Love across the islands. Today, Proxima explores coastal landscapes as reflections of inner worlds

Petty Thieves and A Whole Person Almost are the two films entering the Proxima Competition today. One is set on an island, the other on a peninsula But at the heart of both lies the fragility of human relationships and an exploration of different forms of isolation. The Karlovy Vary Theatre will host the world premieres of the two films at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively.

The Istrian peninsula, jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, is in the midst of the tourist season. It is summer, and restaurants and hotels are bursting at the seams. Rio, a loner, works part-time at one such place. As well as helping out in the kitchen, he occasionally steals from visitors. This is not merely a matter of survival, but an act of rebellion in an environment shaped by seasonal work, tourism and anonymity. The setting is suffering from an identity crisis, just like the protagonist. He has a difficult relationship with his grandmother, who has to look after his grandfather, who has dementia. When Rio’s hotel colleague Andrea catches him in the act, a deep bond develops between them. With a good dose of cheek and cunning, the protagonists of Petty Thieves hatch a plan together to make further profit from wealthy tourists. 

This delicately observed film, with the pulsating sea in the background, highlights the need for human connection despite difficult circumstances. First-time director Mate Ugrin builds on the themes of his short films; in one of his previous works, for example, he explored the relationship between a carer and an elderly woman. His work draws on local experience and social issues.

Another debutant, Efthimis Kosemund-Sanidis, follows a similar path. He made a name for himself with appearances at the Venice and Locarno festivals, where he competed in the short film sections. He combines precise motifs with allegory. In his earlier work, he has explored the lives of teenagers in a dance club filled with emptiness and deafening silence, as well as the relationship between brothers against a backdrop of mountain ridges and fluttering birds. 

A Whole Person Almost follows the journey of young, debt-ridden Illias, who sets off for a remote island to claim his late father’s inheritance. The island’s elusive atmosphere begins to change the initially indifferent protagonist. Lights flicker; a sense of unease spreads. The film asks to what extent it is possible to reconstruct an image of a person of whom we have only vague memories. To what extent does the past of our ancestors shape us? Alongside mythological elements steeped in antiquity, interwoven with the raw intensity of impressionistically tactile shots, the director explores the relationship between Illias and Kalliopi, a girl who longs more than anything to leave the island. This richly interpretative and imaginative fresco explores the diverse forms of love.