An exciting array of Greek film will be gracing the garden courtyard of the Hellenic Museum as part of their Summer Cinema program. The museum, in collaboration with the Greek Film Festival, will convert the private garden courtyard into an outdoor cinema, complete with pop-up dining and bar by renowned restauranteur Con Christopoulos to accompany audiences at dusk screenings. The Summer Cinema, which includes two afternoon kids’ films, combines a selection of vintage films with pop-up dining and bar to provide Melburnians with a taste of Athens’ famed outdoor cinemas.
Through a selection of award-winning films, the program showcases the golden era of movie production in Greece. Films as diverse as noir dramas, children’s classics, tales of adventure, romance and comedy dramas provide some of the finest examples of Greek cinema from the era. The program celebrates the themes of summer – friendship, adventure, and discovery – through the heroes and legends that light up the big screen, bringing timeless tales to entertain Melbourne audiences. All films are subtitled, inviting a wider audience.
The beloved actor Nikos Kourkoulos steals the show in three films from the program. In Koinonia, ora Miden (1966), he stars as a disgraced former air force pilot who is appointed to investigate a plane crash in a brisk-paced tale of morals vs money. A Girl in Black (1956), the Golden Globe winner and Palme d’Or nominee, offers one of the finest examples of director Cacoyannis’ early works, with a focus on the inevitably tragic nature of love. Films such as Blood on the Land (1966), a story of family, justice and solidarity; and The Red Lanterns (1963), with its nostalgic, underground atmosphere, portray periods of change in Greece’s history, with the lives of characters representing vast social and cultural developments.
The Summer Cinema program includes:
Saturday 1 February, doors open 7pm: Koinonia, ora Miden (1966)
Saturday 8 February, doors open 7pm: The Red Lanterns (1963)
Saturday 15 February, doors open 7pm: Mandalena (1960)
Saturday 22 February, doors open 4pm: The Little Runaways (1969)
Saturday 22 February, doors open 7pm: A Girl in Black (1956)
Saturday 1 March, doors open 4pm: Peppermint (1999)
Saturday 1 March, doors open 7pm: Blood on the Land (1966)
All films are subtitled.
Evening sessions are rated M, with afternoon sessions rated PG.
Doors open at 7pm, with pop-up dining and bar. Seating around 9pm, with screenings to start shortly after.
For more information and tickets visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/summer-cinema-tickets-9779754509