Following a strong opening and first few days of programming, the 2023 Greek Film Festival in Melbourne is on track to set a new high mark with over 4,000 tickets already sold to this year’s offering.
“We are well on the way of surpassing the 4,900 tickets sold to last year’s festival,” Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) Vice President Dr Jim Bossinakis said.
The Festival, which runs through to Sunday, October 29, is adding sessions by popular demand to a number of its titles including the Opening Night feature, Behind The Haystacks, and Trip to Kythera.
GCM Cultural Committee Chair, Leo Vlahakis, reflected on the opening weekend of the festival and its strong showing by saying: “The Festival is a well-established cultural brand in this city and the 2023 results are showing this to be very true.”
Vlahakis pointed to the addition of Palace Balwyn Cinema to this year’s program as another reason for the increased interest in the Festival: “We have for some time looked at expanding the Festival’s footprint and the Balwyn project looks to be succeeding exceptionally well.”
The Greek Film Festival 2023 features a diverse selection of Greek films, including compelling dramas, heartwarming comedies, and a diverse range of documentaries that explore a multitude of themes from history and art to social issues and personal narratives.
Bill Papastergiadis OAM, President of the GCM, expressed his excitement about the strong response to the festival by saying: “Our festival has always been a labour of love, a tribute to the art of storytelling through film, and a celebration of the vibrant and diverse Greek diaspora. We are overwhelmed by the tremendous support and the strong ticket sales. The success of the 2023 Greek Film Festival is a reminder that the power of cinema transcends borders, languages, and backgrounds.”
The Film Festival continues this week at Palace Cinema Balwyn, Palace Como Cinemas and returns to the Astor Theatre on Sunday 29 October for the closing event. For the latest Festival ticket information, film schedules, and additional festival details, please visit here.
