Private Project

CENTAURS

Over the course of one evening in a garden restaurant, three fractured relationships begin to unravel: a daughter and mother trapped in resentment, an employee under the grip of her CEO, and a couple on the edge of collapse. As control, power, and emotional toxicity intensify, their conflicts converge in a grotesque, surreal feast where love becomes possession, intimacy turns violent, and destruction becomes the only bond that remains.

  • Stella Michael
    Director
    SHE
  • Stella Michael
    Writer
    SHE
  • Stella Michael
    Producer
    SHE
  • Mike Kelson
    Key Cast
    "Richard"
  • Marie Ann Watson
    Key Cast
    "Helen"
  • Jonathan Cobb
    Key Cast
    "Nicholas"
  • Clarisse Zamba
    Key Cast
    "Natalie"
  • Sinead Long
    Key Cast
    "Julia"
  • Hanna Harris
    Key Cast
    "Rosie"
  • Patroklos Sesis
    Key Cast
    "Waiter"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 3 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 6, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Prores LT 4.6K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.4:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Stella Michael

Award-winning filmmaker and actor based in London, originally from Athens, Greece. I create psychological dramas that amplify social voices, exploring human emotion and societal issues through bold, thought-provoking storytelling. Trained at the University of Athens, the Drama School of Theatre Art of K. Koun, and London Raindance Film School, I have performed in theatre projects across Greece, Australia, and the UK, while teaching English Literature, Drama, and Film Studies in London.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Centaurs was born out of an urge to explore the subtle but corrosive ways toxicity seeps into our closest relationships. A mother and daughter, a CEO and his employee, a couple on the brink of engagement — three dynamics that appear ordinary on the surface, but beneath them pulse unspoken violence, control, and greed.
The story unfolds over the course of a single evening in a lush garden restaurant, where each pair gathers to celebrate a milestone: a daughter’s birthday, the signing of a contract, and a marriage proposal. On the surface, these occasions mark joy and connection, but beneath the clinking glasses and polite smiles, resentment, manipulation, and greed slowly rise to the surface.
The title Centaurs is used metaphorically, referencing the myth of Nessus, whose poisoned blood brings destruction disguised as love. In the same way, the film explores how toxicity spreads invisibly through relationships — subtle, corrosive, and irreversible.