Patty Is a Very Girly Name

Daphne is a teenage judo athlete from a remote Greek island who follows her sensei to Athens in pursuit of her Olympic dream. He has been absent from competitive judo for years and is searching for something he can't name. Pastras makes a film that is part sports drama, part coming-of-age story, and entirely its own thing — quiet, assured, and genuinely moving in its final act. The relationship between Daphne and her coach earns its emotional weight without manipulation. One of the best Greek films of recent years, and the one that surprised me most. Berlin 2025.