The Greek Film Festival kicked off last night with a launch event at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre, screening Kazantzakis’ Kapetan Mihalis story.
“I feel a real sense of joy that [the festival] has started, and that we’re about to enjoy twelve days of cinematic fun,” said Jorge Menidis, the Festival and Cultural Programs Director.
The Astor lobby was taken over by Greek Aussies eager to journey back to 1889 Crete, following Captain Mihalis as he led the struggle against Ottoman rule.
Movie-goers were treated to Spanakorizo and Pastitsio for dinner as they mingled. The launch hosted the full spectrum of the Greek Australian diaspora from Yiayia and Pappou to university students enjoying the evening.
National Union of Greek Australian Students (NUGAS) co-president Jamie Gallos was excited about a celebration of modern cinema that still honours Greek history.
“Tonight we’re going to go watch Captain Michael, which is a story written by Kazantzakis, interpreted, adapted in a modern lens. This is fantastic … it’s reinvigorating Greek art,” he said.
Festival Director Jorge Menidis was pleased with the turnout; “The Greek film industry isn’t one of the giants of the cinema world, yet it still manages to pump out enough interesting films to command a festival all the way in Australia.”
The launch events were happening at Palace cinemas in Pentridge, Balwyn and Como too with close to 2000 people in attendance across Melbourne.
“According to the text messages I’m getting [those events] are going swimmingly as well … it’s exciting,” Jorge added.
“We’ve already started thinking about next year.”
Writer and Director Alkinos Tsilimidos was also in attendance, whose film The Kink is showing at the Astor on closing night of the festival.
The Kink is set in suburban Melbourne, and it was important to Alkinos to present it to a Melbourne Greek audience; “primarily my generation of Greeks … we want to sort of find out how funny this [movie] is. We think it’s funny, but you never know what can happen,” he told Neos Kosmos.
Read more:
Love, crime, and suburbia: Inside the mad world of “The Kink”
Alkinos also directed The Taverna which is screening during the festival. The film is set across one “chaotic” evening at a family run Greek restaurant.
Launch attendees were sent home with goodie bags; Amygdalota, dried oregano and mati pendants amongst the gifts
