39-year-old English actor of Greek heritage, Theo James, has heard suggestions he could be the next James Bond and he said the prospect “terrifies” him.
The actor is most known for his major role in the Divergent movie series.
While acknowledging the role’s significance in British cultural identity, he said he believed there are “better people for that job.”
Could Theo James be the next James Bond?
“Honestly, it would be terrifying: if you do that, there’s no going back. You’re opening Pandora’s box there. You have got to be willing to live a very different life and have a different life for your family. And that would be pretty tricky,” he said.
The actor added: “Plus, my mates would (make fun) of me. Because they always say, Bondopoulos – the Greek Bond.”
Theo said he has a desire to explore roles with historical significance and mentioned his interest in portraying figures like King Henry III.
The Greek Fest will return to Sydney’s Brighton-Le-Sands on Sunday, May 26, after a 21-year hiatus. Bay Street will be closed-off from 9am to 8pm to host the event.
This highly anticipated free event will be filled with music, Greek dancing, delicious Greek cuisine, and plenty of family-friendly activities.
Attendees will get the opportunity to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and flavours of Greece at the festival.
The last time Brighton-Le-Sands hosted the Greek Fest was in March 2003, where crowds of up to 100,000 people attended.
Now, after more than two decades, the beloved event is back as part of the Greek Festival of Sydney, with is an initiative of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales (GOCNSW).
Applications are open for stallholders to apply to participate in the Greek Fest. Those interested are encouraged to submit their applications to greekfestival2@goc.com.au or call (02) 9750 0440.
Preston Market has announced the return of its much-loved Greek Day on Sunday, 7 April 2024.
From 10am to 3pm, the northside market will transform into a vibrant Greek party, complete with live music, dance entertainment, free kids activities, and a huge array of specialty food and merch pop-up stalls.
All photos copyright: Giorgia Di Battista.
No Greek celebration would be complete without dancing, and no one knows how to dance quite like the Manasis School of Greek Dance and Culture. Catch their performance from 10am – 3pm and be immersed in their traditional moves, authentic folk costumes, and unmatched energy.
Event-goers can also expect a raft of exciting food and merchandise pop-up stalls including St. Gerry’s Greek Donuts, Twista Bros Potato Twists and more.
To keep the young and the young at heart entertained, a variety of kids activities will be running from 11am to 1pm, including pot decorating and seed planting.
Since its establishment in 1970 as a traditional European precinct, Preston Market has evolved into a thriving multicultural community.
Greek Day at Preston Market celebrates this cultural diversity, providing an opportunity for everyone to come together and experience Hellenic culture in all its glory.
Preston Market invites the community, far and wide to join in the day of Greek celebration. Immerse yourself in the joy of dancing, music, engaging family activities, and indulge in delicious Greek cuisine. You won’t want to miss it!
Preston Market Greek Day 2024event details:
When: Sunday 7 April 2024
Time: 10am – 3pm
Where: Preston Market, 30A The Centreway, Preston
Pricing: Free entry, free activities and entertainment. Food and beverages available to purchase.
South Sydney Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell is under fire after a recent post-match expletive laced radio interview on Triple M last week.
Mitchell gave a post-match interview after the Rabbitohs’ loss to Brisbane where he swore five times in 30 seconds raising the ire of league fans.
Following the interview, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo met with Mitchell on Wednesday night, and the football player was issued with a warning rather than a fine or a suspension.
According to The Daily Telegraph, South Sydney chair Nick Pappas said the club fully support the Rabbitohs player, but Mitchell could have handled himself in the interview better.
Andrew Abdo met with Latrell Mitchell. Photo: Tim Hunter.
Mr Pappas said the club is dealing with Mitchell appropriately.
“I am satisfied that the football department and (chief executive) Blake (Solly) are putting the right things in place to give him the support he needs at this time,” Mr Pappas said.
“I have every faith in him delivering for this club this season and beyond. He always has our support. At the same time, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe that moment could have been handled better.
“Absolutely it could have been, and I am sure Latrell would say that.”
Queensland Premier Steven Miles rejected on Tuesday, March 19, the recommendation to build a new $3.4 billion, 55,000-seat venue for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane’s inner-north at Victoria Park.
Mr Miles also rejected the proposal for knocking down and rebuilding the Gabba. The QLD Premier instead opted for a cheaper option, which includes renovating the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre for $1.6 billion.
He also revealed his aims of holding the Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies at Lang Park.
The rejections resulted in criticism from Australians nationwide, however, the President of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics organising committee, Andrew Liveris, has defended the political gymnastics on stadium infrastructure as “very normal.”
But Mr Liveris said the games should “deliver long term sporting venues and infrastructure to support the fastest growing region in Australia.”
The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.
“Recommendations from it are being assessed for their appropriateness and decisions will be made with full consultation of our Organising Committee and the IOC and AOC and provide a path forward for the Australian and Queensland governments to decide on,” he said.
He also responded to criticism received for the rejections of the $3.4 billion facility, and the knock down and re-build of the Gabba.
“There will be lots of opinions, and there’ll be natural ebb and flow in sentiment,” he said.
Liveris outlined that using these venues to attract major events should be part of the Olympic legacy, however it seemed less likely due to the QLD Premier’s new plan to increase the seating at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre for the Olympic Games only.
“New venues have to be accepted by the population as legacies and as venues that make sense for legacy utilisation,” Liveris said.
On Friday, March 22 Greece’s national football team will go up again Kazakhstan as part of the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The game will be held at OPAP Arena in Athens, Greece from 9:45 pm (Greece time) on Thursday night. In Australia, the match will begin from 6:45 am on Friday morning.
“It’s in our hands now we are more united,” Poyet said.
Poyet shared that after two years of coaching Greece, the team is sure of what needs to be done.
Greece’s coach Gus Poyet: Photo Sam Barnes/Sportsfile.
“We have a specific way of playing that the players have embraced,” he said.
“I am a coach who reads matches, I try to act preventively, before something happens, the players know this. I think we are in good condition. We are ready.
“One of the biggest decisions I have to make for tomorrow is whether to play with those who have played more matches with the National Team and understand better what I want, or those who are in better form with their clubs; I want to check tonight as well, I have in mind the starting eleven but I want the training to be completed to decide.”
The coach revealed that the match is a great opportunity for both Greece and Kazakhstan.
“We won’t say much, we will play our system, I’m not one of those who drastically change their systems before big matches, the dilemma is what I said before, whether I will use the players who usually play or those who are in form in their clubs,” Poyet said.
“The Kazakhs have a specific way of playing, they are relentless. It’s hard to see this team have 20 bad minutes, we can’t afford to fall, if we do, they will punish us. We know it and we will be careful.”
After previously being ranked at number 58 in the Word Happiness Report, this year’s results have revealed Greece has dropped its ranking.
The 2024 report showed Greece is now sitting at number 64 in the list.
Despite Greece’s rank dropping by six places, Australia has climbed the ranks claiming number 10 in the World Happiness Report.
These results, which have been collected via data from Gallup World Poll and analysed by leading scientists, were released on Wednesday, March 20, in conjunction with the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness.
“Our role in research on world happiness is a natural fit with our longstanding mission: providing leaders with the right information about what people say makes life worthwhile,” CEO of Gallup, Jon Clifton, said.
140 nations have been included in this year’s list ranking the world’s happiest countries. Finland was named the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row.
The World Happiness report involves respondents being asked to evaluate their life satisfaction over the past three years on a scale of one to 10. 2024 was also the first time the report gave separate rankings by age group.
The report revealed that young people aged under 30, aren’t as happy as people aged 60 and over. Photo: Beyond Blue.
One of the Emeritus Professors from the Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia, and a founding Editor of the World Happiness Report, described this year’s results as “striking.”
“There is a great variety among countries in the relative happiness of the younger, older, and in-between populations,” Professor John F. Helliwell said.
“Hence the global happiness rankings are quite different for the young and the old, to an extent that has changed a lot over the last dozen years.”
Despite Australia climbing its ranks, ABC News revealed that the new data has shown a major age-gap in well-being. The happiness ranking for people in Australia aged under 30 was 19, however, for people aged over 60, it jumps to 9.
“For the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, happiness has decreased in all age groups, but especially for the young, so much so that the young are now, in 2021-2023, the least happy age group,” the report stated.
The 10 top countries in the World Happiness Report
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasised the importance of fostering closer ties between Greece and Turkey, but cautioned against harbouring any illusions, during a speech on Wednesday.
Υποδεχόμαστε σήμερα τα πρώτα 3 από τα συνολικά 7 νέα ελικόπτερα τύπου Romeo MH-60R Seahawk. Οι θάλασσες και οι ουρανοί μας θωρακίζουν ακόμα περισσότερο την αμυντική ασπίδα τους και οι Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις μας κάνουν ένα ακόμα βήμα αναβάθμισης της επιχειρησιακής τους ικανότητας. pic.twitter.com/ICBS1rVVqZ
Speaking at a ceremony held at the Kotroni Air Base, Mitsotakis highlighted the significance of these helicopters, particularly amidst escalating geopolitical tensions in the broader region.
“While the Aegean may be relatively calm at present, we cannot overlook the fact that our eastern neighbours are rapidly advancing their own military capabilities. It is imperative to pursue rapprochement, but we must do so with clear eyes and no illusions,” he stressed.
Στην τελετή υποδοχής και ένταξης στη Διοίκηση Αεροπορίας Ναυτικού (ΔΑΝ) τριών νέων Ελικοπτέρων τύπου MH-60 Romeo από το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, στη Βάση του Μαραθώνα, παρουσία του @PrimeministerGR Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη. pic.twitter.com/uzFT2ARyyu
Defence Minister Nikos Dendias echoed Mitsotakis’ sentiments, expressing confidence that the addition of the new helicopters would further bolster Greece’s defence capabilities.
A Greek Air Force F-16 (Block 52+ variant) fighter jet crashed into the sea near the small island of Psathoura in the northern Aegean.
The pilot successfully ejected from the single-seater aircraft using the ejection system. He was subsequently located and rescued by a Super Puma helicopter and was transported to a hospital for medical attention.
Εκφράζουμε τις πιο ειλικρινείς μας ευχές για ταχεία επάνοδο στα καθήκοντά του, στον χειριστή του μαχητικού αεροσκάφους F – 16 της Πολεμικής Αεροπορίας, το οποίο κατέπεσε σήμερα σε θαλάσσια περιοχή του Αιγαίου. Συγχαρητήρια σε όσους συμμετείχαν στην επιτυχή και ταχύτατη επιχείρηση…
According to a press release from the Hellenic Air Force, the fighter jet, assigned to the 337th Squadron of the 110th Fighter Wing, was engaged in a training flight over a designated firing range area at the time of the incident.
Upon receiving notification of the crash, authorities swiftly deployed a Super Puma and a Sikorsky S70 helicopter from Marathon, a Canadair from Thessaloniki, and the frigate Aegeus, with assistance provided by the Coast Guard.
The Minister of National Defence of Turkey, Yaşar Güler, conveyed at our communication his satisfaction on the positive outcome of the operation regarding the rescue of the HAF F-16 fighter pilot, as well as his warm wishes for him. On my side, I thanked my counterpart for his… pic.twitter.com/oSxGFCnazD
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias spoke over the phone with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler on Wednesday after the crash of the F-16 fighter jet.
In a post on platform X, Dendias wrote that Guler “conveyed to us his satisfaction for the successful outcome of the rescue operation of the pilot of the Greek Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft, as well as his warm wishes to him.”
A new film ‘Diakos the Heroic Martyr’ brings the story of Athanasios Diakos to life on the big screen, where audiences see his journey from the day of his baptism in the church until his martyrdom on April 24, 1821 in Lamia, Greece.
Diakos was a Greek military leader among the protagonists of the first year of the 1821 Greek Revolution who worked in central Greece. He hailed from the mountainous Phocis region and according to one source, his real name was Athanasios Grammatikos, or according to other sources, Athanasios Massavetas.
He chose ‘Diakos’ as his surname and was initiated into the Friendly Society (Filiki Eteria) in 1818, becoming a charioteer in Livadeia in 1820. In April 1821, in collaboration with other military leaders, he captured the fortress of Livadeia and used it as a base to engage in many victorious battles.
He captured the bridge of Alamana and on April 23, 1821, he fought against the Ottoman troops. In this battle, he was captured and after being transferred to Lamia, he was tortured and murdered by the Ottomans on April 24, 1821.
The film ‘Diakos the Heroic Martyr’ is the new production by Philotimo Film. The organisation is under the auspices of the Spiritual Centre ‘Agios Fotios’ of the Holy Metropolis of Kitrou, Katerini and Platamonos.
Four hundred and fifty volunteers of all ages, from young children to the elderly, participated in the making of the film, each willing to contribute with their own knowledge.
The inspiration behind this endeavour is Father Pavlos Ntouros, the screenwriter and director of the film, who spoke to The Greek Herald about the team’s new effort following a documentary about Jerusalem in 2013 and ‘A Nameless Tale’ in 2014.
“The journey of Philotimo Films (formerly Agios Fotios films) began in March 2013. That’s when the filming of the documentary ‘From Unseen Passions 1’ started. It was written by Graphontos and directed by Kostas Kalpatzidis, and deals with Easter in the Holy Land and was completed in June the same year,” Father Pavlos told The Greek Herald.
“The enthusiastic reception from the people of Pieria encouraged our pioneering cinematographers and they dared to test their strengths in a fictional film, ‘A Nameless Tale.’ This is the first film adaptation of the well-known novel by Penelope Delta, which is a hymn to the common sacrificial effort for the good of the Motherland.
“The implementation of the film itself was achieved with such a spirit of sacrifice and contribution from all its contributors. It also achieved great success in various parts of Greece, where it premiered during 2015 and 2016.
“Four years later – and after the production of ‘From Unseen Passions’, ‘Ascent’, and ‘Churches Mean’ in the meantime – the creation of ‘Diakos the Heroic Martyr’ began, which is the most complete production of ‘Philotimo Films’ to date.
“The choice of the topic was made in the context of the celebration of 200 years since the Greek Revolution of 1821.”
Film screengrab.
1821 revived in the villages of Pieria
The filming took place across five months in various areas of Pieria. From Agios Vasileios Karitsas, to Dion, Palia Vrontou, and Mount Olympus, but also in surrounding places, such as Kokkinopilos in Elassona, Larissa, and Siatista in Kozani, the picturesque town with strong elements of traditional architecture.
While filming, besides the hundreds of members and friends of the Spiritual Centre ‘Agios Fotios’ from Pieria, Giannitsa, Thessaloniki, and elsewhere – most of whom were amateur actors, key roles such as cinematographer, director of photography, and sound recorder were assigned to professionals, who assisted in the effort.
We asked Father Pavlos how Diakos was chosen as the hero of the film and he answered, urging us to discover the deeper meaning behind it.
“In the long history of Hellenism, heroism, courage and virtue shaped the souls of citizens, which is, the essence of civilisation. Today, unfortunately, there is a crisis of values and therefore a deep cultural crisis. Nevertheless, there are many of our compatriots who are inspired by the lightning-like, lion-hearted spirits of the fighters of 1821. Their hearts become fiery, fearsome, invincible, and… only they can ‘grasp’ the deepest meaning of Diakos,” he said.
The result of the film looked highly professional, so we asked Father Pavlos to tell us about the challenges they faced while filming.
“‘Philotimo films’ is one of the activities of the Spiritual Centre ‘Agios Fotios’ of the Holy Metropolis of Kitrou, Katerini and Platamonos and constitutes a Ministry that is voluntary and selfless. With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Georgios, a framework of creation is set up,” the priest answers.
“Of course, we do not idealise everything; all the pathologies of human congregations exist here, of course, but in general, we have a common “vision” and we all strive with all our might to make it a reality.
“Two major difficulties of the project were: first, due to the nature of the film, having a large number of participants and then finding, training, coordinating their schedules, dressing them, moving them, and feeding them, etc, and second, our inexperience. Both obstacles were overcome with the heroic contribution of collaborators including the key contributors, the actors, the extras, the technicians, the donors and sponsors – but also with the wishes and prayers of many friends who were very concerned about the effort.
“The actors who met the demands of the film in a professional manner impressed us. The ‘pool’ of actors and collaborators came from the members and friends of ‘Agios Fotios.’ From them, but also from many new faces who pleasantly surprised us with their willingness to participate, the Casting Committee chose the actors of ‘Diakos.’ They interpreted their roles impressively.
“The direction of the film was significantly contributed to by the knowledge and experience of some professionals, but also by the care of all members of the directing team… And of course, there was also the extremely professional post-production!”
The sold-out screenings
The movie was screened many times at sold-out events, with some aimed at students.
“The message of the film is as timely as ever because unfortunately, to a large extent in our days, we live in a decline of love for the homeland and love for the nation. We, in our own way and with this cinematic effort, wanted to highlight and promote this element with the aim of conveying it to everyone, young and old,” Father Pavlos said.
“Greece has always been the bulwark of freedom. Let us mentally refer to the renowned Antiquity, the thousand-year Roman Empire, and the much-suffering Ottoman rule; in all phases of Greece’s history, despite the small or large shocks, the slogan was one and the same; FREEDOM OR DEATH!”
Father Pavlos also informed us about the reception the film received.
“Very warm! In many places in Greece and abroad – although we expected a greater response from the Greek American community – the enthusiasm and emotion… is indeed remarkable! In the screenings in Katerini, UKARPIDIS Cinema sold out, in Athens a ‘queue’ of viewers, in school screenings the young viewers are captivated!
“A truly moving scene unfolded in one of the screenings; a disabled – retired General – desperately wanted to see the movie, which was being shown in a venue that was not easily accessible for him. His evident desire to watch the film moved the viewers, who mobilised to lift him to the screening area! In the end, he thanked them with many tears in his eyes.
The expatriate community in Australia, due to the fact that it is far from the homeland, lives more intensely for anniversaries like March 25th and anything Greek. The film about Diakos will be a pleasant surprise.
