The idea of a film on urban and work commons was first conceived during the first Covid-19 lockdown, which I spent in Athens with my partner Theoni. The film translated parts of the literature I was studying at the time, particularly Miriam Glucksmann’s theory on the interrelationships between different spheres of work and life (for example, between the workplace and the home). Motivated by a collective need for creative expression after the lockdown, my friends and I initiated, wrote, and produced the short film which was directed by Pavlos Stamatis.

The film was based on our real-life experiences during the pandemic, and the protagonists, who had no previous acting experience, transferred the nature of telework on screen. According to the script, the two friends decide to address the isolating nature of telework, exacerbated but not created by the pandemic, by living together and turning another flat into a common working space. The film was screened nationally and internationally in conferences and festivals such as Ars Electronica in Austria, and received an honourable mention in Birmingham’s cooperative film festival.

The creative team comprised of Theoni Dourida, Dioni Vougioukli, Louiza Karageorgiou, Paris Selinas, and Pavlos Stamatis. The film was commissioned by Onassis Stegi, as part of its HackAthens programme, curated by Angelos Varvarousis and Prodromos Tsiavos. The film is available to watch here. The creator’s commentary on the film can be found here.