Synopsis:
Leech is an intimate drama about an identity crisis and the abuse one succumbs to out of weakness and the need to be seen. Marija (32) is torn between the image of herself she has spent years constructing and the deep sense of worthlessness that undermines it. Raised in an environment shaped by clearly defined yet deeply flawed expectations of what a successful woman should be, she not only accepts them but actively helps sustain them. Living far from her hometown, she projects a version of herself that others want to see, and over time loses sight of who she truly is. On the surface she seems to have it all: an orderly life in a big city, a good job and a partner who is a successful actor. In reality she works a job she does not like, stuck in marketing instead of the world of art she always dreamed of. Years of pressure lead to anxiety and finally to a complete breakdown: she ends her long-term relationship, loses her job and returns home. Returning brings no relief; Marija continues to live a lie, fabricating achievements and relationships. Helena (33), a charismatic director of the same generation, enters her life. An intense and seductive relationship develops, and for the first time Marija lets her guard down. At Helena's initiative they attend psychodrama therapy in an isolated setting, where Marija lays bare her fears and insecurities. Helena transforms this intimacy into a tool of control, recording Marija and using her confessions as material for a film. Marija becomes a victim of the same manipulative patterns she herself has practiced for years.