The new feature film by Cypriot director Tonya Mishiali, The Lion at My Back, will have its world premiere in the International Competition section of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The festival will take place from 3 to 11 July 2026 in the Czech Republic.
The film is a co‑production between Cyprus, Luxembourg and Greece by Bark Like A Cat Films, Iris Productions and Avaton Films, continuing the director’s international trajectory following “Pause,” which screened in 2018 in the East of the West competition section at the same festival.
At the centre of the story is Mariama, a young asylum seeker from Senegal who comes of age and is forced to leave the shelter that had protected her, facing an uncertain future. On her path, she meets Stella, a 40‑year‑old Cypriot who is trying to rebuild her life. In an environment marked by marginalisation and daily survival, the two women develop a strong bond of solidarity and trust. When figures from the past reappear and threaten what they have built, they are forced to make difficult decisions to protect what matters most.
In a statement to Flix.gr, Tonya Mishiali said that with The Lion at My Back she sought to explore “the resilience and quiet strength of women marginalised by society,” adding that it is a story about survival and “the family we choose, not necessarily the one we are born into.”
“Through the journey of Mariama and Stella, I explore how connection and empathy can overcome the barriers imposed by society. I hope this story will open hearts and minds and encourage audiences to reconsider what family means and the power of solidarity in difficult times,” the director said.
The screenplay is co‑written by Tonya Mishiali, Dianne Jones and Simona Nobile. The cast includes Sokhna Diallo, Elena Kallinikou, Prokopis Agathocleous and Herodotos Miltiadous.
Credits
Director: Tonya Mishiali
Screenplay: Tonya Mishiali, Dianne Jones, Simona Nobile
Cinematography: Manu Tilinski
Music: Fredrika Stahl
Sound: Kevin Feildel, Loïc Collignon
Editing: Emilios Avraam
Production Design: Christy Polydorou, Giorgos Ioannou
Producers: Tonya Mishiali, Katarzyna Ozga, Nicolas Steil, Marinos Charalambous, Vladimir Subotic
Production: Bark Like A Cat Films
Co‑production: Iris Productions, Avaton Films
