Over the course of 11 days, the Delphi Bank 24th Greek Film Festival screened 16 feature films, 4 documentaries, 8 Australian and 7 international short films along with 15 student films. During this short window, the Festival travelled to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra with admissions of over 11,000 recorded across all five cities. We were pleased to have been able to host two special guests, Sotiris Dounoukos (Dir. Joe Cinque’s Consolation) and Mary Zournazi (Dir. Dogs of Democracy), who took part in engaging Q+A sessions following their screenings.

The Festival officially wrapped on Sunday 22 October with a special encore screening of Manousos Manousakis Cloudy Sunday (Ouzeri Tsitsanis) which in Melbourne was followed by live music from Melbourne’s much-loved band Rebetiki. Melbourne will host another special screening at the Astor Theatre on Sunday 19 November in collaboration with the Pancretan Association; the ‘love letter to Crete’ that is Clio Fanouraki’s Xamou. Special guests for the evening include musicians from Crete Manolis Alexakis & Giorgos Rerakis who will perform with local musician Tony Iliou. Tickets available from greekfilmfestival.com.au

Outstanding Festival favourites for 2017 included the “Greco-Turkish Romeo and Juliet" Opening Night feature Roza of Smyrna, Tony Gatlif’s celebration of wanderlust and free-spiritedness in Djam, the stark triptych of a modern Athens depicted in Amerika Square along with documentaries Trezoros: The Lost Jews of Kastoria and Dogs of Democracy.

The 8th Greek-Australian Short Film Festival (curated by Jim Koutsoukos and Katerina Kotsonis) presented two exceptional short film programs, with the Best Short Film prize in the Australian Program going to Jamieson Pearce for his film Adult (adapted from award winning Greek-Australian author Christos Tsiolkas’ short story Porn 1) and the Best International Short Film prize went to Michael Charalampidi (Greece) for his short Memories of a Doll (Greece).

The Festival’s youngest filmmakers were celebrated during 7th Greek Student Film Competition, an event proudly supported by the Victorian Department of Education and Training and the Greek Community of Melbourne, with assistance from the Modern Greek Teachers Association – an initiative that continues to inspire creativity, the use of the Greek language and the art of collaboration.

This year’s competition attracted 15 entries from schools in Victoria and NSW, all creatively interpreting the theme “Only the children know what they are looking for” (as quoted in The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry) and incorporating a signature item which this year was “book”.

7th Greek Student Film Festival Winners
PRIMARY SCHOOL CATEGORY

First Prize
Greek like in Greece at Clemton Park for their film Η Αναζήτηση (The Search). Teacher in charge of project, Maria Harissi

Second Prize
Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language and Culture Schools – Malvern Campus for 'Ανοιξε την πόρτα' (Open the Door). Teachers in charge of project, Maria-Stella Papageorgiou and Katerina Poutachidou.

Third Prize
Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language and Culture Schools – Malvern Campus for Το γράμμα (The Letter). Teacher in charge of project, Sofia Chaniotaki.

SECONDARY SCHOOL CATEGORY

First Prize
Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language and Culture Schools – Alphington Campus for Κάνε μία ευχή (Make a Wish). Teacher in charge of project, Sofia Chaniotaki.

Second Prize
Northcote High School for Ο Μικρός Πρίγκιπας (The Little Prince). Teacher in charge of project,
Evstathia Sgardelis.

Third Prize
Oakleigh Grammar for Οι θησαυροί της καρδιάς (Treasures of the Heart). Teacher in charge Anastasia Spanos. AND

Greek like in Greece at Clemton Park Saturday School for Ξέρω ‘γω! (How would I know). Teacher in charge of project, Sofia Patavoukas.

For further information visit greekfilmfestival.com.au