Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria

Πολίτικη Κουζίνα (RATED M)
Greece, 2003, 108mins (Drama)
Director Tassos Boulmetis

Written by Tassos Boulmetis
Produced by Harry Antonopoulos & Lily Papadopoulos
Cast: Georges Corraface, Tamer Karadagli, Bashak Köklükaya, Ieroklis Michailidis, Stelio Mainas, Renia Louizidou, Tassos Bandis, Odysseas Papasiliopoulos

“’Gastronomy rhymes with astronomy’ – my grandfather often told me pepper is like The Sun (hot), Mercury is cayenne (that’s hot too), Venus is cinnamon, sweet and bitter, like a woman…”

Drawn from its maker’s life, A Touch of Spice was a labour of love for writer-director Tassos Boulmetis – a nostalgia-steeped parable that touched the hearts of all who saw it becoming the biggest hit at the Greek box office.

A young Greek boy named Fanis (Georges Corraface) grows up in Istanbul where his soul is filled with the teachings of his grandfather (Tassos Bandis), a culinary philosopher. Fanis becomes an exceptional cook himself, using his skills to bring joy to others. But, it is only when he returns to Istanbul 35 years later that he realises he forgot to add spice to his own life.

Festivals & Awards: Winner of eight awards at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, and Greece’s official entry for the 2005 Academy Awards.

About the Director:
Tassos Boulmetis was born in Istanbul in 1957 and moved to Greece in 1964. He studied Physics at the University of Athens, and Film Production and Direction at the University of California (UCLA) with a scholarship from the Onassis Foundation. He then returned to Greece to establish himself as a director/producer in television. His first feature film was Dream Factory (1990).

To buy tickets, watch the trailer and for more information about the Greek Film Festival 2013 please click here to visit the official website.