STEALING LAND + GEKAS

Stealing Land is a prime example of low-budget filmmaking at its finest—intense and crafted to a remarkably high standard. This claustrophobic chamber drama brings together two couples after a playground game between their children (which gives the film its title) takes a politically incorrect turn. Over the course of the evening, tensions and mutual accusations escalate rapidly, driven by Iza Strehar’s economical and sharply humorous screenplay. Allegedly shot in just two days and completed within a few months, the film premiered in October at the annual Slovenian Film Festival in Portorož, where it was met with very positive acclaim—much like director Žiga Virc’s Houston, We Have a Problem! in 2016, which won the festival’s top prize.

The keenly observed miniature Gekas won several awards at two film festivals in its home country, with cinematographer Giorgos Karvelas receiving accolades at both events. When Vasilis turns twelve, his father gifts him a gun and a young hunting dog—a Greek hound (“gekas” in Greek)—as part of his passage from boyhood to manhood. In this coming-of-age story, Karvelas skillfully captures the damp, brooding atmosphere of the Greek countryside. As critic Amber Wilkinson of Eye For Film noted: “Although the film runs only 25 minutes, it is sharp, gripping, and, while complete in itself, could easily serve as the foundation for an equally strong feature-length film in the style of Ken Loach.” (NY)