Environmentally conscious, hard-working, friendly and secretly a neo-Nazi. Where Shadows Rest is a 2026 Greek documentary directed by Mariana Economou, which follows 75-year-old Kostas as he cleans the polluted seabed of his home, Elefsina.
An Environmental Tale
Kostas and his helpers dive down to shipwrecks and plug any holes that have worn into the ships and caused them to sink. They then drain the water so that the ships rise and, once they have removed any toxic materials from the ships, turn them to scrap.
This story runs parallel alongside a group of Greek women who swim daily in the waters of Elefsina. As the city has recently been named European Capital of Culture, the group discuss the city’s sacred history, as well as the polluting effects of industrialisation on their waters and the desires they have to showcase the beauty of their home.
The film cuts between its participants and shots of the sea. Fish swimming, the light reflecting off the coast, the sparkling water – the film offers a range of cinematographically breathtaking sequences which emphasise the harmful effects of pollution on the environment.
Eleusinian Culture
Where Shadows Rest also analyses the role that the environment plays in Greek culture, as the swimming group recalls the link of the city to the Eleusinian myth of Hades and Persephone, in which Eleusis (now Elefsina) is a gateway to the Underworld, where Persephone would rise from every Spring, and return to in the Autumn.
This tale inspires Kostas to transform the half-sunken shipwreck of Greek singer Stamatis Kokotas, named STACOCO, into an attraction for tourists and visitors alike. He raised the wreck and removed any pollutants from the ship and preparing it for use. For the opening ceremony for the European Capital of Culture celebrations, the ship would be rechristened Persephone and sunk again.
Although brief, the representation of modern religion in Elefsina was insightful. As sacred rites are performed to the Virgin Mary, we are forced to evaluate how the Eleusinian culture has developed and changed in the ancient city, as this tradition would have once worshipped the Greek Goddess Demeter.
The Third Act Twist
Kostas is presented as a gentle man who, even in his old age, does all that he can to protect the environment. When he speaks, he is eloquent and treats the subject at hand with the sensitivity it requires. He is passionate and driven and speaks softly with a smile. But, as is exposed the day before the ceremony, he was previously part of a neo-Nazi political party.
Economou does not halt production here, however; she continues to film her participants’ reactions to this discovery. Politics divides the swimming group as tensions in conversation rise; people who have been working alongside him over a long period of time for the ceremony express their shock and condemn his beliefs; while a close friend believes that it does not change their relationship and he is still the same person that he was before it came to light. The film thus transforms from an environmental focus to one of moral ambiguity and a study of human behaviour.
The fact that this revelation is hidden until the end of the film urges us to reflect on our own moral beliefs and question whether the personal politics of someone should affect the positive contributions they are making to society. It is a subject matter that is becoming considerably more pertinent as politics increasingly divides society, and the film attempts to resolve this ambiguity in its closing scenes.
Where do we go from Here?
Ultimately, it is up to the spectator to decide whether a person’s political beliefs are more significant than their other positive contributions. The film offers a thoughtful insight into the way the human mind works and causes us to reflect on how we react to opposing beliefs in a world that is driven by cancel culture, highlighting moral ambiguities and complexities.
Feature Image Credit: Macroberts Art Centre / Filmoption International
