Private Project

A Brainblow, But a Boozy One

It’s the 2000s, and the late-adolescent Aka, and her non-comformist friends suffer a blow in their faces. Aka dreams of becoming a collage artist, a dream that her mother cannot financially support. As she is trying to piece her life together, just like another one of her collages, the people most close to her, face their own problems. Her boyfriend is torn between following his passion for music and a stable future, and their friend Tonik faces the battle against cancer.

  • Nadja Elpida Murze
    Director
  • Nadja Elpida Murze
    Writer
  • Maryia Rudziuk
    Key Cast
    "Aka"
  • Ivan Likeab
    Key Cast
    "Tonik"
  • Timofei Sizov
    Key Cast
    "Tsig"
  • Dmitriy Tsiguelnitsky
    Music and video archive
  • Nadja Elpida Murze
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    coming of age, drama, teen
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes 42 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 20, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    500 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Cyprus
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - American Academy Larnaca
  • Serbest International Film Festival (SIFF) Serbest International Film Festival (SIFF)
    Kishinev
    Moldova
    September 5, 2024
    Semi-Finalist
  • Short Movies and Cold Drinks
    Prague
    Czechia
    October 22, 2023
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Nadja Elpida Murze

I was born in Cyprus, a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean; a melting pot of all sorts of identities.
As I stroll through the little close-knitted streets, I always find myself astonished of how the middle-east blends with the white catholic churches on orthodox land, contrasting against the sea around me.
As I allow the old town to consume me, I walk through the rundown colonialist English houses that gently caress Larnaca’s art scene. One of these houses is Savino, the oldest rock bar run by a local, where I find the memory of my sister from the 2000s still alive.
Just like my island, my sister is slowly engulfed by the rapid industrialization and change. Now, that I live in Prague and occasionally visit Cyprus, I become aware of these rapid changes even more. I find that excavating and encapsulating these memories heal my soul. Hence, I created “BrainBlow” as a commemoration of my sister and the atmosphere that formed her.
My heart aches at the thought of losing the stories of a beloved island, that is why I look forward to preserve as much memories as I can in film in the future.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Encapsulating memories and Сypriot dentities in film