CHERRIES

Synopsis


A young truck driver in Athens, torn between her grueling job and her dream of becoming an actress, must decide whether to keep chasing her passion or surrender to the weight of her reality.

Director: Alexandros Tsilifonis

Originally from Athens, Greece, Alexandros is a London-based writer and director who studied filmmaking at MFS in Ealing Studios. His debut feature, CAFÉ 404, starring Dimitri Gripari (Dangerous Liaisons) and Vasilis Koukalani (Tehran, Kabul), premiered in competition at the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival and has since screened at major festivals in Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto, establishing him as a rising voice in international cinema. Alexandros is currently developing his second feature, The Passed Pawn, based on his BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying short THE T3ST, funded by the GFC, ERT, and the NFTS, and starring Matthew Stagg (Marrowbone, Macbeth) and Killian Coyle (Normal People, Call the Midwife). He is also developing two TV series: Ben and The End, a dark comedy about Charon, the mythical Greek
ferryman, trying to keep suicidal Ben alive—executive produced by David Barron (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)—and Antiparos, a whodunit murder mystery produced by Tanweer (So Long Marianne) and selected for Series Mania 2025. His TV comedy debut, LUV’S STORY, stars Niki Vakali (Worlds Apart). He also directed The Cellist, a McDonald’s commercial nominated at the Porsche Awards (2022).
Alexandros has been mentored by Fred Fuchs (The Godfather Part III, Dracula) and won the 1st National Prize of the Nespresso Talents at Cannes.

Producer: Katerina Kaskanioti

Katerina Kaskanioti is a seasoned media executive and producer with a distinguished career in broadcasting, film, and digital media. She was the first female CEO of ERT S.A., Greece’s public broadcaster, where she served as Managing Director and Executive Board Member. During her leadership, she expanded ERTFLIX into a major entertainment platform, revitalized regional stations, and advanced ERT’s role in international co-productions, including Sacrifice by Romain Gavras and the upcoming series adaptation of The Great Chimera by M. Karagatsis. Before ERT, Katerina spent over two decades at NOVA S.A., where she played a pivotal role in launching Greece’s first digital satellite platform. As Head of Digital Pay TV for Greece and Cyprus, she secured key content deals with Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Disney,
MGM, and major European distributors. She also produced over 1,000 hours of live television, significantly contributed to sports broadcasting, and collaborated with both Greek and international sports federations. Throughout her career at NOVA and ERT, she has approved 199 feature film co-productions, supporting many of Greece’s most acclaimed films of the past 20 years. As a partner and executive producer at Central Athens Film Productions, she produced the Greek-British film Café 404.