The Story of Sofoklis: A Journey Through Division, Identity, and the Quest for Belonging

Our vision for Sofoklis extends beyond Cypriot borders. This film is an invitation for audiences to contemplate a world driven not by division and greed but by empathy and connection. In Sofoklis’s life, we see a reminder of the peace and fulfillment that come from embracing others, free from prejudice. Berlin, a city with its own history of division, feels like the perfect place to share this story, where the message can resonate globally. Much of Sofoklis was filmed in the occupied North, an unconventional and often challenging choice.
​

Sofoklis is a deeply moving film based on true events, highlighting the absurdities of conflict and the universal nature of death as a potential bridge for empathy. In the 1950s, Sofoklis leaves his family and homeland behind, cutting all ties and building a new life elsewhere. Despite occasional phone calls, his connection with his past remains distant. By April 2005, at 87 years old, Sofoklis feels the weight of his years and is drawn back to the memories of his childhood, particularly a story about a donkey from his village. His sole wish becomes returning to his small island, Cyprus, to die in the place he once called home.

However, the Cyprus he returns to is far from the one he left. The island has been reshaped by decades of intercommunal conflict, the establishment of a republic, and a military operation that split the land in two, leaving his village within a military zone. Will Sofoklis be able to reunite with his village soil, or will the border that divides the living also prevent the dead from resting in peace? Through Sofoklis’s journey, the film poignantly questions whether one man's death can awaken others to the possibilities of empathy and understanding amidst division.