The 2010 Brisbane Greek Film Festival opened on October 29, with audiences coming in full force to check out this year’s films.

I think it is a great way of getting people together and every year we usually stage an after party at the Greek Club.

The film for opening night was Nisos (The Island), a clever and funny whodunit where one revelation leads to another and mysteries begin to unfold.

The 17th annual film festival, now in its eighth year for Brisbane, showcases some of the most popular and critically acclaimed films in Greece.

Event Co-Ordinator Helen Spero said, the festival isn’t all about showcasing great Greek films, but an opportunity to bring
people together.

“I think it is a great way of getting people together and every year we usually stage an after party at the Greek Club.

“The rooms at the Greek club are themed up with decorations in honour of the film they have just played and guests are also given sample bags at the party.”

The event, which is organised
by the Greek Orthodox Community of St George (GOC), is a nonprofit event and the Community of
St George relies on sponsorship in order to raise funds, Mrs
Spero said.

There were a total of nine films on display this year along with the highly anticipated epic El Greco, which won awards at the Cairo International Film Festival and the Thessaloniki Film Festival.

Although it has been over 30 years since Greece won in the Foreign Film category at
The Academy Awards, the last win being Iphigenia in 1977, Ms Spero believes Greek films, particularly in recent years, are getting better.

“They (Greece) are getting
there, A Touch of Spice (2003) was a great movie and just last year
we had a good Cretan movie called Proti fora nonos (First
Time Godfather
) 2007, which everyone enjoyed.”