Bugboy

Lucas Paleocrassas is a documentary filmmaker based in Athens, Greece, whose work explores how young people navigate moments of change, identity, and belonging. He is drawn to introverted teenagers who are outsiders, and see the world differently. His previous feature FINAL YEAR (2022) premiered in competition at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival and went on to receive the Best Feature Documentary Award at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People, as well as Best Greek Documentary at AegeanDocs. He is a recipient of the Artworks Award and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Artist Fellowship.

Director’s Note

My work often explores how children and teenagers perceive the world as they search for their identity, with a particular focus on introverted young people who feel different and struggle to connect socially. When I first met 16-year-old George, I was struck by his extraordinary passion for insects. Over the past three years, he has welcomed me into his life, allowing me to witness how his parents’ divorce and his impaired eyesight have deepened his sense of isolation and loneliness. The trust and intimacy that developed between us opened a window into the details of George’s everyday existence. I observed how his world, and that of his family, became intertwined with the microcosm of insects, which provide him both refuge and inspiration. Narratively, I draw inspiration from modern fairy tales about outsiders: characters who seem peculiar to others but possess a unique perspective into our world. My connection to George lies in this shared sensibility and in his profound respect for nature. I believe his story is not only a portrait of adolescence but a reminder that self-acceptance and resilience can grow from the most unexpected places and that even the smallest creatures can reveal the fragile beauty of our world.