The power of storytelling was a key theme at the launch of the 29th Greek Film Festival last Tuesday at the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (GOCSA) as part of the 2024 Odyssey Festival in Adelaide.
Launching the Film Festival, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas acknowledged the local contribution made by over 40,000 people of Greek origin. They expressed gratitude for their “hard work (which) has helped make South Australia the place it is today”.
“Hellenic culture has had the power to transcend across generations and that is something that you should all have a degree of pride in,” he said.
The Premier added that in thinking about history, it’s also appropriate to think about the future and the significant decision that is before the community today at the Special General Meeting aimed at reconciliation with the Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.
If over 75 percent of the GOCSA members agree at today’s meeting, it will signal the end of a 65-year schism between GOCSA and the Church.
“It is not my place, as the Premier of South Australia, to offer a view or to endorse a particular position.
“Can I say this? As a government, we are incredibly excited about the historic opportunity that is before the community, which has been created after much work by GOCSA and the wider community, for the prospect of a single united Greek community representing the future of Greek Hellenic culture in this state,” Malinauskas said.
The line-up for this year’s six-day festival includes ‘Murderess’, which is Greece’s entry for the 2025 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category, ‘Africa Star’ and ‘The Promotion’, along with Thodori Niarchos’ comedy ‘Hear Who’s Talking’, which played at the launch, and told the story of a man living with the constant voice of his anxiety. It was a humorous look at the stories we tell ourselves, which ultimately influence the decisions we make.
The sold-out gala event was held at the Palace Nova Cinemas in Prospect with over 240 guests in attendance. The night featured special guests including Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia, Chris Kourakis; Lucy Hood State Member for Adelaide representing the Minister for Small and Family Business, Consumer and Business Affairs & Arts, Andrea Michaels, and Councillor of West Torrens Zoi Papafilopoulos.
GOCSA President Peter Gardiakos, expressed his gratitude to the Premier for taking the time to attend for the second year in a row and thanked the Bank of Sydney for coming on board as a Festival Partner for this year’s Odyssey Greek Festival, which “is about food, language, dance and cinema” and all sponsors and media partners who support the Community’s cultural initiatives.
