Short Film Selection

Macedonian Wedding

Director: Takis Kanellopoulos
Greece, 1960, 29', DCP, b&w
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

One of the masterpieces of Greek cinema, the debut film of Takis Kanellopoulos, Macedonian Wedding, follows the traditions of a village called Velvedo in Western Macedonia and the preparations for a wedding. In this film, which is one of the first significant examples of ethnographic cinema, Kanellopoulos's poetic perspective transforms a world with roots lost in the distant past into lyrical poetry.

The Plot

Director: Thodoros Maragos
Cast: Spyros Kalogirou, Marilyse Preisler, Nassos Katakouzinos, Stavros Konstantarakos
Greece, 1971, 13', DCP, b&w
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

In an empty lot in the Petralona area of Athens, we witness the flow of life through three seasons: In autumn, a fairground is set up, turning into a soccer field for the neighborhood children in winter and transforming into a stadium for the school's gymnastic shows in spring. Theodoros Maragos, portraying how life was shaped in one of Athens' disadvantaged neighborhoods in the 1970s, captures the passage of time in the profound marks it leaves on people. Using simple tools and an extraordinary internal rhythm, he vividly portrays a space while turning seemingly trivial things into a form of political poetry.

Tourkovounia

Director: Lefteris Xanthopoulos
Greece, 1982, 23', DCP, color
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

In the 1950s, illegal constructions began to appear on the highest summit of the Tourkovounia hill in Athens. These structures were established by migrant families coming from different regions of the country in search of a place they could call home.

Hercules, the River Achelous, and My Grandmother

Director: Dimitris Koutsiabasakos
Cast: Kyriakos Gogos, Dimitra Goroitou, Evangelos Tentolouris
Greece, 1997, 28', DCP, color
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

Dimitra, also the grandmother of Dimitris Koutsiabasakos, is 88 years old and lives alone in the village of Armatoliko in the Pindos Mountains. The village, situated on the banks of the Acheloos River, where Dimitra resides, takes its name from the myth of Heracles battling for the love of the river god Acheloos. Dimitra's house is located in the middle of the construction site planned to become a reservoir. Coincidentally, the materials to be used in the construction of the dam belong to a cement company named "Heracles," and the age-old battle between Acheloos and Heracles continues to this day.

Letters from America
Director: Lakis Papastathis
Narrator: Theodoros Katsadramis
Greece, 1972, 19’, DCP, color, b&w
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

The film using over 120 postcards and photographs takes its inspiration from a letter collection discovered by Lakis Papastathis in an antique shop. These letters were sent by Anastasios to his homeland, Gytheio, over fifty years period after his migration to America in 1905. They bear witness to how a nation, forced into migration, was severed from its roots.

100 Hours in May

Director: Dimos Theos, Fotos Lambrinos
Greece, 1964, 20’, DCP, color, b&w
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

The film, which revolves around the events forming the basis of Costa-Gavras' famous movie 'Z - The Greek.', depicts the last hours of Grigoris Lambrakis before his assassination up until his funeral in Athens. The film explores Lambrakis as a political phenomenon, shedding light on a crucial period in Greek history.

Last Stop Kreuzberg

Director: Giorgos Karypidis
Greece, 1975, 22’, DCP, b&w
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

In the 1970s, the Kreuzberg district in West Berlin hosted foreign workers described as "Gastarbeiter" (guest workers in German). These individuals migrated from Greece and Turkey, striving to maintain their national identities while also struggling for a better future. The film observes the challenges "Gastarbeiter," faces including racism, inevitable intercultural conflicts, issues of exile, and the feeling of being a foreigner. While following the struggles of those who migrated, it captures the collective distress of all generations who feel uprooted as well.

Betty

Director: Dimitris Stavrakas
Participants: Betty Vakalidou
Greece, 1979, 33', DCP, color
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles 

The documentary portrays a day in the life of Betty, a transgender woman living in Athens and introduces us to a character far beyond her time. Stavrakas' camera closely follows Betty's everyday life, bearing witness to her experiences on Syngrou Avenue, where she transforms into a fairy and goes to work. Fearlessly facing the camera, we witness the stories of the harassment she has endured throughout her life, and as we listen, the day ends, blending the past and the present.

Jimmy the Tiger

Director: Pantelis Voulgaris
Cast: Spyros Kalogirou, Marilyse Preisler, Nassos Katakouzinos
Greece, 1966, 14', DCP, b&w
Greek with Turkish, English subtitles

“Jimmy the Tiger”, a man known for his incredible physical strength, performs street shows in the streets of Athens to support his family. One day, a young woman approaches him and expresses her interest in taking his photograph for a newspaper story. They grow close and spend a night together at a hotel. The next morning, Jimmy wakes up to a nightmare.