The Lion at My Back
The Lion at My Back (2026) | Cyprus/Luxembourg/Greece | drama
Created, Written and Directed by Tonia Mishiali
When Mariama, a teenage Senegalese asylum seeker, crosses paths with Stella, a 40-year-old Cypriot woman quietly trying to rebuild her life, their shared struggle for survival leads to an unexpected bond. Together, they redefine the true meaning of love and family in a heartwarming tale of an unlikely alliance.
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]
Credits
CREATOR / MAIN WRITER / DIRECTOR Tonia Mishiali
MAIN CAST Sokhna Diallo, Elena Kallinikou
SECONDARY CAST Prokopis Agathokleous, Herodotos Miltiadous, Marina Mandri, Eleni Sidera, Anna Yiangiozi, Paris Erotokritou, Vasilis Charalambous, Aria Georgiade, Giorgos Kyriakou, Demetris Antoniou, Giulio Filippo d’Errico, Andreas Patsias, Pambos Charalambous, Athena Roditou, Mbakop Djouodo Giress, Daphne Mandri Agathocleous, Thérèse Wa’atalo Netango, Andreas Kentis, Loukia Mousoulioti
MAIN PRODUCER Tonia Mishiali / Bark Like A Cat Films (Cyprus)
CO-PRODUCERS Katarzyna Ozga & Nicolas Steil / Iris Productions (Luxembourg), Marinos Charalambous & Vladimir Subotic / Avaton Films (Greece)
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Antoine Simkine
CINEMATOGRAPHER Manu Tilinski
PRODUCTION DESIGNER Christy Polydorou
ART DIRECTOR Yiorgos Yiannou
COSTUME DESIGNER Elena Katsouri
ORIGINAL MUSIC Fredrika Stahl
SOUND DESIGN Kevin Feildel
RE-RECORDING MIXER Loïc Collignon
EDITING Emilios Avraam
CO-WRITERS Dianne Jones, Simona Nobile