cypriot Greek, to have a laugh and break the ice. So I said them in fluent Cypriot” she added.
Marilia, the star of ‘The First Time’ also revealed two other interesting information about her participation in the video. First, that she is not going to vote for Stavros Theodorakis, as she is voting in Cyprus and second that, when she asked if she would be paid, she got the following answer: “We have no money, we have registered you as a volunteer…”!

The political advertisement where Marilia speaks about her “First Time”.

Is ‘the first time’ painful for ‘To Potami’?
Politicians from across the political spectrum, from New Democracy to SYRIZA and even from ‘To Potami’ itself were quick to denounce the ads as blatantly sexist and degrading to the female gender.

Apart from the individual reactions of people such as Ms Katerina Papakosta (New Democracy) and Mr. Dimitris Papadimoulis (SYRIZA) there were also collective or “official” condemnations of the two advertisements: According to the Feminism and LOADKI Group (Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Movement) of the SYRIZA youth wing “both of these videos reiterate a series of stereotypes about female sexuality that are against the emancipation, true equality and the fight against private and public oppression.”

Finally, Secretary General for Gender Equality Ms Vasso Kollia released an intensely sarcastic announcement on the matter, continuing the same sexual innuendo game that was started by the advertisement. More specifically, Ms. Kollia said that “we understand that agony increases for the political parties as the ‘climax’ of their campaigns in view of the European elections on 25 May draws near. We also realize that for some, this may be the ‘first time’ they are politically exposed in an election critical for Europe’s future. It is only natural that their ‘maiden’ political exposure causes to those first timers feelings of insecurity and concern about their ‘performance’.
Ms. Kollias concludes with a dedication : “To the creative team of ‘The First Time “, we devote a classic song entitled ‘The First Time’ by Rena Koumioti”.