Almost three decades ago, the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW had the vision to bring to Greek and Cypriot films to Australia. Some of the greatest movies and names have played at the annual Greek Film Festival, from Zorba the Greek to Aliki Vougiouklaki, from What If to Alex Lykos’ Alex & Eve, an endless list.
The Festival is known for special events with music, food and QnA’s with directors and actors. I should know, in 2015 I had the pleasure of showcasing Lesvos: fall in Love, a documentary about the island of Lesvos. The special event that night was in tandem with the Mytilenean Brotherhood of Sydney, featuring island tyropites made by my mum Maria, ouzo shots from the Mytileneans and people dressed in the traditional costume of the island; with Tassos bouzouki adding some sounds as two cinema sessions sold out – a first for an Australian documentary.
This type of support allows filmmakers at my “lowly” level to gain a window into a mainstream and niche film going audiences. My filmmaking partner, Basil Genimahaliotis and I were subsequently able to see our film screen on TV, cable and further cinema offerings on the back of being part of the film festival.
The high-level support from Nia Karteris, Chair of the prestigious Greek Film Festival, staff and committee, is appreciated by filmmakers. Thousands of movie goers attend the festival and the advertising footprint reaches hundreds of thousands, generating an awareness in our films.
This year there are a number of leading documentary films across Australia and Greece including the excellent Ange & the Boss: Puskas in Australia; Puskas is of course the 20th century equivalent of Ronaldo, and Broken Sound about Greek society’s evolution and cultural identity. The heartbreaking Last Prayer from WW2 is presented with the Cretan Association of Sydney and MARY, MARIANNA, MARIA is set mostly across the 1940s war periods.
My friend Jim Claven, an associate producer for Anzac the Greek Chapter, another documentary set during war, extolled the virtues of the documentary. He has written on the Anzacs in the Greek campaign as well as overseeing the film project.
“I hope that all who see the film will be moved by the personal testimonies of the veterans. War is a terrible thing, bringing destruction and death. The testimonies reflect that and more. More in the sense that they reveal the great respect these veterans – and remember they are all civilian volunteers not regular army – for the ordinary people of Greece. In this, the film stands as testimony to this connection between Greeks and Australians and honours this legacy of what was a very important part of Greek and Australian history.”
Thanks to the Greek Film Festival, there have been sold out sessions across Australia for Anzac.
On Wednesday 23 October, I will sit amongst friends, Greeks and Italians to watch the latest film which Basil and I produced, Magna Graecia: the Greko of Calabria. The film is part of a trilogy of the Greek history of Southern Italy and it is my twentieth documentary.
We the Greeks abroad need to understand that the Greko language and culture in Calabria is hanging on due to the brilliant work of the elderly and young Greko who make an effort to learn their language – they are heroes and, in a sense, ancient Greek statues that come to life. We must support them. Be it a visit, helping their language courses, providing sponsorships or jobs. We can sit here and watch a film and get a Molon Labe tattoo and reminisce about Greek history or we can support living Greek history in Calabria.
Just like the Lesvos movie, Magna Graecia now has two sessions with the 7 pm session now on sale. By attending you will learn about the Greko and you can ask me questions about them. I have been there four times and this showcases the people, towns, culture and music. You are also supporting the Greek Film Festival’s two weeks of culture and movie magic, and ensure that even young people have an opportunity via the student film festival and competition. The short films by the students are a great watch, and as a judge a real highlight of my year.
The Greko film starts and ends with young people too, pausing on the subtitles in this part of the film, so that the audience can simply listen to young people speak Greko.
I have rejected monetary offers from TV and elsewhere to show the films, thanks to the support of a range of sponsors ie M&J Chickens. I am only interested in the audience learning about Greko and visiting Calabria.
In Calabria, I am home, it is a Lesvos for me. Lesvos of course produces ouzo, however at the film festival it is sponsored by such supportive companies as Metaxa the drink. Metaxa deserve praise for their support. I am of course an islander who must drink ouzo, but on Wednesday, I will raise a glass to Metaxa and to all the Greko who keep the language relevant.
Magna Graecia: Greko of Calabria, second session on sale now for 23 October7PM in Little Italy, Palace Cinemas.
The Greek Film Festival runs until 27 October
Anzac film Donations go to Lemnos-Gallipoli Commemorative Committee of Melbourne
