The Lost Daughter

While vacationing in Greece, Leda Caruso meets Nina after Nina's daughter, Elena, goes missing on the beach. Leda finds Elena playing alone and returns her to a visibly exhausted Nina, who expresses her struggles with motherhood.

Elena becomes upset after losing her favorite doll on the beach, unaware that Leda has taken it. This incident adds to the growing sense of frustration Nina feels as a young mother trying to manage her daughter's needs.

In a series of flashbacks, we see young Leda struggling with motherhood, often feeling overwhelmed by her two daughters, Bianca and Martha. The chaotic moments reveal her emotional disconnect and the impact on her personal and professional life.

Leda and her husband Joe invite two hikers, a female and male, into their home, intrigued by their freedom from familial obligations. This encounter leads Leda to reflect on her own suffocating responsibilities as a mother.

As Leda observes Nina's interactions with her family, it becomes clear that Nina is overwhelmed by the demands placed upon her. This strain is exacerbated by the arrival of Nina's controlling husband, Toni, and her pregnant sister-in-law, Callie.

Nina, distressed over Elena's missing doll, enlists the entire staff at the resort to help search for it. Leda witnesses Nina's growing frustration and helplessness, further reminding her of her own past as a mother.

Leda has a dinner with Lyle, the hotel's caretaker, who notices the doll in her possession but stays silent about it. This dinner deepens Leda's sense of isolation as she navigates her complex feelings about motherhood and her current situation.

As Leda reflects on her past, she recalls her infidelity with a fellow professor while she abandoned her daughters for three years. This realization shapes her current interactions, particularly with Nina and her family dynamics.

When Nina arrives to retrieve the apartment keys, Leda admits her shortcomings as a mother and hands over Elena's doll, confessing her actions. This confrontation erupts in anger, culminating in Nina stabbing Leda in the stomach with a hatpin.

Wounded and emotionally drained, Leda hastily packs her bags and leaves the resort. In a distracted state, she drives off the road, succumbing to pain and exhaustion on the beach.

The next morning, Leda finds herself on the beach, disoriented but alive. She reaches out to her daughters, Bianca and Martha, expressing relief in reconnecting after several days of silence.

As Leda sits on the beach, she stumbles upon an orange and begins to peel it. This act mirrors her past with her daughters, bringing back memories of nurturing them during their early years.