The 2024 Greek Film Festival is set to captivate audiences with a vibrant selection of films and documentaries that celebrate Greek culture through cinema. Presented by the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), this year’s festival will run from 15 October to 27 October in an expanded venue offering that includes the iconic Astor Theater, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Balwyn Cinema, and for the first time Palace Cinemas Pentridge.
The festival kicks off on 15 October with the hilarious comedy Hear Who’s Talking starring Meletis Ilias (To Soi Sou, To Proxenio Tis Ioulias). The opening night film sets the tone for a program that includes 23 feature films and 7 documentaries, each offering a unique glimpse into contemporary Greek society.
A special highlight of this year’s festival is the Australian premiere of the award winning The Murderess. Based on the classic novel by Alexandros Papadiamantis, The Murderess takes place on a remote island in Greece, circa 1900. Hadoula, trapped in her own mother’s rejection, struggles to survive the dictates of a patriarchal society. The film has been praised by critics, winning 12 awards and receiving 14 nominations at Film Festivals world-wide. The leading role is played by Kariofylia Karabeti (Eftihia), who charms the audience with her astounding performance.
The documentary section of the festival packs quite a punch, featuring a curated selection of intriguing films. Key amongst these is the Australian made Ange & The Boss – Puskas in Australia by award-winning directors Tony Wilson and Cam Fink. The great Hungarian striker Ferenc Puskas’s storied playing and coaching career ended in the relative backwater of Middle Park in Melbourne, where he coached a South Melbourne Hellas team captained by current Tottenham Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou. This sporting story of a humble football colossus in soccer’s new world is full of quirky anecdotes and culminates in a gripping championship finale. It also tells the story of Australia’s ethnic football heritage and how it sustained new arrivals.
Peter Ewer, author of The Forgotten Anzacs, and accomplished filmmaker John Irwin bring to audiences the feature-length documentary Anzac: The Greek Chapter. In April 1941, Hitler launched his invasion of Greece. In homes across Australia and New Zealand, people feared what lay ahead for their loved ones sent as part of the Allied force to defend Greece. This documentary tells the story of that valiant defence like never before. Drawing on over 130 hours of veteran interviews, viewers can see and listen to the story of the campaign from the veterans themselves. Watch them make their way north to stand alongside their Greek comrades as part of the Allied defence force. Listen to them recount the bitter battles and sorrows of the campaign and hear them praise their Greek hosts who fought with them and helped them. Narrated by Barrie Cassidy, whose father served in the campaign, the documentary offers a unique account of this campaign and the Anzacs who served there.
Whilst contemporary cinema is the mainstay of the Festival’s program, closing night this year pays tribute to a giant of the golden age of Greek cinema Mary Chronopoulou with a very special screening of the 1968 classic GORGONES KAI MAGKES.
Also showing at the 29th Greek Film festival this year are:
Adonis Florides’ AFRICA STAR
Apollo Bakopoulo’s ALIGNED
Sofia Exarchou’s ANIMAL
Kostas Spiropoulo’s ARCADIA CHAMPAGNE D’ORIENT
Antonis Tsoni’s BRANDO WITH A GLASS EYE
Foivos Kontogianni’s BROKEN SOUND
Ioakim Mylonas DETACHED HOUSE
Jacob Richardson THE AEGEAN
Demetra Giannakopoulos LOVE REWIND
Sotiris Goritsas WHERE WE LIVE
Stergios Paschos THE LAST TAXI DRIVER
Alexandros Voulgaris POLYDROSO
Nikolai Hamel THE RHAPSODIST
Kostoula Tomadaki MOTHER OF THE STATION
Konstantinos Fragoulis IN A FISHBOWL
Haris Vafeiadis LITTLE THINGS THAT WENT WRONG
Vicky Arvelaki & Katerina Mpikaki THE LAST PRAYER
Christopher Papakaliatis WHAT IF…
Christina Ioakeimidi MEDIUM
Myrto Patsalidou, Maria Louka GRIEF-THOSE WHO REMAIN
Aris Dorizas YANI SPANOS: A LIFE BEHIND THE MARQUEE
Michalis Asthenidis,Vasilis Louras Mary, Marianna, Maria – The Unsung Greek Years of Callas
Vasilis Christofilakis GUEST STAR
Periklis Hoursoglou THE PROMOTION
The 12th Greek Student Film Festival also makes a triumphant return, providing a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their talent and creativity.
As we approach this year’s Greek Film Festival, we invite you to immerse yourself in the rich array of film selections and documentaries. With a lineup that promises to inspire and entertain, the 2024 Greek Film Festival is not just an event—it’s a celebration of the creativity that defines Greek cinema
The 29th Greek Film festival is presented by the Greek Community of Melbourne at Palace Cinemas across Melbourne and is sponsored by Oasis Coffee, Procal Dairies, Joannides Funerals, FIX Hellas Beer.
For more information and to book tickets, please visit the official website of the Greek Film Festival.
