The Greek Festival of Sydney, under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, has announced a collaboration with the Hellenic Club of Canberra to present the 2025 Greek Film Festival, a celebration of the best in contemporary Greek cinema.
After a successful return in 2024, the Greek Community of Canberra will once again have the opportunity to attend a four-day screening of five compelling films from the 30th Greek Film Festival line-up.
The program features an epic opening night with Kapetan Mihalis, directed by Kostas Haralambous; the iconic film Brides by Pantelis Voulgaris; the much-anticipated biopic film Stelios; the family-favourite film Santa’s Snow Candy; and the powerful box office hit Roza of Smyrna.
Steve Kartsonas, President of the Hellenic Club of Canberra, expressed his enthusiasm for the continued partnership: “The Hellenic Club of Canberra is proud to once again partner with the Greek Festival of Sydney in presenting the 2025 Greek Film Festival.
“This highly regarded cultural event continues to showcase the richness and creativity of Greek cinema, offering audiences a unique lens into Hellenic culture.
“We value our longstanding relationship with the festival organisers, and we congratulate them on their continued success. We look forward to supporting this remarkable celebration of Greek storytelling for many years to come.”
Nia Karteris, Chair of the Greek Festival and Greek Film Festival of Sydney, commented on the importance of the festival’s reach: “The aim of the Greek Festival of Sydney is to promote and support Greek Culture through initiatives beyond the boundaries of New South Wales, and we are particularly proud that we have once again been able to bring Greek cinema to the Greek Community of Canberra through such an important collaboration with the Hellenic Club.”
Harry Danalis, President of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, elaborated on the significance of the cooperation between Greek organisations in Australia, saying: “At a time when our Communities are changing, ageing and therefore shrinking, it is very important to join forces to strengthen our cultural identity through important and meaningful cultural events such as the Greek Film Festival.”
The Greek Film Festival of Canberra will be presented at the Palace Electric Cinema from 30 October to 2 November 2025.
Event Details
- What: Greek Film Festival Canberra
- When: 30 October – 2 November 2025
- Where: Palace Electric Cinemas, 2 Phillip Law St, Canberra ACT 2601
- Tickets: www.greekfilmfestival.com.au/canberra
Film Synopses:
Kapetan Mihalis (Opening Night Film)
Crete, 1889. Captain Michalis is an uncompromising Cretan whose sacred duty is the liberation of Crete. However, the moment he meets Emine, the wife of his blood brother, Nouribeys, he’s possessed by a demon. Temptation won’t leave him alone and distracts him from his duty. The decision of whether to follow his duty or succumb to his passion will have a catalytic effect on all involved.
The novel Captain Michalis, upon which the film is based, has won international acclaim. It’s been translated into 28 languages and is Nikos Kazantzakis’ best-selling work worldwide. Inspired by the author’s childhood memories of his father in Crete, it delves into the Cretan people’s particular way of life and their fervent desire for freedom. The events in the story take place shortly before the Cretan Revolution, which aimed to liberate the island of Crete from the Ottoman Turks.
Brides
Set in 1922, Brides is the story of a mail-order bride – one of 700 from every corner of Greece, Turkey, Russia and Armenia – aboard the SS King Alexander bound for the USA. In her suitcase is a photograph of an unwelcome bridegroom and her wedding gown. Also on this vessel, but travelling in first class rather than third, is an American photographer on his way home to a failed marriage. She meets him and falls in love…
Stelios
The touching story of the singer Stelios Kazantzidis, a child of a refugee family from Pontus, who managed to create a brilliant career thanks to his enormous talent and against all social and personal difficulties. Music, love, family, friends, fishing, creativity, night bouncers, fanatics, and great conflicts, create the mosaic of his life. A tribute film to a great singer, whose voice spoke to the hearts of all Greeks around the world. A film for those who loved him, and those who would like to get to know him.
Santa’s Snow Candy
In a stunning mountain village, a quirky pastry chef named Mr. Panagiotis (Alexandros Antonopoulos) is forced by circumstance to hide a little girl, Fani (Ariadni Velli), in his house. It doesn’t take long for his two grandkids (Spyros Douyias and Stella Mouriki) and their mate (Stratis Zacharis) to find the hidden Fani, and just like that, the “gang of five” is formed.
The four kids and Mr. Panagiotis embark on a fantastic adventure that blurs the lines between reality and fairytale. But first, they have to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. They need to trick Mr. Panagiotis’s daughter (Katerina Geronikolou), the local doctor (Meletis Ilias), and pretty much everyone in the small community. They face a heap of obstacles, and after a thousand and one twists and turns, their secret is revealed, and they’re forced to face the music. Will they live happily ever after?
The whole crew gets mixed up in a comedy full of icing sugar, childhood dreams, and sweet tunes by Themis Karamouratidis. The film’s song is performed by Eleonora Zouganeli.
Roza of Smyrna
The enigmatic old woman, Rosa from Izmir (Smyrna), and the powerful Ismael have lived for decades with the weight of a well-kept secret. Dimitris, an avid collector of Greek objects in Asia Minor, is preparing an exhibition in a renowned museum in Athens on the culture of the nationalities who cohabited in Izmir before the genocide.
During a trip to Izmir with the museum’s curator and his girlfriend, Rita, he accidentally finds a bloodstained Greek wedding dress in a small antique shop. An old photograph, a bloodstained wedding dress, and a letter become the reasons to retell their story from the past.
