The cinema of Greece has a long and rich history. Though hampered at times by war or political instability, the Greek film industry dominates the domestic market and has experienced international success. Characteristics of Greek cinema include a dynamic plot, strong character development and erotic themes. Two Greek films, ''

Missing Missing or The Missing may refer to: Film * ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young * ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras * ''Missing'' (2007 film) (''Vermist''), a Bel ...

'' (1982) and ''

Eternity and a Day ''Eternity and a Day'' ( el, Μια αιωνιότητα και μια μέρα, ') is a 1998 Greek drama film directed by Theo Angelopoulos, and starring Bruno Ganz, Isabelle Renauld and Fabrizio Bentivoglio. The film won the Palme d'Or and the ...

'' (1998), have won the

Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

. Five Greek films have received nominations for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

. Though Greek cinema took root in the early 1900s, the first mature films weren't produced until the 1920s, after the end of the Greco-Turkish War.Vrasidas Karalis,
History of Greek Cinema
' (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2012), pp. ix-xiii. Films during this period, such as ''Astero'' (1929) by Dimitris Gaziadis and ''Maria Pentagiotissa'' (1929) by Ahilleas Madras, consisted of emotional melodramas with an abundance of folkloristic elements.Ephraim Katz, "Greece," ''The Film Encyclopedia'' (New York: HarperResource, 2001), pp. 554-555.

Orestis Laskos Orestis Laskos ( el, Ορέστης Λάσκος; 11 November 1907 – 17 October 1992) was a Greek film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed 55 films between 1931 and 1971. He also wrote scripts for 24 films between 1929 and 1971. ...

's ''

Daphnis and Chloe ''Daphnis and Chloe'' ( el, Δάφνις καὶ Χλόη, ''Daphnis kai Chloē'') is an ancient Greek novel written in the Roman Empire, the only known work of the second-century AD Greek novelist and romance writer Longus. Setting and style ...

'' (1931), one of the first Greek films to be shown abroad, contained the first voyeuristic nude scene in a European film. During the Axis occupation, the Greek film industry struggled as it was forced to relocate overseas. Following the

Greek Civil War The Greek Civil War ( el, ο Eμφύλιος �όλεμος ''o Emfýlios'' 'Pólemos'' "the Civil War") took place from 1946 to 1949. It was mainly fought against the established Kingdom of Greece, which was supported by the United Kingdom ...

, Greek cinema experienced a revival. Inspired by

Italian neorealism Italian neorealism ( it, Neorealismo), also known as the Golden Age, is a national film movement characterized by stories set amongst the poor and the working class. They are filmed on location, frequently with non-professional actors. They pri ...

, directors such as Grigoris Grigoriou and Stelios Tatasopoulos created works during this period shot on location using non-professional actors. During the 1950s and 1960s, Greek cinema experienced a golden age, starting with

Michael Cacoyannis Michael Cacoyannis ( el, Μιχάλης Κακογιάννης, ''Michalis Kakogiannis''; 11 June 1922 – 25 July 2011), sometimes credited as Michael Yannis, was a Greek Cypriots, Greek Cypriot theatre and film director, writer, produce ...

's '' Stella'' (1955), which was screened at

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...

. The 1960 film ''

Never on Sunday ''Never on Sunday'' ( el, Ποτέ την Κυριακή, ) is a 1960 Greek romantic comedy film starring, written by and directed by Jules Dassin. The film tells the story of Ilya, a Greek prostitute (Melina Mercouri), and Homer (Dassin), an Am ...

'' was nominated for five Academy Awards, and its lead actress,

Melina Mercouri Maria Amalia "Melina" Mercouri (, 18 October 1920 – 6 March 1994) was a Greek actress, singer, activist, and politician. She came from a political family that was prominent over multiple generations. She received an Academy Award nomination a ...

, won the Best Actress Award at Cannes. Cacoyannis's ''

Zorba the Greek ''Zorba the Greek'' ( el, Βίος και Πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά, , Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas) is a novel written by the Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis, first published in 1946. It is the tale of a young Greek int ...

'' (1964) won three Academy Awards. Other films released in this era, such as ''

The Counterfeit Coin ''The Counterfeit Coin'' ( el, Ιστορία μιας κάλπικης λίρας, Istoria mias kalpikis liras, Story of a fake pound; also Η κάλπικη λίρα, ''I kalpiki lira'', "the fake pound") is a Greek comedy-drama film, produced ...

'' and '' The Ogre of Athens'' are nowadays considered some of the greatest works of Greek cinema. Censorship policies of the 1967 junta and rising foreign competition led to a decline in Greek cinema. After the restoration of democracy in the mid-1970s, the Greek film industry again flourished, led by director

Theo Angelopoulos Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (; ; 27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on, and Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely re ...

, whose films captured international recognition, making him probably the most acclaimed Greek director to date. Other acclaimed directors of this era include

Nikos Nikolaidis Nikos Georgiou Nikolaidis ( el, Νίκος Γεωργίου Νικολαΐδης; 25 October 1939 – 5 September 2007) was a Greek film director, screenwriter, film producer, writer, theatre director, assistant director, record producer, televi ...

, as well as

Pantelis Voulgaris Pantelis Voulgaris ( el, Παντελής Βούλγαρης; born 23 October 1940) is a Greek film director and screenwriter. His first feature film ''To proxenio tis Annas'' in 1972 won the first prize in Thessaloniki International Film Festiv ...

and

Alexis Damianos Alexis Damianos ( el, Αλέξης Δαμιανός; 1921–2006) was a Greek, film/theatre and television director. Biography Damianos was born in Athens on January 21, 1921. He studied at the National Theatre of Greece and the philosophy departme ...

, the director of the landmark film '' Evdokia''. However, this drift toward art-house cinema in the 1980s led to a decline in audiences. In the 1990s, younger Greek filmmakers began experimenting with iconographic motifs. In spite of, or because of, funding issues created by the

financial crisis A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and man ...

in the late 2000s, unique Greek films such as

Yorgos Lanthimos Georgios "Yorgos" Lanthimos ( el, Γιώργος Λάνθιμος, Giórgos Lánthimos, ; born 23 September 1973) is a Greek film director, film producer, screenwriter, photographer, theatre director and former professional basketball player. Sin ...

's '' Dogtooth'' (2009),

Panos H. Koutras Panos H. Koutras ( el, Πάνος Χ. Κούτρας; born in Athens) is a Greek film director, film producer and screenwriter, who made his debut with the feature film '' The Attack of the Giant Moussaka'' (1999), an independent science-fiction ...

' ''

Strella ''Strella'' ( el, Στρέλλα; international title: ''A Woman's Way'') is a 2009 Greek drama film written and directed by Panos H. Koutras. The plot centres around the relationship between a 45-year-old ex-convict and a 25-year-old transgende ...

'' (2009) and

Athina Rachel Tsangari Athina Rachel Tsangari (, ; born 2 April 1966) is a Greek filmmaker. Some of her most notable works include her feature films, '' The Slow Business of Going'' (2000), ''Attenberg'' (2010) and ''Chevalier'' (2015) as well as the co-production of ...

's ''

Attenberg ''Attenberg'' is a 2010 Greek drama film, written and directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 67th Venice International Film Festival and Ariane Labed won the Coppa Volpi for the Best Actress. It w ...

'' (2010) received international acclaim, constituting what has been called the "Greek Weird Wave".

History of the Greek cinema

Origins

In the spring of 1897, the Greeks of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

watched the first cinematic ventures (short movies in "journal"). In 1906 Greek Cinema was born when the

Manakis brothers The Manaki brothers ( rup, Frats Manachia), Yanaki and Milton ( and ), were Greek photography and cinema pioneers of the Balkan Peninsula and the Ottoman Empire. They were the first to bring a film camera and create a motion picture in the cit ...

started recording in Macedonia, and the French filmmaker "Leons" produced the first "Newscast" from the midi-

Olympic games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

of Athens (the unofficial Olympic games of 1906). The first cine-theater of Athens opened about a year later and other special 'projection rooms' begun their activity. In 1910-11 the first short comic movies were produced by director Spiros Dimitrakopoulos (Spyridion), who also starred in most of his movies. In 1911 Kostas Bachatoris presented ''Golfo ()'', a well known traditional love story, considered the first Greek

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

. In 1912 was founded the first film company ( Athina Film) and in 1916 the Asty Film. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, production was limited to documentaries and newscasts only. Directors like George Prokopiou and

Dimitris Gaziadis Dimitris (Δημήτρης) is the Modern Greek form of the older forms Demetrios, Dimitrios (Δημήτριος, usually Latinized as Demetrius) and may refer to: *Dimitris Arvanitis (born 1980), Greek professional football defender who plays for ...

are distinguished for filming scenes from the battlefield and later, during the Greco-Turkish War, of the efforts of the Hellenic Army and finally the

Great Fire of Smyrna The burning of Smyrna ( el, Καταστροφή της Σμύρνης, "Smyrna Catastrophe"; tr, 1922 İzmir Yangını, "1922 Izmir Fire"; hy, Զմիւռնիոյ Մեծ Հրդեհ, ''Zmyuṙno Mets Hrdeh'') destroyed much of the port city of ...

(1922).

The first commercially successful Greek film was ''Villar in the Women's Baths of Faliro'' ('), written, directed by and starring comedian Villar (Nikolaos Sfakianakis) and Nitsa Philosofou. In 1924, Michael Michael (1895–1944), a Greek comedian, presented some

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

comedies.

In 1922, Gaziadis founded Dag Films and tried to produce the first speaking movies. This company presented its first movie, ''Love and Waves'' (''Eros kai kymata''), in 1927, and experienced moderate success in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The company mainly produced historical movies, usually adaptations of novels. In 1930, Dag made an attempt for a speaking movie, ''Apachides of Athens'' (''Oi Apachides ton Athinon''), which was based on a Greek

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

by Nikos Hatziapostolou. Gaziadis also filmed the 1927 Delphic Festival, an idea of

Angelos Sikelianos Angelos Sikelianos ( el, Άγγελος Σικελιανός; 28 March 1884 – 19 June 1951) was a Greek lyric poet and playwright. His themes include Greek history, religious symbolism as well as universal harmony in poems such as ''The Moonstru ...

and Eva Palmer-Sikelianos, as part of his general effort towards the revival of the "Delphic Idea". The event consisted of

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

contests, an exhibition of

folk art Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative art, decorative. The makers of folk art a ...

, and a performance of ''

Prometheus Bound ''Prometheus Bound'' ( grc, Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης, ''Promētheús Desmṓtēs'') is an Ancient Greek tragedy traditionally attributed to Aeschylus and thought to have been composed sometime between 479 BC and the terminus ante ...

''. The 1931 film ''Daphnis and Chloe'' (''Δάφνις και Χλόη''), directed by

(1908–1992), contained the first voyeuristic nude scene in the history of European cinema; it was also the first Greek movie which was played abroad. In 1932 Olympia Films presented the speaking movie ''The Shepherdess's Lover'' (''Ο αγαπητικός της βοσκοπούλας''), which was based on a play by Dimitris Koromilas. Also influential during this period was director Achilleas Madras, whose work included ''Maria Pentagiotissa'' (1929) and ''Sorcerer of Athens'' (1931). During the late 1930s, a number of Greek filmmakers fled Greece due to the hostility of

Metaxas Regime Metaxās or Metaxa may refer to: Places * Metaxas Line, fortifications in northeastern Greece in 1935–1940 * Metaxas, Greece, a village in the Greek region of Macedonia * Metaxas Regime or 4th of August Regime, a short-lived authoritarian regim ...

and the material lack of ability for producing speaking movies. The Greek film industry reemerged in

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

, and later in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

. In spite of German occupation during World War II,

Philopemen Finos Filopimin Finos ( el, Φιλοποίμην Φίνος; 1908 – January 26, 1977) was a Greek film producer of 186 films and the founder of Finos Film, whose first film was in 1939. He built the first sound recording device in Greece, and shot ...

, a film producer who was active in the Greek Resistance, founded

Finos Films Finos Film (Greek: Φίνος Φιλμ) is a film production company that dominated the Greek film industry from 1943 to 1977. It was founded by Filopimin Finos in 1942 during World War II. It was the biggest film production company in Greece at ...

(1942), which would later become one of the most commercially successful Greek studios. One of Finos's earliest productions, ''Voice of the Heart'' (') (1943, directed by Dimitris Ioannopoulos), drew large audiences, to the consternation of the Germans. Another important film during this period, ''Applause'' (') (1944, directed by

George Tzavellas George Tzavellas, also rendered Giorgos Tzavellas, Yiorgos Tzavellas, or Yorgos Javellas ( el, Γιώργος Τζαβέλλας, 1916, Athens – October 18, 1976), was a Greek film director, screenwriter, and playwright. His filmmaking was particu ...

), was produced by Finos's rival, Novak Films. In 1944 Katina Paxinou was honoured with the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as "Pilar" in the

Sam Wood Samuel Grosvenor Wood (July 10, 1883 – September 22, 1949) was an American film director and producer who is best known for having directed such Hollywood hits as ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'', ''A Day at the Races (fi ...

film, ''

For Whom the Bell Tolls ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...

''.

The Golden Age (modern period)

The 1950s and 1960s are considered by many to be the "Golden Age" of Greek cinema. Directors and actors of this era were recognized as important historical figures in Greece and some gained international acclaim:

Alekos Sakellarios Alekos Sakellarios ( el, Αλέκος Σακελλάριος, 13 November 1913 in Athens – 28 August 1991 in Athens) was a Greek writer and a director. He was born in Athens and grew up in Agios Panteleimonas and began to study journalis ...

Nikos Tsiforos Nikos Tsiforos ( el, Νίκος Τσιφόρος; 27 August 1912 – 6 August 1970) was a Greek humorist, screenwriter, and film director. He had more than 60 film scripts to his credit between 1948 and 1970. He further directed 17 films be ...

Iakovos Kambanelis Iakovos Kambanellis (Greek: Ιάκωβος Καμπανέλλης; 2 December 1921 – 29 March 2011) was a Greek poet, playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, and novelist. Biography Born 2 December 1921 in Hora on the island of Naxos, the sixth of ...

, Katina Paxinou,

Nikos Koundouros Nikos Koundouros ( el, Νίκος Κούνδουρος; 15 December 1926 – 22 February 2017) was a Greek film director. Biography Koundouros was born in Agios Nikolaos, Crete, in 1926. He studied painting and sculpture at the Athens School of F ...

Ellie Lambeti Ellie Loukou ( el, Έλλη Λούκου; 13 April 1926 – 3 September 1983), known professionally as Ellie Lambeti ( el, Έλλη Λαμπέτη), was a Greek actress. Family Lambeti was born in 1926 in the village of Vilia, Attiki, to Kos ...

, and

Irene Papas Irene Papas or Irene Pappas ( el, Ειρήνη Παππά, Eiríni Pappá, ; born Eirini Lelekou ( el, Ειρήνη Λελέκου, Eiríni Lelékou, link=no); 3 September 1929 – 14 September 2022) was a Greek actress and singer who starred ...

. More than sixty films per year were made, with the majority having film noir elements. Notable films were ''

'' (', 1955 directed by

), ''Bitter Bread'' (', 1951, directed by Grigoris Grigoriou), and ''The Ogre of Athens'' (', 1956, directed by

Finos Film Finos Film (Greek: Φίνος Φιλμ) is a film production company that dominated the Greek film industry from 1943 to 1977. It was founded by Filopimin Finos in 1942 during World War II. It was the biggest film production company in Greece at ...

and director

collaborated on several films in the late 1950s, namely ''The Hurdy-Gurdy'' (', 1955) and its sequel, ''Laterna, ftoheia kai garyfallo'' (', 1958), as well as '' Aunt from Chicago'' (', 1957) and ''Maiden's Cheek'' (', 1959). The 1955 film '' Stella'', directed by

and written by

, was screened at Cannes, and launched Greek cinema into its "golden age."

, who starred in the film, met American expatriate director

Jules Dassin Julius "Jules" Dassin (December 18, 1911 – March 31, 2008) was an American film and theatre director, producer, writer and actor. A subject of the Hollywood blacklist in the McCarthy era, he subsequently moved to France, and later Greece, whe ...

at Cannes while attending the screening, and the two would eventually marry. Dassin directed the 1960 Greek film, ''

'', which starred Mercouri. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Mercouri, and won the

Academy Award for Best Song An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

for composer

Manos Hatzidakis Manos Hatzidakis (also spelled Hadjidakis; el, Μάνος Χατζιδάκις; 23 October 1925 – 15 June 1994) was a Greek composer and theorist of Greek music, widely considered to be one of the greatest Greek composers and one of the most ...

' title track. The couple also collaborated on the 1967 musical stage adaptation, ''

Illya Darling ''Illya Darling'' is a musical with a book by Jules Dassin, music by Manos Hadjidakis, and lyrics by Joe Darion, based on Dassin's 1960 film ''Never on Sunday''. Production The show previewed in a tour of Philadelphia, Toronto and Detroit for ni ...

'', for which Mercouri received a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

nomination. She went on to star in such films as '' Topkapi'' and ''

Phaedra Phaedra may refer to: Mythology * Phaedra (mythology), Cretan princess, daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus Arts and entertainment * ''Phaedra'' (Alexandre Cabanel), an 1880 painting Film * ''Phaedra'' (film), a 1962 film by ...

'', both directed by Dassin, and the 1969 American comedy, ''

Gaily, Gaily ''Gaily, Gaily'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Chicago, Chicago'') is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. It is a fictionalized adaptation of a 1963 memoir of the same name by Ben Hecht and stars Beau Bridges, Brian ...

''. Cacoyannis' 1964 film, ''

'', which starred

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...

, was a major commercial success, and was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film. The movie was based on the novel, ''

'', by author

Nikos Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis ( el, ; 2 March ( OS 18 February) 188326 October 1957) was a Greek writer. Widely considered a giant of modern Greek literature, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in nine different years. Kazantzakis's no ...

. Other important films during this period include ''

Antigone In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & Roma ...

'' (1961) and '' Electra'' (1962), both of which starred

, '' The Red Lanterns'' (1963) by director

Vasilis Georgiadis Vasilis Georgiadis ( el, Βασίλης Γεωργιάδης; 12 August 1921 – 30 April 2000) was a Greek film director and actor. His films '' The Red Lanterns'' (1963) and ''Blood on the Land'' (1966) were nominated for the Academy Award f ...

, and '' Battlefield Constantinople'' (1970), which starred the "Greek Brigitte Bardot,"

Aliki Vougiouklaki Aliki Stamatina Vougiouklaki (Greek: Αλίκη Σταματίνα Βουγιουκλάκη Greek pronunciation: ˈlici stamaˈtina vuʝuˈklaci 20 July 1934 – 23 July 1996) was a Greek cinema and theater actress, singer and theatrical producer ...

. The

Thessaloniki International Film Festival The Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF), organized by the cultural institution of the same name under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture, is held every November in Thessaloniki.TIFF features international competition secti ...

was first held in 1960, and would subsequently evolve into the primary showcase for emerging filmmakers from Greece and the Balkans region. The festival showcases both international and Greek films, and awards the "Golden Alexander" for the best feature film. In 1969, the

Costa-Gavras Costa-Gavras (short for Konstantinos Gavras; el, Κωνσταντίνος Γαβράς; born 12 February 1933) is a Greek-French film director, screenwriter, and producer who lives and works in France. He is known for films with political and s ...

film '' Z'' was nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture.

Postmodern period

Theodoros Angelopoulos Athens 26-4-2009-2

The production of Greek films increased after the fall of the dictatorship in the mid-1970s, though the industry struggled with foreign competition and the rise of television. Michael Cacoyannis' 1977 film, ''

Iphigenia In Greek mythology, Iphigenia (; grc, Ἰφιγένεια, , ) was a daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra, and thus a princess of Mycenae. In the story, Agamemnon offends the goddess Artemis on his way to the Trojan War by hunting ...

'', was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. During the 1970s and 1980s

directed a series of critically acclaimed movies, among them ''

The Travelling Players ''The Travelling Players'' ( el, Ο Θίασος, translit. ''O Thiasos'', "The Troupe") is a 1975 Greek historical drama film written and directed by Theodoros Angelopoulos that traces the history of mid-20th-century Greece from 1939 to 1 ...

'' (1975), '' The Hunters'' (1977), and ''

Voyage to Cythera ''Voyage to Cythera'' ( el, Ταξίδι στα Κύθηρα, translit. ''Taxidi sta Kythira'') is a 1984 Greek film directed by Theodoros Angelopoulos. It was entered into the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize and ...

'' (1984). His film ''

'' won the

and the

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (french: Prix du Jury Œcuménique) is an independent film award for feature length films shown at major international film festivals since 1973. The award was created by Christian film makers, film critics and ot ...

at the

1998 Cannes Film Festival The 51st Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 24 May 1998. American director, producer, screenwriter, and film historian Martin Scorsese was the Jury President. The Palme d'Or went to the Greek film '' Mia aioniotita kai mia mera'' by Theo A ...

. Costa-Gavras's film ''

'' won the Palme d'Or at

1982 Cannes Film Festival The 35th Cannes Film Festival was held from 14 to 26 May 1982. The Palme d'Or was jointly awarded to '' Missing'' by Costa Gavras and ''Yol'' by Şerif Gören and Yılmaz Güney. The festival opened with the 1916 film ''Intolerance'', directed b ...

. Director

Costas Ferris Costas Ferris ( el, Κώστας Φέρρης; born 18 April 1935) is a Greek film director, writer, actor, and producer. He wrote the lyrics of Aphrodite's Child's album ''666''. His 1983 film ''Rembetiko'' won the Silver Bear at the 34th Berli ...

's 1983 film, ''

Rembetiko Rebetiko ( el, ρεμπέτικο, ), plural rebetika ( ), occasionally transliterated as rembetiko or rebetico, is a term used today to designate originally disparate kinds of urban Greek music which have come to be grouped together since the s ...

'', won the

Silver Bear The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

at the

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

. When the left-leaning

Panhellenic Socialist Movement The Panhellenic Socialist Movement ( el, Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα, Panellínio Sosialistikó Kínima, ), known mostly by its acronym PASOK, (; , ) is a social-democratic political party in Greece. Until 2012, it ...

was elected to power in 1981, actress Melina Mercouri, a member of the party, was appointed

Minister for Culture A culture minister or a heritage minister is a common cabinet position in governments. The culture minister is typically responsible for cultural policy, which often includes arts policy (direct and indirect support to artists and arts organizat ...

. In this role, she obtained government support for the Greek film industry, and set up networks to promote Greek cinema abroad. The increase in government funding led to a predominance of slow-moving, cerebral

art-house An art film (or arthouse film) is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily f ...

films, which lacked mass appeal. Beginning in the 1990s, younger directors turned to more contemporary-paced films and social satires, which brought moderate commercial success. In 1999, TV series writers Michalis Reppas and

Thanasis Papathanasiou Thanasis (Θανάσης) is a Greek given name, short for Athanasios (Αθανάσιος), which can mean "eternal life" or "immortal". Notable people with the name Thanasis or Thanassis include: *Thanasis Antetokounmpo (born 1992), Greek baske ...

, collaborating with contemporary famous actors made the sex taboo comedy ''

Safe Sex Safe sex is sexual activity using methods or contraceptive devices (such as condoms) to reduce the risk of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially HIV. "Safe sex" is also sometimes referred to as safer se ...

'', which was the most successful movie of the decade. In 2003, '' A Touch of Spice'' (''Politiki kouzina''), a big-budget film by director Tasos Boulmetis, was the most successful film of the year at the Greek

box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...

, making over 12 million euros. 2004 was also a good year for Greek films, with

's ''

Brides A bride is a woman who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bride's future spouse, (if male) is usually referred to as the ''bridegroom'' or just ''groom''. In Western culture, a bride may be attended by a maid, brides ...

'' (''Nyfes'') gathering more than a million spectators and over 7 million at the box office. In 2007 the most successful film was ''

El Greco Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El G ...

'', directed by

Yannis Smaragdis Yannis Smaragdis ( el, Γιάννης Σμαραγδής) is a Greek film director. Biography He was born in Crete in 1946 and studied film in Greece and Paris, France. He appeared in 1972 with his short film ''Two Three Things...'' which receive ...

Yorgos Lanthimos Fantastic Fest 2015-9972 (27404717426)

In 2009, '' Dogtooth'', directed by

, won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 2011 was nominated for

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

at the 83rd Academy Awards. The 2010 film ''

'', directed by

, won the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress (

Ariane Labed Ariane Labed (born 8 May 1984) is a Greek-French actress and film director. She is known for her feature film debut in ''Attenberg'', for which she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, and appearing in Helen Edmundson's film ''Mary Magdalene'' in ...

) at the Venice Film Festival. Also, at the same festival that year, ''

Homeland A homeland is a place where a cultural, national, or racial identity has formed. The definition can also mean simply one's country of birth. When used as a proper noun, the Homeland, as well as its equivalents in other languages, often has ethni ...

'', directed by Syllas Tzoumerkas screened at the International Critics' Week, ''Plato's Academy'' by

Filippos Tsitos Filippos Tsitos (born 1966) is a Greek film and television director. He grew up in Exarchia and Chalandri, moving to Berlin, Germany in 1991, where he studied directing at the German Academy of Cinema and Television. He has won the Silver She ...

screened at a special event in

Venice Days The Giornate degli Autori or simply the Giornate, formerly also known in English as Venice Days, is an independent film festival section held in parallel to and in association with the Venice Film Festival. It is modeled on the Directors' Fortnight ...

, and ''Casus Belli'', a short film by director Yorgos Zois, screened at the

Orizzonti '' Orizzonti'' is a section of the Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic ...

section, prompting Nick Vivarelli of

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

to write about "the country's biggest showing in decades". In 2011 ''

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

'' won the Osella Award for Best Screenplay (

and Efthimiοs Filippou) at the 68th Venice Film Festival. ''Dogtooth'', ''Attenberg'' and ''Alps'' are part of what some film critics, including Steve Rose of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', have termed the "Greek Weird Wave," which involves movies with haunting cinematography, alienated protagonists and absurdist dialogue. Other films mentioned as part of this "wave" include

's ''

'' (2009) and Yannis Economides's ''

Knifer ''Knifer'' ( el, Μαχαιροβγάλτης ''Macherovgaltis'') is a 2010 Greek-Cypriot drama film directed by Yannis Economides. After his father's death, Nikos moves from Ptolemaida to Athens. His uncle offers him food and shelter while he ...

'' (2010). In 2011, the 46th

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival ( cs, Mezinárodní filmový festival Karlovy Vary) is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has become ...

presented a tribute to Young Greek Cinema with seven feature films: ''

,'' '' Dogtooth,'' ''Homeland'', ''

'', ''Tale 52'' (directed by Alexis Alexiou) and ''Wasted Youth'' (directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel). The "wave" of Greek cinema continued its course through the decade, producing several titles that were festival and critical sensations and were distributed in many countries. Many tributes to this generation of Greek filmmakers were held by festivals worldwide, most notably by the New Horizons Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland, and the Jeonju International Film Festival in Korea. Recent studies called the Greek Weird Wave, a cinema "that reflects on how systems of power manage groups of people (from a family to a population) and the bodies of individuals", and "a cinema equally sensitive to forms of response, to noise, unease, and subversion". In 2011, just twenty feature-films were produced. ''Wasted Youth'', directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel was the opening film of the 40th

Rotterdam International Film Festival The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is an annual film festival held at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental fi ...

, ''

,'' directed by

won the Best Screenplay Award at the Venice International Film Festival and ''

Unfair World ''Unfair World'' ( el, Άδικος Κόσμος, translit. Adikos kosmos) is a 2011 Greek drama film directed by Filippos Tsitos. Tsitos won the award for Best Director and Antonis Kafetzopoulos won the award for Best Actor at the San ...

,'' directed by

won the Best Actor Award for Antonis Kafetzopoulos at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In 2012, '' L'' by Babis Makridis premiered in competition at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and ''

Boy Eating the Bird's Food ''Boy Eating the Bird's Food'' ( el, Το Αγόρι Τρώει το Φαγητό του Πουλιού, translit=To agori troei to fagito tou pouliou) is a 2012 Greek Drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Ektoras Lygiz ...

'', directed by Ektoras Lygizos, premiered in competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, winning a Special Mention for actor Yannis Papadopoulos. In 2013, '' Miss Violence'', directed by Alexandros Avranas won

Silver Lion The Silver Lion ( it, Leone d'argento, also known as Silver Lion for Best Direction) is an annual award presented for best directing achievements in a feature film at official competition section of the Venice Film Festival since 1998. The pri ...

for best director at the

70th Venice International Film Festival The 70th annual Venice International Film Festival took place in Venice, Italy from 28 August to 7 September 2013. American film director William Friedkin was presented with a lifetime achievement award. Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucc ...

Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire''. Early life and education Bradshaw was educated at Haberdashers ...

of ''

'', compared the film to the previously mentioned, saying that "It (self-evidently) does not have the humour of those movies by

and

and by that token, less of their richness and inventiveness. But its force can't be doubted." In 2014, ''Stratos'', directed by Yannis Economidis premiered in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, ''Xenia'', directed by

, premiered at the Un Certain Régard section of the Cannes Film Festival, and '' A Blast,'' directed by Syllas Tzoumerkas, premiered in competition at the Locarno International Film Festival. In 2015, ''Wednesday 04:45'' by Alexis Alexiou premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival, ''Chevalier'', directed by

premiered in competition at the Locarno International Film Festival and won the Best Film Award at the BFI - London International Film Festival, and ''Interruption'' by Yorgos Zois premiered at the Orizzonti competition section of the Venice International Film Festival. In 2016, ''Suntan'' by Argyris Papadimitropoulos premiered at the Rotterdam and SXSW International Film Festivals and won the Best Film Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. In 2017, ''Son of Sofia'', directed by Elina Psykou won the Best International Narrative Feature Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2018, ''Pity'', directed by Babis Makridis, premiered in competition at the Sundance and the Rotterdam International Film Festivals. in 2021, Jacqueline Lentzou's '' Moon, 66 Questions'' premiered at the Encounters competition section of the

71st Berlin International Film Festival The 71st annual Berlin International Film Festival took place from 1 to 5 March 2021 as a virtual festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An in-person event has also been tentatively scheduled for June, pending the resolution of the COVID-19 issu ...

Notable films

Pre-WWII * 1914 ''

Golfo ''Golfo'' is a 1915 Greek silent film directed by Konstadinos Bahatoris. It is the first Greek feature film. It was based on a popular Greek bucolic play written by Spyridon Peresiadis Spyridon ( grc, Σπυρίδων; ell, Σπυρίδωνας) ...

'', Konstantinos Bachatoris (the first Greek feature film) * 1927 ''Eros kai kymata'',

* 1930 ''Oi Apachides ton Athinon'',

* 1931 ''

'',

* 1932 ''Shepherdess's Lover'', Dimitris Tsakiris (first speaking) * 1939 ''

The Parting Song (film) ''The Parting Song'' (Greek:''To tragoudi tou horismou'') is a 1939 Greek drama film directed by Filopimin Finos and starring Evgenia Danika, Labros Konstadaras and Linda Miranda. It was the only film directed by Finos, better-known for running ...

'' by

Filopimin Finos Filopimin Finos ( el, Φιλοποίμην Φίνος; 1908 – January 26, 1977) was a Greece, Greek film producer of 186 films and the founder of Finos Film, whose first film was in 1939. He built the first sound recording device in Greece, a ...

* 1944 '' Chirokrotimata'',

After-WWII (Golden Age) * 1948 ''The Germans are coming again'',

, starring

Vassilis Logothetidis Vasilis Logothetidis (Greek: Βασίλης Λογοθετίδης; 1897 – 20 February 1960) was a Greek comedian. He is considered one of the most significant modern Greek actors. Logothetidis was born as Vasilis Tavlaridis (Βασίλης Τ ...

* 1950 ''

The Drunkard ''The Drunkard; or, The Fallen Saved'' is an American temperance play first performed on February 12, 1844.

'',

, starring

Orestis Makris Orestis Makris ( el, Ορέστης Μακρής; 30 September 1898 – 29 January 1975) was a Greek actor and tenor. Biography Makris graduated from the Athens Conservatoire and first entered the scene as a tenor in the troupe of Rosalia Nika ...

* 1951 '' Pikro Psomi'', Grigoris Grigoriou * 1954 '' Despoinis eton 39'',

* 1954 '' Kiriakatiko Xipnima'', Cacoyannis * 1955 '' Stella'',

, starring

* 1955 ''

'',

* 1956 ''

Thanassakis o politevomenos ''Thanassakis o politevomenos'' ( el, Θανασάκης ο Πολιτευόμενος, italic=yes) is a 1956 in film, 1956 Greece, Greek comedy film made by Finos Films. It was directed by Alekos Sakellarios and starring Dinos Iliopoulos, Byron ...

'',

* 1956 '' Aces of the Stadiums'',

* 1956 ''

O Drakos ''O Drákos'' ( el, Ο Δράκος; English: ''The Ogre of Athens'' or ''The fiend of Athens''), or simply The Dragon, is a 1956 Greek existential and satirical drama crime film, directed by Nikos Koundouros. It tells the story of Thomas, a mou ...

'',

, starring

Dinos Iliopoulos Dinos Iliopoulos (Greek language, Greek: '; 12 June 1913 – 4 June 2001) was a Greek actor. He was one of the most prevalent film/theater actors in Greece. Biography He was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1915. A few years later his family mov ...

* 1956 '' A Girl in Black'',

, starring

* 1956 '' The Girl from Corfu'', Yiannis Petropoulakis, starring Rena Vlachopoulou (the first colour film) * 1957 ''

I theia ap' to Chicago ''The Auntie from Chicago'' ( el, Η θεία από το Σικάγο ''Ê theía apó to Sikágo''; also known as ''Aunt from Chicago'') is a 1957 Greek theatrical comedy film directed by Alekos Sakellarios and produced by Finos Films. The fi ...

'',

, starring

Georgia Vasileiadou Georgia Vasileiadou ( el, Γεωργία Βασιλειάδου; 1897 – 12 February 1980) was a Greek actress. She appeared in more than forty films from 1930 to 1977. Selected filmography References External links * 1897 births ...

* 1958 '' A Hero in His Slippers'',

, starring

* 1959 ''

Astero ''Astero'' ( el, Αστέρω) is a 1959 Greek drama film directed by Dinos Dimopoulos. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Aliki Vougiouklaki - Astero * Titos Vandis - Mitros Pithokoukouras * Dimitris Papami ...

'', Dinos Dimopoulos * 1959 ''Stournara 288'', Dinos Dimopoulos * 1959 ''Elias of the 16th'',

, starring Costas Hajihristos * 1960 ''Madalena (film), Madalena'', Dinos Dimopoulos, starring

* 1960 ''

'',

* 1960 ''Egklima sta paraskinia'', Dinos Katsouridis * 1961 ''

'',

* 1961 ''Alice in the Navy'',

* 1961 ''Woe to the Young'',

, starring Dimitris Horn * 1962 ''Nomos 4000'', Giannis Dalianidis * 1962 '' Electra'',

* 1962 ''Glory Sky'', Takis Kanellopoulos * 1963 ''Young Aphrodites'',

* 1963 '' The Red Lanterns'',

* 1964 ''

'',

, starring

* 1965 ''And the Wife Shall Revere Her Husband'',

* 1966 ''Blood on the Land'',

* 1967 ''Oi kyries tis avlis'', Dinos Dimopoulos * 1968 ''Girls in the Sun'',

* 1970 ''Ipolochagos Natassa'', Nikos Foskolos (tickets record) * 1971 ''What did you do in the war, Thanasi?'', Dinos Katsouridis, starring Thanasis Veggos * 1971 '' Evdokia'',

* 1971 ''The Trojan Women (film), The Trojan Women'',

* 1972 ''The Countess of Corfu'', starring Rena Vlachopoulou * 1972 ''Days of '36'',

* 1975 ''

'',

* 1977 ''

'',

Modern * 1981 ''Learn How to Read and Write, Son'', Thodoros Maragos * 1983 ''

'',

* 1984 ''Loafing and Camouflage'', Nikos Perakis * 1984 ''

'',

* 1985 ''Stone Years'',

* 1986 ''The Beekeeper (film)'', Angelopoulos, starring Marcello Mastroianni * 1987 ''Doxobus'', Fotos Lambrinos * 1988 ''Landscape in the Mist'', Angelopoulos * 1991 ''The Suspended Step of the Stork'',

, starring Marcello Mastroianni * 1995 ''Ulysses' Gaze'',

* 1998 ''

'',

* 1998 ''

'', Reppas-Papathanasiou * 1999 ''Peppermint (1999 film)'', Kostas Kapakas * 2003 '' A Touch of Spice'', Tasos Boulmetis, starring Georges Corraface * 2004 ''

'',

* 2007 ''

'',

* 2007 ''Tale 57,'' Alexis Alexiou *2009 '' Dogtooth'',

* 2009 ''

'',

* 2010 ''

'',

* 2010 ''

,'' Syllas Tzoumerkas *2011 ''

,''

*2011 ''

'',

*2011 ''Wasted Youth,'' Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel *2012 '' L,'' Babis Makridis *2012 ''

,'' Ektoras Lygizos * 2013 ''Little England (film), Little England'',

* 2013 '' Miss Violence'', Alexandros Avranas *2014 ''Stratos (film), Stratos,'' Yannis Economidis *2014 ''Xenia (film), Xenia,''

*2014 '' A Blast,'' Syllas Tzoumerkas *2015 ''Cloudy Sunday, Ouzeri Tsitsanis'', Manousos Manousakis * 2015 ''Chevalier (2015 film), Chevalier'',

*2015 ''Interruption,'' Yorgos Zois *2015 ''Tetarti 04:45, Wednesday 04:45,'' Alexis Alexiou *2016 ''Suntan (2016 film), Suntan,'' Argyris Papadimitropoulos *2017 ''Son of Sofia,'' Elina Psykou *2018 ''Pity (film), Pity,'' Babis Makridis *2019 ''Eftychia,'' Angelos Frantzis *2019 ''The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea,'' Syllas Tzoumerkas *2021 '' Moon, 66 Questions,'' Jacqueline Lentzou *2021 ''Monday,'' Argyris Papadimitropoulos

Notable musicals

* 1963 ''Merikoi to protimoun kryo'' (Some Like it Cold), Giannis Dalianidis * 1964 ''Something Is Burning'', Dalianidis * 1965 ''Kiss the Girls (1965 film)'', Giannis Dalianidis * 1967 ''Oi Thalassies oi Hadres'', Giannis Dalianidis * 1968 ''Mermaids and Rascals, Gorgones kai Mages'', Dalianidis

Filming, distribution companies and studios

Past

* Athina Film * Asty Films * Dag Films * Astra Film * Hero Films (Greek: Ἡρώ) * Olympia Films * Anzervos * Spentzos Films * Klak Film

Current

(operates its own studios), founded by the major figure of

* Karagiannis Karatzopoulos * Novak Films (operates own studios) * Madbox Entertainment (operates its own studios) * Village Films Hellas (Greek branch of Village Roadshow) * Haos Film, founded by

*Heretic (production company and sales agent) *Neda Films (production company) *Blonde (production company) *Homemade Films (production company) * Cinegram * Odeon Hellas * Make a Movie in Greece/Media Productions * Audiovisual (biggest distributor) * Karamanos Studios (biggest studios in Greece) * The new studios of Nu Boyana Film Studios (Nu Image) will open inside 2020 in the area of Thessaloniki

Producers

* Prodromos Meravidis

Renowned figures

Directors

* Alexis Alexiou *

* George Pan Cosmatos * Giannis Dalianidis *

* Dinos Dimopoulos *

* Nikos Foskolos * Costa Gavras *

* Constantine Giannaris * Grigoris Grigoriou * Takis Kanellopoulos (director), Takis Kanellopoulos * Dinos Katsouridis * Kostas Karagiannis *

* Tonia Marketaki * Kostas Manoussakis * Thodoros Maragos * Nico Mastorakis * Prodromos Meravidis *

* Nikos Perakis * Vassilis Photopoulos * Maria Plyta *

* Spiros Stathoulopoulos * Stelios Tatasopoulos *

* Giorgos Tzavellas * Syllas Tzoumerkas * Thanasis Veggos * Takis Vougiouklakis *

Screenwriters

* Efthymis Filippou *

* Thanos Leivaditis * Petros Markaris * Dimitris Psathas *

* Mimis Traiforos *

Actors

* Alekos Alexandrakis * Cybele Andrianou * Beata Asimakopoulou * Vasilis Avlonitis * Andreas Barkoulis * Georges Corraface * Vasilis Diamantopoulos * Lavrentis Dianellos * Chronis Exarhakos * Spiros Focás * Mimis Fotopoulos * Giorgos Fountas * Petros Fyssoun * Giorgos Gavriilidis * Katerina Gogou * Costas Hajihristos * Dimitris Horn *

* Antonis Kafetzopoulos * Xenia Kalogeropoulou * Kostas Karras * Martha Karagianni * Tzeni Karezi * Manos Katrakis * Tasso Kavadia * Kostas Kazakos * Lambros Konstantaras * Giorgos Konstantinou (actor), Giorgos Konstantinou * Maro Kontou * Marika Kotopouli * Nikos Kourkoulos * Marika Krevata *

* Zoe Laskari * Ilya Livykou *

* Alexis Minotis * Vangelis Mourikis * Sotiris Moustakas * Elena Nathanael * Christoforos Nezer (d. 1970), Christoforos Nezer * Marika Nezer * Sapfo Notara * Makis Papadimitriou * Dimitris Papamichael *

* Dionyssis Papayannopoulos * Angeliki Papoulia * Stavros Paravas * Daphne Patakia * Katina Paxinou * Vangelis Protopapas * Nikos Rizos * Yvonne Sanson * Georges Sari * Nikos Stavridis * Smaro Stefanidou * Stefanos Stratigos * Anna Synodinou * Christos Tsaganeas * Nitsa Tsaganea * Vasilis Tsivilikas * Nora Valsami * Titos Vandis * Aimilios Veakis * Thanasis Veggos *

* Sofia Vembo * Rena Vlahopoulou * Giannis Voglis *

* Kostas Voutsas * Sperantza Vrana * Eleni Zafeiriou * Pantelis Zervos

Directors of photography

* Giorgos Arvanitis

Scenographers

* Vassilis Photopoulos * Yannis Tsarouchis

Film score composers

* Kostas Giannidis *

(''notable: Stella,

, Woe to the Young, Htipokardia sto thranio'') * Kostas Kapnisis * Eleni Karaindrou (''notable:

'') * Giorgos Katsaros * Loukianos Kilaidonis (''notable:

'') * Manos Loïzos (''notable: Evdokia'') * Yannis Markopoulos * Giorgos Mouzakis * Vangelis Papathanassiou (''notable:

'') * Mimis Plessas (''notable: What Did You Do in the War, Thanasi?'') * Michalis Souyioul * Stamatis Spanoudakis * Mikis Theodorakis (''notable: Electra,

, Z, The Trojan Women (film), The Trojan Women,

'') * Stavros Xarchakos (''notable: The Red Lanterns,

'') * Giorgos Zambetas

References

Bibliography

* Dimitris Koliodimos, ''The Greek filmography, 1914 through 1996'' (vols. 1 and 2), Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1999. * ''Journal of Modern Greek Studies'' 18.1, May 2000, Special Issue: "Greek Film." * Vrasidas Karalis, ''A History of Greek Cinema'', Continuum, 2012.

External links

Madbox Entertainment - Film production company and studios and postproduction

myFILM.gr - Entertainment news and movie reviews (Greek)

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080511001019/http://90lepta.com/ Database of Greek films]
greek-movies.com

Greek movies, tv series and shows database.

Make a Movie in Greece - media productions in Greece

Various movie theatres in GreeceVideo of Peter Yiannoudes, who established Greek Cinema in Victoria, Australia in the 1950s
on Culture Victoria {{Europe in topic, Cinema of Cinema of Greece, Greek culture

History of the Greek cinema

Origins

The Golden Age (modern period)

Postmodern period

Notable films

Notable musicals

Filming, distribution companies and studios

Past

Current

Producers

Renowned figures

Directors

Screenwriters

Actors

Directors of photography

Scenographers

Film score composers

See also

References

Bibliography

External links