synopsis
The craggy volcanic island of Santorini, Greece’s touristic flagship, owes its outrageous fame to its unique caldera view, the presence of stars and celebrities, and social media. When Julia, a bridal stylist from Belarus, came to Santorini eight years ago, the island was experiencing a destination wedding boom.
The tourist season in Santorini lasts from April to December. And like many islanders involved in tourism, Julia lived the Groundhog Day – twelve working hours a day, no day-offs and no time for a private life. For Julia, however, everything was just perfect.
By 2019, the island was on the verge of collapse because the number of visitors had reached a record. 2020 was expected to become even crazier. And then came Covid-19.
“It is as if someone has pressed the ‘reset button’. I feel like I’m back in the eighties.” Like Jannis Kavalaris the master of ceremonies and inventor of the wedding business in Santorini, many of the islanders are frustrated.
Corona is a catastrophe for some, but for an adventurer like Julia, the pandemic provided a great opportunity for her to make her dream come true – her own luxury bridal salon with that cult caldera view!
Through the life peripeteias of Julia and other islanders, we portray Santorini – a beautiful product of capitalism and globalisation, now touched by Covid-19. How will the pandemic change the island, and how will the tourism industry survive this period? Most certainly, this transition period is not the best time for those who used to do things right and follow the rules.
stage of production
Our research in Santorini began in 2017, when the island was experiencing a boom of destination weddings and when it was almost impossible to get in touch with people. Everyone was extremely busy. Supported by the Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, we started shooting professionally in 2019. We managed to cover the wedding and tourism boom when the island was overflowing with people, and our protagonists – the main celebrant on the island Jannis Kavalaris, Waseem and the wedding planners – were overwhelmed with work and completely exhausted.
We completed fifteen professional shooting days during the historic Covid-19 summer of 2020. We witnessed the empty island in June and the return of tourism in July and August. We also had the chance to do some close observational shoots with our main protagonists, Julia, Kenzo and Jannis Kavalaris.
Main Shooting is planned to take place during the entire 2021 season and continue in 2022.
Written and Directed by Svetlana Strelnikowa
Producer: Frank Müller, Doppelplusultra Filmproduktion, Germany
Length: 79/52 Min.
Format: 4K
Country of Production: Germany
Country of Shooting: Greece, Santorini
Language: Greece, English, Russian
Budget: € 450 000
In place: € 40 000
Funded by: Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig Holstein
Status: End of Development
Release: November 2022
