Stelios, the acclaimed biopic chronicling the life of legendary Greek singer Stelios Kazantzidis is set for release across North America and US theaters on May 9.
The theatrical release of the movie in the United States, distributed by Firestorm Entertainment, follows a record-breaking run in Greece, where, enjoyed by 920,000 moviegoers, it became the fourth highest-grossing Greek film of all time.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Yorgos Tsemperopoulos and produced by Tanweer Productions, Stelios stars Greek pop sensation Christos Mastoras performing as Kazantzidis, whose voice defined a generation and continues to inspire millions across the world. It paints an unforgettable portrait of a cultural icon, who became a voice for love, migration, and resilience—stories that transcend borders and generations.
“Stelios Kazantzidis is not just a musician, he is a voice of resilience, hope and passion that has defined Greek culture for generations. This film is a tribute to his legacy and we are thrilled to share it with audiences around the world,” said director Yorgos Tsemperopoulos
Stelios has opened or is set to open in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, Israel and South Africa, with additional releases planned in Europe.
Greeks flocked to theaters to celebrate Kazantzidis’ life before its US release
The highly anticipated film featuring the life of Stelios Kazantzidis that hit Greek movie theaters in December was released in Greece as Iparxo (I Exist) and immediately became a smash box office success.
Reminiscent of Greece’s golden era of Greek cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, when Greeks flocked to theaters by the thousands to watch their favorite Greek actors on screen, Iparxo set a ticket record in the first four days of its release, selling 117,703 tickets. The film appeared in the top five of the highest-grossing film releases of 2024, followed by “Deadpool and Wolverine” and “The Minds You Carry 2.”
Within its first week in Greek theaters, Iparxo sold almost 195,000 tickets while on the second day of Christmas alone, a public holiday in Greece, it sold almost 50,000 tickets, totaling almost 245,000 tickets in just eight days.
Greeks lined up outside movie theaters to watch the film on the life and career of their beloved Greek singer, who, over two decades after his death, remains a favorite among a vast number of Greeks.
What’s more, Kazantzidis’ songs can still be heard across the country. Younger generations keep discovering the unique texture of Kazantzidis’ voice, which managed to encompass a great range of feelings, representing everyone, from the lovelorn man to the poor worker. It is no wonder he is one of the very few Greek singers who undoubtedly deserve the title of the “people’s singer.”
In the film, Kazantzidis is interviewed by a journalist in the late 1970s, where he narrates parts of his life—from his relationship with his father to his relationship with Kaiti Gray (portrayed by Klelia Renesi) and Marinella (Asimenia Voulioti), two of Greece’s most iconic singers, his disappearance from nightclubs and his return to singing with the album Iparxo, which includes his landmark song of the same name.
