The 17th Greek Film Festival in Melbourne attracted record numbers of film-goers this year.

The festival, which concluded on Monday, November 1 with the screening of Theo Angelopoulos’ Dust of Time and Nikos Zapantinas’ Kiss of Life, recorded its highest number of patrons attending, making it the most successful in its history.

Following the opening night on Wednesday October 13, over 8,500 people attended the 19 day festival, which included 50 screenings of Greek cinema. The first Saturday of the festival sold over 1,400 tickets.

According to the festival director, Penny Kyprianou, the popularity of the festival became apparent early on, when all four cinemas at Melbourne’s Palace Como Cinema Complex were full days before the opening night event.

“The tickets for many films were sold out prior to the screenings and due to popular demand additional screenings for many films were scheduled,” Ms Kyprianou said.

Some of the most popular movies were With Heart and Soul, Dust of Time, Nisos, El Greco, I love Karditsa, 180 degrees and the documentary Colossi of Love.

The 17th Greek Film Festival is a Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria event proudly sponsored by Bank of Cyprus Australia.