Hold Onto Me, the feature film debut of writer-director Myrsini Aristidou, has been selected as Cyprus' first-ever international feature film submission for the Academy Awards. The drama, which stars newcomer Maria Petrova and Christos Passalis, previously premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it captured the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award. The film is currently being presented at the Just Film youth and children's event during the 30th edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia, with Cercamon managing its sales.
Set in a Cypriot town during the summer, the story follows Iris, an eleven-year-old girl who spends her days with her older best friend, Danae. Her routine is disrupted when she learns of her grandfather's death and meets her father, Aris, for the first time. Aris is a petty criminal who initially resists taking responsibility, but Iris persists in trying to connect with him. Despite warnings from her mother and brother, she becomes involved in his schemes. This stubborn attempt to bond evolves into a fragile relationship, which is later tested by Aris' dark past.
Aristidou, who discussed the film with The Hollywood Reporter, described the project as the final piece in a personal triptych. She previously explored the father-daughter dynamic in her 2015 short film Semele and in a subsequent short titled Aria. For the feature, she sought to approach the archetypal relationship through the lens of a love story. She noted that while society expects family members to love one another, Iris and Aris are effectively strangers who are only beginning to accept each other.
The narrative structure was designed to keep the story moving forward in every scene. Aristidou aimed to avoid obsessions with rigid structures, allowing the characters to develop naturally. The story is deeply rooted in her own life, where her parents divorced when she was young and she did not grow up with her father. She explained that she and her father only began to bond and forgive each other when she reached her mid-teens, a process of reconnection that mirrors the journey of the characters in the film.
The visual setting is also significant to the director, who grew up near the sea in Cyprus. The film features references to her childhood, including a small boat and her habit of hanging out with older friends. These personal details lend a sense of truth to the narrative. The film is a co-production involving Cyprus, Denmark, and Greece, with Lasse Ulvedal Tolbøll serving as cinematographer.
Casting the two leads was a critical and time-consuming process. Aristidou decided to work with Passalis, known for his role in Dogtooth, around April for a July shoot. She observed his interactions with various children in Athens before Passalis traveled to Cyprus to meet Petrova. The director felt an immediate familial chemistry between the two actors, noting that they physically resemble family members. Petrova had no prior acting experience, a factor the director believed would help portray the innocence of the character.
Rehearsal time was limited because Passalis was completing another project and subsequently contracted COVID-19. He arrived only one day before filming began, and the cast read the script just once. Aristidou threw the actors into the production without extensive preparation, a decision she believes worked well because the characters themselves were strangers getting to know one another.
Being chosen as Cyprus' first Oscar hopeful is a significant milestone for Aristidou. She described the experience as a big honor that came with a sense of responsibility for the country. She noted that the film is carving a new path for Cypriot cinema on the international stage, following its success at Sundance. While acknowledging that they are underdogs, she expressed enjoyment in the learning process.
Looking ahead, Aristidou stated that while she loves the dynamic of strangers bonding, she does not plan to make another father-daughter film. She is currently working on a crime and spy thriller television series. Additionally, she is reading numerous scripts sent by her U.S. agents and remains open to directing projects she has not written herself.
