Mary Mina, a Greek actress known for her role as the High Priestess in the Olympic Flame lighting ceremonies since 2024, has been cast in Alexandra Matheou's debut feature film, 'Shibboleth'. This surrogacy love triangle drama is one of the year's projects in Focus CoPro at Cannes, a program that selects first features at an early stage from filmmakers. The logline for 'Shibboleth' reads: 'A surrogate mother joins the couple expecting her baby on a vacation. As a love triangle quietly takes shape, she is confronted with the emotional cost of surrogacy and the realization that her job doesn’t always end at birth.'
Matheou, who also wrote the film, shares her thoughts on the project: 'The story unfolds in a place that seems to have defeated death; or so its people believe. For as long as I can remember, my existential anxiety around the subject matter of death has been a constant shadow. This is why I created a playground where I could ask: if eternal life were possible, would it actually make life better? Or would it unravel everything we think we know about living?'
'Shibboleth' is produced by Maria Drandaki's Greek production company, Homemade Films, with support from the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture. The project is in its financing and casting stage, with shooting planned for the summer of 2027 in Cyprus and Greece.
Matheou's latest short film, 'Free Eliza', is also set to premiere in the Director's Fortnight at Cannes. The short film is about a woman born without the ability to smile, Eliza, who refuses to change herself even as a world gripped by toxic positivity demands she conform. The film stars Grigoria Metheniti as Eliza, and an exclusive clip is available for viewers to watch.
In my opinion, the casting of Mary Mina in 'Shibboleth' is a fascinating choice. Her experience as the High Priestess in the Olympic ceremonies adds a layer of depth to the role of the surrogate mother. It raises questions about the emotional and psychological impact of surrogacy on the individuals involved, and how their personal histories and cultural backgrounds might influence their decisions. What makes this particularly intriguing is the exploration of the emotional cost of surrogacy and the idea that the job doesn't always end at birth. This film promises to delve into complex themes and offer a unique perspective on the human condition.
