On May 9, a powerful new film titled Stelios will premiere in North America— a film I’ve been eagerly anticipating not just as a fan of Greek music, but as someone whose identity was shaped by it. This is not just a movie. It’s a story that belongs to all of us.
Stelios tells the life story of Stelios Kazantzidis—one of the most iconic and beloved voices in Greek history. But for those of us in the diaspora, Kazantzidis was more than a singer. He was a thread that tied us to our roots, a voice that echoed through our childhood homes, through car rides with our parents, through holidays and heartaches.
I grew up hearing his voice long before I truly understood what he was singing about. But even as a kid, I felt the weight of his words. The longing. The injustice. The heartbreak. The hope. His music was poetry for the working class, for the outsider, for the Greek soul in exile.
Kazantzidis sang for those who left Greece in search of something better—and for those who never quite stopped missing what they left behind. He gave voice to immigration, displacement, and the invisible cost of the Greek experience abroad.
No matter where in the world they landed—Chicago, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, or Pittsburgh, like my parents— our parents and grandparents carried his music like a keepsake of something sacred. He reminded us of who we were and where we came from.
This is why Stelios is such an important film. Because his story is our story. It’s about resilience. It’s about dignity. It’s about carrying pain with pride, and turning it into art. It’s about Greece—but it’s also about the millions of Greeks who carried Greece in their hearts while they built lives oceans away.
As we bring this film to North American audiences on May 9, I’m filled with pride— not only for the film itself, but for what it represents. It’s a chance to introduce a new generation to Stelios Kazantzidis, to authentic Greek music and to honor the legacy of a man whose voice became a home for so many of us.
I hope you’ll join me in watching Stelios— and remembering the music that made us feel understood, no matter how far from home we were.
Stelios hits the big screen May 9 — a powerful tribute to Stelios Kazantzidis, the voice of the Greek soul.
A box office smash in Greece, this top-grossing film stars Christos Mastoras in a moving debut that brings Stelios’s legacy to life for fans old and new.
Don’t see your city? Call your local theater and ask them to bring Stelios to your community. Your voice matters!
