Driven by an obsession she cannot control, Elpida scours the streets of Athens for the one thing that brings her hope. Homeless, hungry and slipping through the cracks of modern society, she must continuously navigate the savagery of daily life to survive. What looks like a shelter, could be a cage. What is offered as a gift, could come at the ultimate price. Elpida can only count on her hopes as she finds them.

Director Statement

In making this film, I set out to explore the complexities of living with autism without the economic or emotional support of a family unit or even the state at large. Autism is something that is very close to both the lead actor and I, and it is something that is seldom given a voice which is unfortunate given how interesting their voice is. This is especially the case in Greece where autism is incredibly misunderstood and stigmatised and often many autistic people fall between the cracks of society and in many cases into despair.

I wanted to capture a specific quality and tension in the protagonist: the quality is that of a tragic hero as she soldiers on despite the distress that dwells privately and painfully inside her mind. The tension is between the innocent and unexpected degree of hope on the one hand, and the sense of profound despair on the other, as she grapples to come to terms with her challenged reality. The choice to shoot the film in black and white served to further express this stark dichotomy in ways that words could not.

Filming in Metaxourgeio, Athens was a deeply moving and insightful experience as it not only served as a subterranean antagonist in the film, but also in reality for the many homeless people that dwell there. One thing that stood out to me was the generosity of the homeless people we came across during our three day shoot. Despite their impoverishment, they were still so willing to help in any way possible. This was not lost on us.