A new film titled Lust, directed by Ralitza Petrova, is set to make its world premiere on February 16, 2024, at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival. This sophomore feature delves into themes of control and intimacy, exploring personal turmoil triggered by the death of a long-absent father.
The narrative follows Lilian, a prison parole officer whose meticulously controlled life begins to unravel as she returns to her hometown to address her father’s death. The film’s synopsis describes her journey as a descent into unresolved grief, institutional challenges, and a “decaying body caught in bureaucratic limbo.” The plot navigates through various locations, including offices and abandoned spaces, reflecting a deep engagement with themes of loss and emotional proximity.
Lust features performances from Snejanka Mihaylova, alongside Nikola Mutafov, Mihail Milchev, and Alexis Atmadjov. The film introduces elements of Shibari, a form of Japanese rope bondage, symbolizing the nuanced themes of controlled vulnerability and negotiated intimacy.
In discussing the inspiration behind Lust, Petrova shared, “In 2016, my father passed away – someone I barely knew. What followed was not conventional grief, but the mourning of an absence already in place. Lust emerged from this space as a way of framing what is missing and how it lingers.” She aims to highlight the emotional weight that daughters carry in the absence of their fathers, encapsulating this complex relationship through a lens that merges various genres, including mystery and fantasy.
The film was produced by Petrova for Aporia Filmworks in Bulgaria, in collaboration with Nikolay Todorov and Poli Angelova for Screening Emotions, and co-produced by Denmark’s Snowglobe and Sweden’s Silver Films. It received support from the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Danish Film Institute, Film I Vast, and Eurimages. International sales are being managed by Inwave Films.
With its premiere approaching, the trailer for Lust offers a glimpse into the film’s exploration of trauma, emptiness, and tenderness. Viewers can expect a thought-provoking experience that invites reflection on complex emotional landscapes.
