Hold Onto Me Makes History as Cyprus Claims Its First-Ever Oscar Submission
Writer-director Myrsini Aristidou reflects on her feature debut, a poignant father-daughter drama that has broken new ground for Cypriot cinema following its Sundance success.
Published 7 November 2026
A Landmark Submission for Cyprus
The international cinematic landscape has witnessed a historic milestone as the feature debut titled Hold Onto Me became the official selection representing Cyprus for the Academy Awards. This achievement marks the very first time the nation has submitted a film for consideration in the international feature category. The journey for the project began with significant acclaim on the festival circuit, bringing unprecedented recognition to the Mediterranean island's growing film industry.
Navigating this path has positioned the creative team as pioneers in their home country. While acknowledging the status of being underdogs on the global stage, the production has embraced the opportunity to open doors for future creators from the region. The milestone highlights a growing presence for regional European co-productions in mainstream global competitions.
Plot Dynamics and Character Journeys
Set against the backdrop of a Cypriot summer, the narrative centers on an eleven-year-old girl named Iris whose routine is disrupted by the death of her grandfather. The event brings her estranged father, Aris, back into town—a man who operates as a petty criminal and has previously played no role in her life. Despite warnings from her mother and older brother, Iris pursues a connection, eventually joining him in various dubious schemes.
What begins as a stubborn quest for familial ties slowly evolves into a complicated bond between two practical strangers. The relationship is further strained when the father's dark past draws them both into escalating trouble. Throughout the script, every scene is carefully constructed to push the narrative forward while exploring the fragile boundaries of trust and acceptance.
Festival Success and Global Screenings
Before making waves in the Oscar race, the picture celebrated its world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. There, it resonated deeply with audiences, ultimately capturing the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award. This early momentum established a strong foundation for international distribution and critical praise.
Following its success in North America, the project continued its festival run by screening in the youth and children's event at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia. Sales and international distribution for the title are managed by Cercamon, ensuring the feature reaches diverse audiences across multiple territories.
Personal Roots in the Director's Vision
The emotional core of the feature draws heavily from the lived experiences of its writer and director. Growing up with divorced parents, the filmmaker experienced a distant relationship with her father during her early childhood before they successfully bonded and forged a deep understanding during her teens. These autobiographical elements infused the script with authentic observations regarding familial expectations and delayed reconciliation.
Additionally, the physical locations mirror the creator's upbringing, utilizing coastal settings near the sea where she spent her youth. The presence of older companions and childhood memories heavily influenced the framing of the protagonist's daily life, grounding the dramatic fiction in specific personal truths.
Unconventional Casting and Chemistry
Bringing the central characters to life involved pairing an established screen actor with a complete novice. Christos Passalis, known for his work in Dogtooth, was cast as the delinquent father after the director decided to work with him months before production began. Finding the right counterpart involved testing the actor with various young performers before discovering Maria Petrova in Cyprus.
Despite having zero prior acting experience, the young newcomer shared a natural physical resemblance and an undeniable onscreen chemistry with her co-star. Due to scheduling conflicts and an unexpected bout of COVID-19, the leads had virtually no rehearsal time prior to filming, replicating the real-life unfamiliarity of their characters when cameras finally rolled.
A Creative Triptych and Future Ambitions
The exploration of father-daughter dynamics is not new to the director, who previously examined similar themes through two earlier short projects. Her 2015 short film Semele initiated this thematic journey, followed by a subsequent short titled Aria featuring an adolescent protagonist. The feature-length production served as a natural extension, allowing the creator to dive much deeper into the complex energy generated by familial obligations.
Looking ahead, the filmmaker plans to pivot away from father-daughter narratives while continuing to explore stories centered on strangers who gradually discover shared similarities. Current professional endeavors include developing a crime and spy thriller television series, alongside evaluating various scripts sent by U.S. agents with the possibility of directing material she did not write.
News Overview
Hold Onto Me has become the first-ever Oscar submission for Cyprus following its acclaimed premiere and Audience Award win at the Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by Myrsini Aristidou, the feature-length debut stars newcomer Maria Petrova and Christos Passalis as an estranged father and daughter navigating a fragile bond.
Key facts
- Hold Onto Me is the first Cyprus Oscar submission.
- Myrsini Aristidou is the writer and director of the film.
- The film premiered at Sundance and won the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award.
- The cast includes Maria Petrova and Christos Passalis.
- The film screened at the 30th edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.
- Aristidou's previous short films exploring father-daughter themes include Semele (2015) and Aria.