Never on a Sunday

Ilya operates as a self-employed figure in Piraeus, gathering her regulars on Sundays as a rare day off. The scene establishes her free spirit and how she navigates a life built on hustle, humor, and a stubborn optimism. The weekly ritual frames her world and the social circle that supports or challenges her.

During a shift at the shipyard, Ilya strips down and dives into the ocean in her underwear, triggering a dare that pulls several workers into the water. What begins as a rebellious moment becomes a shared spectacle that unsettles the harbor's routine. The event also introduces Tonio, who watches from the crowd.

Tonio, a half-Italian worker, is drawn to Ilya from the start and learns that she sets no prices, choosing partners only if she likes them. His admiration hardens into a personal quest to win her exclusive attention. The dynamic introduces rivalry and a personal stake in her affections.

Homer Thrace, an American scholar of classical culture, views Ilya as a living embodiment of a civilization at odds with its ideals. He argues that happiness comes from understanding, citing Socratic, Platonic, and Aristotelian ideas to frame his critique. Ilya counters with a buoyant, personal approach to life, seeing hope where others see decay.

Homer accompanies Ilya to a staging of Medea, where she reads the tragedy through care and resilience rather than vengeance. She argues that Medea's wit and maternal drive can symbolize survival, while Homer remains wary of her upbeat reading. The debate highlights the clash between reformist interpretation and intimate experience of life.

Noface, a figure who dominates apartment rents behind oversized sunglasses, becomes the practical obstacle to Ilya's independence. The prostitutes threaten a strike to lower rents, and Noface views Ilya as a destabilizing symbol. Despo and others position Ilya as a potential catalyst in the workers' struggle.

Noface finances Homer’s reform project by offering money to pay Ilya for exclusive time over two weeks. The arrangement is a tactical alignment between two rivals who both want to push Ilya out of her business, albeit for different reasons. Homer accepts, hoping the time will yield cultural lessons for Ilya.

During the two weeks, Ilya half embraces the lessons but finds the process tedious and restrictive. She wrestles with the books and records while her usual circle grows impatient. The tang of the sea and the whistle of ships keep pulling her toward life beyond the classroom.

Despo observes the financial exchange between Noface and Homer and informs Ilya, setting a turning point. Motivated by the information, Ilya shifts from passive participant to activist and calls for a strike against Noface. The strike escalates tensions and raises the stakes for everyone involved.

Ilya leads a strike in solidarity with the other prostitutes, throwing headboards and mattresses from windows to protest. Arrests follow, but Noface's lawyer pays the fines and the dispute ends with rents reduced by 50 percent. The settlement marks a partial win that reshapes her independence.

Tonio and his friends carry Ilya away to a local bar, signaling a possible new life beyond the harbor's constraints. The gesture marks a moment of intention and belonging, separate from the earlier reformist struggle. Ilya's choice seems to pivot toward a personal future rather than a social reform plan.

In the bar, Homer confesses that he once hoped to save Ilya, admitting his hesitation about acting on his feelings. Tonio declares that Ilya is not a symbol but a woman with agency, clarifying the film's tension between reform and autonomy. The bar becomes a space where desires, fears, and possibilities collide.

Homer reveals his hesitation to act on his feelings and prepares to leave, boarding a ship back to the United States. Tonio reveals his plan to take Ilya to Italy for a fresh start, offering a different path away from the harbor's temptations. The bar's owner hints that love might be the true force to save Ilya, not reformist effort.

Homer departs, discarding his notes on the life he observed, ending the two-week experiment with a sense of ambiguous hope. The group heads toward the seashore, leaving Ilya to choose her own path. The ending invites the audience to consider whether change comes from inside or external influence.