At The Mind Corner, we had the privilege of covering the BFI Flare 2026 festival, and Satisfaction quickly became one of the most unforgettable films we encountered. A psychological drama at its core, the film explores emotional complexity, identity, and the quiet spaces people often avoid confronting.This isn’t just a film. It’s a conversation needed.
I had the chance to watch Satisfaction ahead of its premiere and then again. And somehow, it hit even harder the second time.
The film is built as an experience. It doesn’t rush you. It doesn’t guide you safely. Instead, it places you inside the emotional world of its characters and lets you feel everything with them.Every pause, every silence, every sound has intention.Composer Midori Hirano plays a crucial role in shaping this atmosphere. Rather than relying on traditional scoring, the film blends natural and everyday sounds into its sonic landscape. In many moments, the absence of music becomes just as powerful as its presence mirroring the inner state of its protagonist.
At the heart of Satisfaction are two British composers: Lola (Emma Laird) and Philip (Fionn Whitehead).
Lola is a free spirit, a musician, someone full of light but throughout the film, we see her slowly disconnect not only from Philip, but from herself. She stops playing the piano. She withdraws. And we don’t immediately understand why.
Philip, on the other hand, is layered and complex. There are moments where you understand him, even empathise with him but the film constantly challenges that perspective.Their relationship unfolds in silence more than words and that silence says everything.
The film moves between two timelines:their early connection in London, where everything feels alive and full of possibility and their present-day trip to a remote Greek island, where something feels… unresolved. This contrast between past and present creates a quiet tension that builds throughout the film.
When Elena (Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Cannes Best Actress winner) enters the story, everything shifts. She is magnetic, grounded, and deeply present a character that feels almost like a mirror. Through her, Lola begins to reconnect with parts of herself she had buried.
There’s a powerful moment on a beach where Elena performs Zeibekiko, a Greek dance traditionally tied to grief and emotional release. It becomes one of the most striking scenes in the film, raw, intimate, and impossible to ignore. Elena doesn’t disrupt the story. She reveals it.
Satisfaction is not a rushed project,it’s the result of over 10 years of development. Director Alex Burunova worked through more than 100 drafts of the script, even developing it as a theatre piece before bringing it to screen. Her background in visual arts is evident throughout the film. Every frame feels intentional, almost like a painting.
Before filming even began, she spent years creating hand-painted storyboards and keyframes, shaping the visual identity of the film long before stepping on set.The result is a film that feels deeply considered, yet emotionally raw.
Shot across Antiparos (Greece), Athens, and London, the film uses location as an emotional tool. The Greek island,quiet, almost still creates a sense of isolation that reflects the internal state of the characters. With only around 1,200 residents, the off-season setting adds to this feeling of disconnection. In contrast, London represents memory, energy, and the beginning of something that once felt different. Interestingly, some of the London scenes were recreated in Athens due to production constraints yet the illusion is seamless, a testament to the film’s detailed production design.
One of the reasons the film feels so real is the preparation behind it.
Emma Laird and Fionn Whitehead lived together during rehearsals, building a natural chemistry that translates effortlessly on screen. Emma also trained extensively in piano to fully embody Lola’s world as a composer. This level of commitment shows.
During the premiere, I had the chance to briefly speak with Fionn Whitehead, who shared that he found a level of empathy for his character up to a certain point. That balance is exactly what makes the performance so compelling.
The film also features Adwoa Aboah in a supporting role as Angela, adding another layer to Lola’s past and identity.
Sound design plays a huge role in how Satisfaction is experienced. Instead of heavily edited dialogue, much of the audio feels raw and untouched, almost documentary-like. Real sounds from locations, including recordings from East London nightlife and the Greek island itself, are woven into the film. This creates something incredibly immersive.You don’t just watch the film.
You sit inside it.
When I sat down with Alex Burunova on The Mind Corner, it became clear just how personal this project is. She described the film as “dark and sexy”, but also as something much deeper: a story connected to her own journey, her relationship with creativity, and finding her voice again.
Coming from a family of musicians, this connection runs through every layer of the film. It’s not just about the characters it’s about expression, identity, and what happens when that connection is lost.
Satisfaction has already made its mark across major international festivals, including SXSW, Warsaw International Film Festival, São Paulo International Film Festival, and Thessaloniki International Film Festival, before arriving at BFI Flare 2026 But beyond its festival journey, what makes the film stand out is its intention.It doesn’t give easy answers. It doesn’t simplify emotions. Instead, it invites you to sit with discomfort, to reflect, and to question. By the end of our conversation, Alex shared one simple hope: That the film starts conversations people don’t always feel ready to have. And that’s exactly what Satisfaction does.
Satisfaction is not a film you watch casually. It’s one you carry with you.Through its performances, its sound, its pacing, and its emotional honesty, it creates an experience that feels deeply personal yet universally understood. And maybe that’s why it stays with you.
