Grandfather

When Sophia believes her words have caused a death, imagination and reality blur in heartbreaking ways.

Ten-year-old Sophia is adjusting to life in Australia, caught between her own curiosity and the Greek superstitions her mother holds dear. After an innocent question about death is followed by a sudden family tragedy, she is consumed by guilt, believing she may be to blame.

Opa-Pappou is a tender coming-of-age story that explores how children navigate loss, legacy, and the quiet power of unspoken love. With warmth and emotional honesty, the film captures the moment when childhood ends—and understanding begins.

  • Katharina Crisanthi Keil
    Director
    Waves, Danger Spot, Hackfleisch
  • Katharina Crisanthi Keil
    Writer
    Danger Spot, Hackfleisch
  • Katharina Crisanthi Keil
    Producer
    Waves, Danger Spot, Hackfleisch
  • Janine Kaiser-Lynch
    Producer
    St Bernie, Carpark, Centrepiece
  • Evita Monsees
    Key Cast
    "Sophia"
  • Andrea Demetriades
    Key Cast
    "Elena [mum]"
    Alex & Eve, Babyteeth, Pulse, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Janet King
  • Julian Pulvermacher
    Key Cast
    "Opa Ernst [grandfather]"
    Wolfs Creek S2, Love me Leave me, Superman Returns, Catching Milat, Murder Call
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Opa-Pappou
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 10 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 11, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    110,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English, German, Greek (Modern)
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.00:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Katharina Crisanthi Keil

Katharina Keil is a multi-award-winning director and producer known for her emotionally resonant short films, including WAVES, which earned her Best Director at the Brussels Film Festival and international recognition at the Cannes World Film Festival. A dual Australian-German citizen of Greek heritage, Katharina brings a richly multicultural perspective to her work, infusing her stories with empathy, emotional truth, and subtle humour.

With over 20 years of experience in film and television as a script supervisor and assistant director, she has contributed to AFI Award-winning features and long-running series. Her deep understanding of performance, pacing, and story has laid the foundation for her evolution as a director.

OPA-PAPPOU marks her first foray into dramatic storytelling—a heartfelt exploration of cultural identity, superstition, and family legacy through a child's eyes.

Now stepping fully into her voice as a filmmaker, Katharina is focused on directing bold, authentic stories that surprise and move audiences—stories that embrace complexity, challenge expectations, and leave a lasting emotional impact. She is especially passionate about female-driven narratives that celebrate survival, resilience, and the power of staying true to one's voice, even in the face of loss, displacement, or transformation.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Opa-Pappou is the most personal film I’ve ever made—rooted deeply in my experience growing up in a multicultural household with a Greek mother and German father in 1970s Germany. It’s a story I’ve carried with me for decades, and one I knew I had to tell once I found the right moment—and the right voices—to bring it to life.

As a child, my grandfather (my Opa, my Pappou) taught me to read, write, and see the world through a lens—sparking my lifelong love for storytelling and photography. This film is not just a tribute to him but a window into the emotional landscape of children navigating grief, ritual, and identity across cultures.

What makes my perspective unique is the way language, culture, and memory intersect in my life. In our home, conversations moved fluidly between Greek and German, and I’ve always been fascinated by how multilingual expression can unlock emotional depth. That dynamic is central to Opa-Pappou—a film that uses three languages to explore loss, superstition, and the quiet power of generational bonds.

After 30 years working in film—as a script supervisor, assistant director, and now an award-winning short film director—I'm ready to tell bold, emotionally resonant stories that cross borders and generations. With Opa-Pappou, I want to invite audiences—especially young viewers and multicultural families—into a space where sorrow and humour coexist, and where ancestral stories are reimagined with heart and honesty.

This story chose me. It was time to let it speak.