The Lion at My Back
The Lion at My Back (2026) | Cyprus/Luxembourg/Greece | drama
Created, Written and Directed by Tonia Mishiali
Brought together by chance, two women form an unlikely bond that becomes a journey of love, resilience, and family rediscovered.
Synopsis
Mariama, a teenage Senegalese asylum seeker, and Stella, a Cypriot recovering drug addict, are striving to rebuild their lives. When their paths first cross they use each other, but their shared struggle for survival, in a world that failed them both, sparks an unexpected mother-daughter bond. Together, they redefine the true meaning of love and family, in a heartwarming tale of sacrifice, female solidarity and empowerment.
WORLD PREMIERE:
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Crystal Globe Competition 2026
Screenings
06.07.2026 - 19:30 - Grand Hall - World Premiere / Official Screening (Intro by director + film delegation)
06.07.2026 - 10:30 - Congress Hall - Press & Industry
07.07.2026 - 13:00 - Pupp - Official Screening (Intro by director + film delegation + Q&A)
08.07.2026 - 19:00 - Lazne III - Official Screening
09.07.2026 - 16:00 - Congress Hall - Official Screening
Our Film’s previous working title was “Nala and Stella”
Principal Photography
June 10th - July 23rd 2025
(31 shooting days)
Funding News
The film has been funded for development by the European Union’s Creative Europe MEDIA Program
Bark like a cat films has been funded for development, for 3 films it is producing (including “Nala and Stella”) through Creative Europe’s program MEDIA mini slate.
Market Selections
during development
Agora Crossroads Co-production Forum / Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2020
Agora Crossroads Works in Progress / Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2025
Connecting Cottbus [coco] / Cottbus International Film Festival 2025
*** WINNER OF SOUND POST-PRODUCTION AWARD ***
EFM Spotlight On: Greece / Berlin International Film Festival 2026
[in collaboration with Thessaloniki Film Festival]