With HOPE, director and DOP Tian Stöhr joined forces with co-director Marija Mihailova on a personal project created in Cape Town, South Africa. Inspired by the cinematic storytelling of Terrence Malick, where spontaneous moments and improvisation take precedence over traditional narrative structures, the two filmmakers set out in search of authentic encounters and genuine stories.
The project was built around a single question: "What gives you hope?" With this simple yet powerful prompt, Tian and Marija met young adults across Cape Town, creating space for personal reflections, emotions and individual perspectives.
The result is an atmospheric piece that moves between documentary and improvisation, shaped by intimacy, openness and unplanned moments. At its core are the people themselves and their diverse responses to the question of hope in a rapidly changing world.