Writer/director/co-editor Myrsini Aristidou’s father-daughter drama HOLD ONTO ME, set in the island of Cyprus, is sure to move anybody who had a complicated relationship with a parent growing up.
Iris finds out that her deadbeat father Aris is back in town. Since he is heavily in debt and entangled with dangerous people, he has no interest in spending time with her. Iris is not one to take no for an answer, and her persistence results in the two of them reconnecting.
While the story treads familiar ground, the gripping screenplay and the nuanced performances of impressive young actress Maria Petrova and Christos Passalis make for a compelling viewing.
The final act shifts from drama into thriller mode. Aristidou sticks the landing with a conclusion that feels both earned and satisfying.
Hold Onto Me won the Audience Award in the World Cinema Dramatic section of Sundance and screens at the 2026 Seattle International Film Festival.
