Available Films
"Orpheus" by Jean Cocteau (1960)
The Poet (Orpheus himself) looks back over his life and work, recalling his inspirations and obsessions.
"Rembetiko" by Costas Ferris (1983)
The story of a group of Rembetes, singers and musicians of the Greek equivalent to the blues, in the early decades of the 20th century, seen through the eyes of a young female singer.
"Never on Sunday" by Jules Dassin (1960)
An American scholar in Greece sets about improving the prostitute (Melina Merkouri) with whom he is infatuated.
"Worlds Apart" by Christopher Papakaliatis (2015)
In modern Greece, while socioeconomic turmoil ravages Southern Europe, three distinct stories unfold, each representing a different generation of Greeks in love with a foreigner, each story coming together in the end to form a whole.
"Dogtooth" by Yorgos Lanthimos (2009)
A controlling, manipulative father locks his three adult offsprings in a state of perpetual childhood by keeping them prisoner within the sprawling family compound
"Xenia" by Panos H. Koutras (2014)
Strangers in their own birthplace, 16-year-old Danny and 18-year-old Odysseus cross the entire country in search of their Greek father, after their Albanian mother passes away.
"Waiting for the clouds" by Yesim Ustaoglu (2004)
Ayse/Eleni who is a member of a Greek family in Turkey is forced to immigrate from Trabzon to Mersin in her early ages. However, the events that happen cause her to face her own past.
"Eftihia" by Angelos Frantzis (2019)
The story of songwriter Eftyhia Papagiannopoulou (1893-1972), who escaped the burning of Smyrna and journeyed to Athens, Greece, where she became a major figure in Greek popular music and the beloved lyricist of the country.
"The auntie from Chicago" by Alekos Sakellarios (1957)
Aunt Calliopi returns to Greece from Chicago after 30 years and plans to marry off her nieces.
"A matter of dignity" by Michael Cacoyannis (1958)
A daughter discovers her wealthy family is actually on the verge of bankruptcy and decides to charm a millionaire for his money in marriage. Soon she is torn between living a lie and keeping up appearances.
"The Lobster" by Yorgos Lanthimos (2015)
In a dystopian near future, according to the laws of The City, single people are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in 45 days or they're transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.
"Chevalier" by Athina Rachel Tsangari (2015)
A fishing trip in the Aegean Sea among a sextet of friends becomes the perfect setting for a relentless contest of male dominance. Everything can spark a fierce competition; but, only one can wear the precious chevalier. Who will it be?
"Little England" by Pantelis Voulgaris (2013)
An epic tale of lost love and a beautiful story of the love between sisters, set in the Greek island of Andros at the beginning of the 20th century.
"Young Aphrodities" by Nikos Koundouros (1963)
200 BC. During a merciless drought, the brute nature of man and the delicate essence of woman become inextricably intertwined, as the omnipotence of the carnal instinct demands the total surrender of the flesh.
"Lysistrata" by George Zervoulakos
This is an adaptation of the comedy by Aristophanes. In ancient Athens, the men are absorbed by the war with Sparta and neglect their wives and their homes. Fed up with this situation, the women decide to declare a state of total abstinence from sex until the men make peace. Although abstinence from sex is not the only solution, the Spartan women join their counterparts in Athens to demand peace from their own men, whose absence from bed has been noticeable.
"Ulysses' gaze" by Theodoros Angelopoulos (1995)
An exiled filmmaker finally returns to his home country where former mysteries and afflictions of his early life come back to haunt him once more.
"The traveling players" by Theodoros Angelopoulos (1975)
Greece, 1939-1952: Fascist, Nazi, and Communist conflict, as seen through the eyes of a family of travelling provincial players.
Resources
Thessaloniki Film Festival: Explore the official website of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, featuring event schedules, film screenings, news, and information about Greece’s premier cinematic celebration
Finos Film: Explore the rich legacy of Greece’s iconic film production company, including its history, classic films, and impact on Greek cinema.
Yorgos Lanthimos: Delve into the works of acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, featuring details about his groundbreaking films and artistic vision.
Harvard Film Archive: Theo Angelopoulos: Discover the program dedicated to Theo Angelopoulos, highlighting his cinematic masterpieces and their profound exploration of history and eternity.
Hellenic Film Society USA: Learn about the organization’s mission to promote Greek cinema in the U.S., including film festivals, events, and cultural initiatives.
Euscreen: Access Europe’s television heritage with an extensive collection of historical broadcasts, offering insights into the cultural and social history of the continent.
Hellenic Society of Cinematographers: Discover the work of the Hellenic Society of Cinematographers, featuring resources, news, and initiatives dedicated to advancing the art and craft of cinematography in Greece.
Filmicon Journal is an academic journal dedicated to the study and analysis of Greek cinema and audiovisual media.
Kanopy is a video streaming service with over 26,000 films available to watch on-demand. With world cinema, award winning films, and documentaries available, you're sure to find a movie or two that will suit your needs.
Film Databases
The Film and Television Literature Index is a comprehensive database that includes extensive coverage of film and television writing. Subjects covered include writing, production, cinematography, reviews, film and television theory, and preservation and restoration of film.
FIAF offers access to a variety of academic journals and periodicals dedicated to film studies. Coverage includes film history, theory, and criticism.
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KEY WORDS
- Motion Pictures, Greek
- Foreign Films, Greece
- Foreign Language Films, Greece
- Films Greece
- Additionally, you can start a search on a type of film (action adventure) and narrow by format (movie) and language (Greek, Modern (1453-)).
LINKS
The Cinema of Greece
THE GOLDEN AGE
Cinema in Greece was essentially spread during the years of the Second World War. This was followed immediately by films influenced by Italian neorealism that spoke with sensitivity about social issues (Gregoriou, Tatatsopoulos,Talas). Alongside a high quality cinema, with N. Koundouros and Cacoyannis (Stella, Electra, Zorba) as main representatives, commercial cinema developed. Around the end of the 1960s, the new Greek cinema took its first steps, with Theodoros Angelopoulos as its main representative. One of the most important directors of the 20th century worldwide, Angelopoulos spoke about Greek history (Days of '36, Theasos, Hunters), but also about the man of the late 20th century (The Gaze of Odysseus, The Weeping Meadow).
Directors with important work include Pantelis Voulgaris, Kostas Ferris, Pavlos Tassionis, Nikos Perrakis and from the younger ones Pericles Hoursoglou, Sotiris Goritsas, Antonis Kokkinos and Konstantinos Yannaris.
GREEK WEIRD WAVE
The Greek Weird Wave, or Greek New Wave, emerged during a period of profound economic and political crisis in Greece in the early 2000’s. Despite minimal state funding due to drastic budget cuts, these films reshaped the country’s cinematic landscape and garnered international acclaim, blending comic absurdity with dark, surreal premises to critique the challenges of their nation. The wave was shaped decisively by Yorgos Lanthimos. Other films mentioned as part of this "wave" include Panos H. Koutras's Strella and Yannis Economides's Knifer, Tale 52 (by Alexis Alexiou) and Wasted Youth ( by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel)