Captivating scenery and hypnotic movements run abundant in writer/director Apollo Bakopoulos’ heartfelt film, Aligned. The gorgeous opening dance montage and accompanying piano score sets up audiences for an intimate evolution of self-reflection as we watch Aeneas, an aspiring professional dancer, embark on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. Making its World Premiere at the 2023 Brooklyn Film Festival, Aligned is an inspiring watch that comes with a positive message, leaving the viewer with a sense of good vibrations and a tangible spark of self-confidence to carry with them throughout the day.

Aeneas (Panos Malakos) seems to have it all, a supportive girlfriend, his health, and the opportunity of a lifetime: a three-month residency to train at a dance academy in Greece, which will bring him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a professional dancer. He arrives in Athens from New York City full of excitement and open to the possibility of what lies ahead. Once at the studio, he is immediately introduced to Alex (Dimitris Fritzelas), a fellow dancer who quickly becomes a friend. Intimacy is the universal dancers’ language and the closer the two men become on stage, the more that translates off stage as well.

Through their shared cultural heritage, Aeneas and Alex find a deep and unexpected connection they both acknowledge is worth exploring further. Aeneas expresses his lack of self-confidence and vulnerability to a receptive Alex, who offers non-judgemental comfort and support. His advice, to lead with the heart rather than the mind, is a common phrase repeated throughout Aeneas’ self-discovery journey. At a crossroads with his newfound queer interest in Athens and a deteriorating relationship with his girlfriend at home, Aeneas is finally able to confront his deep-rooted insecurities and feel the transformative power of self-love.

Running 78 minutes long, Aligned jumps into the crux of the story immediately and doesn’t linger on supplemental details or scenes that drag the material down. The filmmaker could have been tempted to linger on the dance sequences and additional distractions, however, the decision to stick to the bare bones of what is necessary is a mature and respectable approach. The fluid camerawork that captures the beautiful dance montages between the two men embodies the feeling of freedom and non-sexual physical intimacy. One scene, in particular, stands out as truly stunning, when the men improvise a dance in their apartment. This is the first time they advance from the boundaries of platonic friendship into a more emotionally invested relationship. Without words, they convey everything we need to know.

Filmmaker Apollo Bakopoulos creates a gateway to openly discussing one’s insecurities and struggles with low self-esteem in Aligned, showing that living authentically is the only true path to happiness. Aeneas’ struggles are meant to hold up a mirror to our own self-sabotaging habits, and Alex’s words of affirmation are intended to resonate with us as well. Fear and familiarity have been the invisible chains holding Aeneas back from embodying his true self. It’s scary forging into the unknown, but it’s even scarier living in complacency and regret. Through the captivating dance and photography of Aligned, we are offered a gentle reminder that self-acceptance is a journey and takes time. There is no linear path, and forward momentum leads to freedom.