NATALIE GIANNOPOULOS

Director’s Debut: An Experimental Poetry Film

My Role: Director, Cinematographer, Writer, Production Designer

This experimental short film is my first foray into filmmaking, a deeply personal response to the surge in domestic violence during the pandemic’s initial lockdowns. The film is a visual translation of an original poem I wrote, a meditation on a crisis that was unfolding in my own country Greece and beyond. A direct response which explores the painful irony of public safety regulations that instructed people to stay in their homes, a place that was anything but safe for many.

I was responsible for every aspect of the production, from writing the original poem to directing, shooting with a simple DSLR camera, and designing the set. The film portrays different individuals confined to their homes, a seemingly universal experience of safety that reveals a much darker, hidden crisis. This film is a raw, unflinching look at a global tragedy through a local and personal lens.

The film was selected to be showecased at the Lift-Off Global Network Festival in 2021 in the category of newcomers and first time directors.

Voice Over: Viktoria Iliopoulou

Cast: Kassiani Koutsospirou, Ilias Kapsis, Ioanna Vinieratou, Dimitra Papamitrou, Andreas Theofanopoulos, Anastasi Drosopoulos, Sabine Giannopoulos, Georgia Papaioannou, Giannis Papadakis, Maria Aivali, Ermioni Efstathiou, Serafeim Sakellaropoulos