HER JOB

Panayiota, a 37-year-old illiterate housewife, leads a quiet life with her husband and their children in a modest neighbourhood in Athens, Greece. To cope with the recession that has been affecting her family for some time, Panayiota for the first time in her life, finds a job as a cleaner in a shopping mall. Despite the ruthlessness of her work-environment, Panayiota breaks free from domestic monotony and gradually gains the respect she never had from her family. When a series of layoffs starts, she will have to face again her personal dead ends. But Panayiota cannot be the same anymore.

„I was inspired by a true story that took place in the north of Greece a few years ago: the story of a woman’s journey – who by finding a job as an unskilled worker – finds not only independence but also personal empowerment. I was amazed at this woman’s point of view regarding all the hard circumstances she had to pass through in her work environment. I was asking myself : how could this woman be so innocent and naïve to feel like she’s found a new self under such terrible work conditions? The shocking thing was that she was considering herself very lucky to find this job. She was talking about it as if it had been the most important thing in her life so far. This simple but genuine and unique story touched my heart, revealing and upsetting.“

Nikos Labôt