World Premiere
On the way to the airport a teen girl jumps from a moving car to flee a sex trafficking abduction; while she escapes, she records it all on a stolen cell phone. This is a terrifyingly real and brilliantly original first-person run-for-your-life thriller. The phone camera perspective puts us right in the action, offering a believable, constantly shifting, and relentless documentary of her abduction evidence. Tight direction and solid ensemble performances create a tense, frightening episode—a small example highlighting a worldwide sex trafficking problem that exploits and destroys the lives of many young women.
Community Partner
Afroditi Baharnikou, Efthalia Papacosta, Aris Servetalis, Nikolakis Zeginoglou
Greece
2022
In Greek with English subtitles
Sexual Violence
Featured in:
International Shorts: Having a Bad Day
Misadventures, bad choices, and a series of unfortunate events are all present in this program of short films. There is some serious drama and a bit of comedy on display in these exhilarating, thoughtful, and unpredictable tales.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Other
Filmed from 2017-2024, including post October 7 and during the subsequent war, Joy Sela's documentary is an inspiring testament to how human beings -- even in the worst circumstances -- can transcend difference to forge connection and understanding.
Familiar Touch
A loving portrait of an octogenarian transitioning into an assisted living facility, this award-winning first feature by choreographer Sarah Friedland has a simplicity and warmth that's exceptionally poignant.
Stories of Our Lives
Stories of Our Lives (62 mins) documents personal stories of lovers, fighters and rebels and the community histories that characterize the queer experience in Kenya. This is preceded by the touching and resonant 38-minute Nigerian love story, Ìfé.
Romeo and Juliet
Franco Zeffirelli directed one of the most successful and beloved of Shakespeare films, casting teenagers Leonard Whiting and Oliva Hussey as his star-crossed lovers. This month's Premium Pick by Sandy Dowling.
Super Happy Forever
This beguiling film depicts a man’s return to the Japanese seaside town where he met his now-deceased wife five years earlier. He tries to relive the past, and in the film's final section -- a flashback to 2018 -- the audience is afforded that privilege.
Credits
Executive Producer
Phaedra Vokali
Producer
Phaedra Vokali, Orestis Plakias
Screenwriter
Andreas Vakalios, Fili Olsefski
Cinematography
Fili Olsefski
Editor
Andreas Vakalios, Fili Olsefski
Production Design
Sofia Vaso, Anna Vokali
Directors
Fili Olsefski
Fili Olsefski was born in Łódź, Poland, and raised in Athens. She studied painting at the Fine Arts School of Aristotle University. She works as a cinematographer.
Andreas Vakalios
Andreas Vakalios was born in Budapest and raised in Athens. He obtained an MFA in Digital Arts at the Athens School of Fine Arts. He works as a screenwriter and a director.