Basil Genimahaliotis and Billy Cotsis produced three documentaries about their exploits in Southern Italy meeting the Greeks of the region and two of these will be shown at Palace Norton Street cinema in Leichhardt, Sydney next month.
AHEPA NSW previously screened a feature film length of Magna Graecia: the Greko of Calabria last November to a sold-out audience at Palace Cinema. This time it will be two 39 minute documentaries about these living, breathing ancient Greek statues of Magna Graecia – Greater Greece!
The event will be emceed by Themi Kallos of SBS Radio in November this year.
Genimahaliotis and Cotsis continue a tradition of sold out cinema sessions. As far back as 2015, with their documentaries about Lesvos, then Mykonos and Delos, the filmmakers remain the only Greek Australians who can sell out documentaries at the cinema.
Their work has earned them eight international film awards and prime time slots on Channel 31 in Victoria and Channel 44 in South Australia, as well as on Aurora on Foxtel.
The event on Sunday, February 12 will feature Greko songs performed by Italian singers and a panel discussion on the Greko and Griko – two slightly different dialects.
The panel will be hosted by Calabrian Australian actress Belinda Maree and will include lawyer and author Costa Vertzayias, who wrote a book about the Greeks of Magna Graecia in 1990. Mr Vertzayias visited the region twice with his family in the 1980s to research and learn about these living, breathing ancient Greek “statues.” Dr Panagiotis Diamadis was on the previous panel.
Cotsis has visited the region three times including last year. He hopes to shine a spotlight on the region so people from Australia can visit, learn about the people and hopefully speak or learn the ancient dialect.
Event Details:
Sunday, February 12 from 6pm @ Palace Norton Street, Leichhardt. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for concessions. To reserve your seats, call Chapter Antigone President Charoulla on 0411 137 266 or info@ahepansw.org.au
