Opa-Pappou is the most personal film I’ve ever made—rooted deeply in my experience growing up in a multicultural household with a Greek mother and German father in 1970s Germany. It’s a story I’ve carried with me for decades, and one I knew I had to tell once I found the right moment—and the right voices—to bring it to life.
As a child, my grandfather (my Opa, my Pappou) taught me to read, write, and see the world through a lens—sparking my lifelong love for storytelling and photography. This film is not just a tribute to him but a window into the emotional landscape of children navigating grief, ritual, and identity across cultures.
What makes my perspective unique is the way language, culture, and memory intersect in my life. In our home, conversations moved fluidly between Greek and German, and I’ve always been fascinated by how multilingual expression can unlock emotional depth. That dynamic is central to Opa-Pappou—a film that uses three languages to explore loss, superstition, and the quiet power of generational bonds.
After 30 years working in film—as a script supervisor, assistant director, and now an award-winning short film director—I'm ready to tell bold, emotionally resonant stories that cross borders and generations. With Opa-Pappou, I want to invite audiences—especially young viewers and multicultural families—into a space where sorrow and humour coexist, and where ancestral stories are reimagined with heart and honesty.
This story chose me. It was time to let it speak.
