A fantasy in which Ella can’t shake off the ghost of her overbearing mother, Despina, Greek Mothers Never Die is a new film from writer/director Rachel Suissa, who also plays the mother in the story.
Part family saga and part rom-com, this film follows Ella as she navigates the path of grief at losing a parent while trying to make some sense of events in her life. Abby Miner gives a strong performance as Ella, giving a sense of frustration alongside a yawning feeling of loss.
Her romantic issues are amusing, and when she meets up again with old friend Nick (Simon Rérolle) and his pushy boss (Wade Hunt Williams) a set of coincidences collide to entertain us.
As a typical Greek mother, Despina is preoccupied by food, health and abstinence, and has much to say on all three subjects, guiding or goading her daughter from beyond the grave.
Greek Mothers Never Die definitely buys into the cultural mores of the strong mother, while having a sense of universal truth for those who have lost a parent.
With a set of songs to punctuate events, this has a feel of an old-fashioned musical at times while capturing a cheeky comedic slant. The script suggests an otherworldly influence without hammering it home, and Ella’s relationship with Nick feels real within rom-com norms.
Rachel Suissa took inspiration from her relationship with her own mother to create Despina and Ella. Tragi-comic and very personal, this is a film much more profound than its opening moments suggest.
Greek Women Never Die is funny, zany, warm, and very watchable. It is released on 9 May 2025, produced by R.A.D. Pictures.
