A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra
2026 Greek drama film
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A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra (Greek: Mia mera sti zoi tis tzo: kefalaio Faidra) is an upcoming coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Jacqueline Lentzou, in her second feature.[1][2] A co-production of Greece, Germany, and France, it stars Evita Andriopoulou, Eleni Vergeti, and Anastasia Gouliamou.[3]
- Annabelle Aronis
- Ioanna Bolomyti
- Andrea Queralt
- Arda Çiltepe
- Steffen Goldkamp
- Jacqueline Lentzou
| A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra | |
|---|---|
International teaser poster | |
| Greek | Mia mera sti zoi tis tzo: kefalaio Faidra |
| Directed by | Jacqueline Lentzou |
| Screenplay by | Jacqueline Lentzou |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Grimm Vandekerckhove |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Colin Stetson |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Lucky Number |
Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Greek |
The film will have its world premiere in the Orizzonti section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 8 September 2026.[4]
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Jo is a lonely and troubled girl who often dreams about her own death. During the day, she notices strange signs that seem connected to her dreams, but she does not understand what they mean. Her ordinary school life feels dull. She misses the school bus, gets little help from her mother, and spends the day dealing with an uninteresting class, a boyfriend who is still awkward at kissing, and meaningless gossip.Everything changes during a singing lesson when Phaedra, a new girl with a beautiful and almost magical voice, deeply moves Jo to tears. Later, while wandering through the library, Jo unexpectedly meets Phaedra again. After sharing a song and revealing personal secrets, the two girls form what may be Jo's first genuine friendship.
They shyly arrange to meet that night. As the sun sets in a strangely beautiful and mysterious way, Jo looks forward to their meeting. But an unexpected twist of fate changes everything, and Jo never gets the chance to keep their date.
Cast
- Evita Andriopoulou
- Eleni Vergeti
- Anastasia Gouliamou
- Ektoras Lygizos
Production
Jacqueline Lentzou was a finalist in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative (2022–2024) and received the Onassis Foundation New York Fellowship and Nipkow Fellowship in 2022.[3]
In April 2023, the project was selected in Cine por Hacer at the sixth edition of Mercado del Cine Casi Hecho, a market dedicated to almost-finished films, which runs with the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival in Las Palmas, Canary Islands in Spain.[5]
In August 2024, the screenplay was selected for TorinoFilmLab’s FeatureLab 2024, where it won the ARRI Award for Cinematic Vision,[6][7] before joining the Cannes Next Step – Volume II 2024 programme in September.[8]
In 2025, it was also selected for Les Arcs Film Festival's Work in Progress section, receiving Special Mention in the 22D Music Award,[9] and earlier this year participated in First Cut Lab 2026.[10]
Release
A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra will have its world premiere in the Orizzonti section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 8 September 2026.[11][12] The film will have its North American Premiere in 'Currents' section of the 2026 New York Film Festival on 26 September.[13][14]
Paris-based sales company Lucky Number acquired the international sales rights to the film before its world premiere in Venice.[15]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | 12 September 2026 | Orizzonti Award for Best Film | A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra | Pending | [16] |