The first three historical documentaries by Maria Iliou, which chronicle the fascinating journey of Athens from the 1821 Revolution to World War II, will be screened at the Athens Concert Hall from February 27 to March 1, 2026. This is the first installment of a six-part series, with the remaining three films, covering 1940–2021, scheduled for release in the coming years.

Using rare and previously unknown archival material—including sketches, engravings, photographs, and films preserved and restored in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, and Greece—director Maria Iliou, along with historical consultant Alexandros Kitroef and their team, bring to life the city’s multifaceted history.

The period music, recreated by Nikos Platyrakos (and in the third documentary by Katerina Polemi), combined with original compositions, narrations, and the rare visual material, all edited by Aliki Panagi, vividly illustrate the transformation of Athens from a small Ottoman town into a modern European capital.

Screening Schedule:

Athens from East to West (1821–1896)
Friday, February 27, 2026 | 20:00
Exploring the years from King Otto to neoclassical Athens under George I and the city’s hosting of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Athens and the Megali Idea (1896–1922)
Saturday, February 28, 2026 | 20:00
Athens during wars, the National Schism, and the Asia Minor Catastrophe. The city undergoes profound changes with the arrival of refugees.
Note: This marks the first screening at the Concert Hall; the documentary previously premiered in 2023 at the Benaki Museum.

Interwar Athens (1922–1940)
Sunday, March 1, 2026 | 20:00
The rise of the urban and working classes, the cultural flourishing of the 1930s generation, the city’s modernization, and the close of a creative yet contradictory era with the return of the monarchy and the Metaxas dictatorship.