A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra

A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra is literally that: a day in the life of Jo, a fifteen-year-old girl in a suburb of Athens. In many ways, Jo seems like a typical teenager. She oversleeps, argues with a parent, rebels, gets bored at school, and hangs around with her boyfriend and friends. But she's missing a real connection. Until she hears classmate Phaedra sing and is unexpectedly moved to tears. Phaedra promises a new chapter in Jo's life. As if it were foretold in her strange dream, which she can no longer remember. A dream full of symbols. Omens that this day would change everything?

A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra, which had its world premiere in Venice, is the second feature film by Greek director and screenwriter Jacqueline Lentzou. As a teenager, Gus Van Sant's Elephant (2003) inspired her decision to make films. She developed a unique voice of her own in short films that conquered international festivals, including Cannes. In 2021, Film Fest Gent paid tribute to Lentzou, alongside her debut Moon, 66 Questions. In 2023, Lentzou directed one of 25 short films for Film Fest Gent's golden jubilee and was part of the jury. This led to fruitful collaborations, as the filmmaker was introduced to (the work of) Belgian cinematographer Grimm Vandekerckhove and American composer Colin Stetson. Vandekerckhove captures Jo's world with the fragility of analogue Kodak film. The delicate, dreamlike quality recalls his camerawork for Bas Devos' Ghost Tropic (2019) and Here (2023). Stetson's music accompanies the most imaginative moments, with colour and light seeming to dance gently to his oceanic sounds. A heart-wrenching role is reserved for Vashti Bunyan's folk song 'I'd Like to Walk Around in Your Mind'.