My name is Éva Pető (or Évi), and I'm originally from Hungary, where I worked in the film industry and studied photography. My previous experiences contributed to my visual strength, which I often use to develop the unique visual look of my films. I'm drawn to explore themes of mental health and the power of the mind, which I tend to enhance with twisted storylines in a thriller setting. My recent short film, “CAGE”, explores the emotional state that follows a traumatic event and the first steps toward healing. Rather than portraying trauma directly, the film attempts to express the experience of internal trauma through the language and tension of a thriller. It moves through different stages of recovery: the emergence of anger and blame without fully understanding their origin; the gradual recognition of emotional wounds and their possible causes; and finally, acceptance, the moment when there is no choice left but to confront themselves and comfort their vulnerable side. Highlighting the importance of self-awareness and mental health, the film unfolds as a psychological drama infused with thriller elements. Although in my previous projects I usually created stories grounded in reality and enriched with psychological elements, this time Lili, my friend and co-writer, and I decided to reverse that dynamic and place a mind game at the centre of the story, with reality acting only as a “supporting character.” Our goal was to present a trauma-affected mind, showing that the mind can be so powerful that while trying to protect ourselves from trauma, it can actually hide the origin of our anxiety and the possible solution to a way out. We created a series of events where Elena, the unknowing inventor of the story, unfolds her hidden emotions and memories step by step, ultimately finding and comforting her abandoned inner child.
