What happens when a lonely young woman connects with the ghost of an upbeat young man? O Arhontas tou Ethnikou Kipou / The Lord of the National Garden (2025) answers that call. For writer, director, and producer Dimitra Tsialou, this fantasy-drama from Greece leads its audience into a romantically imaginative adventure.
For protagonist, Theodora (Georgia Sotirianakou) she walks among the gardens. From reading on the bench to capturing photographs in nature, everything is seemingly normal in her life. That is until she meets a ghost named Stefanos Andreou (Giannis Englezos) from 1892 who passed away in 1919.
O Arhontas tou Ethnikou Kipou / The Lord of the National Garden: A Captivating Story
The story here is rather captivating. Theodora feels more connection with the ghost that only she can see than the humans around her. It just goes to show that you can be lonely despite being in a world full of people. It’s interesting how they both learn to connect over their similarity that they’ve been lonely for a long time.
Tsialou cuts from their conversations to the beautiful nature around them. The flowing water among the stream reveals the picturesque landscape Stefanos has been living in for quite some time. Long shots and close-up shots intercut between trees and shrubbery. This garden feels like a playground for them to explore as a nod to the nostalgic throwback of carefree childhood adventures.
The direction here is romantic and playful but there’s also that looming feeling that this vibe will not stay the same forever. Stefanos feels like a mentor figure. He’s a guide to lead Theodora to a less lonely life. As no one else can see him, there’s a looming question posed – is Stefanos all in her head?
Love, Loss & Connection
Theodora gradually falls in love with a character who is long in the past. There’s interesting spiritual imagery in a scene where they converse on a bridge. This makes us question if this scene is a metaphorical hint. Is it bridging the gap between her world and his world?
An interesting conversation between the two characters reveals their intentions. Whilst Theodora wants to keep him as a real friend, Stefanos wants to escape being held behind. It’s expressed in the lines, ‘Does it bother you that I’m here all the time.’ To which Stefanos replies, ‘What bothers me is that I’m here all the time and I cannot escape.’ Being at risk with a friend who may not be around for much longer, is a tough predicament for Theodora.
O Arhontas tou Ethnikou Kipou / The Lord of the National Garden is about love, loss, and connection. As Stefanos encourages Theodora to call her friends and reconnect before it’s too late, her haunting visions give her reasons to change. Without her new ghost friend in her life, she wouldn’t have had so much reason to change. But one friend made all the difference.
Tsialou leaves an important message for all of us. By surrounding ourselves with good role models and giving ourselves space to engage then connection is possible.
Rating: 3 stars
O Arhontas tou Ethnikou Kipou / The Lord of the National Garden is part of Filmotomy’s coverage on the Femme Filmmakers Festival 2026.
You can read more reviews from the festival, including R3D@CTED (2026) here.
