Trade Off

The story of Jewish refugee Elsie Slonim is inextricably linked to the land her husband turned into a vast citrus farm. Over a century old, Elsie looks back at how she fled the Nazis, met David Slonim on a boat and followed him to Cyprus. They went from rags to riches, but lost everything with the Turkish invasion in 1979. An essay on capitalism’s dependence on growth, Trade Off talks of the bitter lessons the citrus plantation held for Elsie’s private life – and the love she held on to.

Credits:

A film by Maren Wickwire and Valerie Kittlitz
Produced by Manifest Media and Valerie Kittlitz
Run Time: 22 min
Country: Cyprus
February 2026

---