Stray Bodies
Elina Psykou / Greece, Switzerland, Italy & Bulgaria / 2024 / International Premiere / 109 min
Involuntary body related travelling is on the rise in Europe, with women crossing EU borders to reclaim the right to their own bodies. Abortion and artificial insemination are just two items on the list in a film that maps the continent.
One woman travels from Malta to Italy to have an abortion. At the same time, another woman is travelling from Italy to Greece to receive IVF treatment in the hope of becoming pregnant. Their situations are very different, but they are connected by strict legislation that forces them to seek help outside their home country. The women are two of the many travellers across Europe’s borders, where religion and politics often have more say over your own body than you do. The dream destination is not beaches and fancy cafés, but the right to decide for themselves. ‘Stray Bodies’ maps the continent’s many contradictions, from sperm donation to euthanasia, and thoroughly raises the big existential questions about life and death. But in an unexpectedly fresh and original way, with great cinematic exuberance.