Policeman Kostas is divorced with a child and a mother in a nursing home. He has a hard time financially, so he often steals jewellery from the dead he carries to the morgue. His ex-wife, who works as a cleaning lady, is also struggling financially since Kostas doesn't always pay the alimony. When Kostas steals a cross from a dead woman, who happens to be his girlfriend’s grandmother, things get complicated.
The main cast includes Stelios Andronikou, Marina Argyridou, Prokopis Agathokleous, and Antonis Katsaris.
“The film is a dark, social thriller aiming to show how an individual can resort to crime because of financial strains. It also tries to depict a microcosmos of contemporary society in Cyprus with all challenges arising nowadays. Diversion was inspired by a true incident that was reported in the news: a policeman was caught stealing jewellery from the dead he was transporting to the morgue. I was intrigued and I gradually developed the script initially based on this information into a more complex story involving several characters related to the protagonist and their involvement in his decisions”, Marinos Kartikkis told FNE.
Andros Achilleos produced the film through A.B. Seahorse Film Productions Ltd. with the support of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture and in partnership with Cyprus Cinema Advisory Committee.
The budget of approximately 440,000 EUR was entirely covered by the Cyprus Cinema Office (which functions within the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture).
The film was shot in March - April 2024 in Nicosia, and it was completed in March 2025. There is no sales agent attached yet, and the premiere depends on festivals' selection.
Born in Limassol in 1963, Marinos Kartikkis studied Fine Arts at UCLA (Bachelor of Arts, Honors) and at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, as well as Filmmaking at the London International Film School. His credits include TV productions, commercials, 12 solo painting exhibitions, three short films and five feature films, including Honey and Wine (2006, produced by Homemade Movies), winner of Best Feature Film at the Thessaloniki 9th Panorama of Independent Cinema, and Senior Citizen (2020, A.B. Seahorse Film Productions Ltd.), which won 35 awards, including the Audience Award at the 19th Cyprus Film Days.
Production Information:
Producer:
A.B. Seahorse Film Productions Ltd (Cyprus)
Andros Achilleos: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Credits:
Director: Marinos Kartikkis
Screenwriter: Marinos Kartikkis
DoP: Yorgos Rahmatoulin
Editor: Emilios Avraam
Composer: Adonis Aletras
Production designer: Liza Tsouloup
Costume designer: Constantina Andreou
Cast: Stelios Andronikou, Marina Argyridou, Prokopis Agathokleous, Antonis Katsaris, Andreas Tselepos, Yiola Klitou, Androula Erakleous, Lenia Sorocou, Panagiota Papageorgiou, Constantinos Georgiou
