Hellenic Film Society USA to Present New York Greek Film Expo 2023

The Hellenic Film Society USA will present its annual New York Greek Film Expo, a Greek film festival for all New Yorkers, October 5-15. Screenings of the latest Greek films will be presented at the Village East Cinema in Manhattan and at the Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, NJ. A special retrospective of the films of the acclaimed director, screenwriter and actor, Renos Haralambidis, will be shown at the prestigious Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) October 13-15.

In attendance throughout the festival will be Haralambidis and many of the filmmakers whose films are being presented. They will participate in Q&A sessions with the audience following their screenings. HFS will present 14 screenings of 11 feature films, as well as film shorts. Films are in Greek with English subtitles. Additional programming will include a Master Class with Haralambidis; a panel discussion on the state of Greek cinema; a Directors on Directors conversation, and interviews with Haralambidis following each of his screenings by acclaimed film historians Andrew Horton (University of Oklahoma), and Foster Hirsch (Brooklyn College), and David Schwartz, founder of Cinema Projects and former MoMI Chief Curator.

"The New York Greek Film Expo will be showcasing the best of the current Greek film season," says Jimmy DeMetro, Hellenic Film Society president. "And we are pleased to offer a retrospective of the works of Renos Haralambidis, as we give New Yorkers an opportunity to reassess the work of this important Greek filmmaker."

A panel discussion on the state of Greek cinema moderated by Nicholas Alexiou, Professor of Sociology, Queens College, CUNY, will be held at the Greek Consulate on Wednesday, October 11. The Renos retrospective kicks off with a "Directors on Directors" conversation on Thursday, October 12 at the Hana House in downtown Brooklyn, followed by a Master Class for film students at The Players Club on Friday, October 13. All four Haralambidis films will be showcased at MoMI: 4 BLACK SUITS (2010) on Friday, October 13; NO BUDGET STORY (1997) and THE HEART OF THE BEAST (2005) on Saturday, October 14. A live musical performance featuring acclaimed jazz vibraphonist and composer Christos Rafalides and Haralambidis will precede the screening of CHEAP SMOKES (2000) on Sunday, October 15.

"The Hellenic Film Society is proud to present the works of Renos Haralambidis," says George Stephanopoulos, curator of the retrospective and HFS board member. "This retrospective pays tribute to one of Greece's true auteur directors whose life's work is his art, encompassing his talents as a director, actor, and writer. Renos represents the best of Greece and Greek cinema with his personal reflections on modern Athenian life at the core of each of his films."

Screenings will be held at the Village East Cinema, 181 Second Ave (12 St), New York, NY; Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Av at 37 St, Astoria, NY; and the new Barrymore Film Center, 153 Main Street, Fort Lee, NJ.

New York Greek Film Expo 2023 is made possible with support from Metaxa, the Greek National Tourism Organization, ConnectOne Bank, NYWIFT (New York Women in Film & Television), the Greek Film Centre, the Consulate General of Greece, the New York City Council and the Queens Borough President.

For additional information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.hellenicfilmusa.org or call 347-934-9497.

About the Hellenic Film Society USA

The Hellenic Film Society USA (HFS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization rooted in the belief that Greek cinema should be part of the American cultural landscape. Based in Astoria, NY, the organization promotes feature films, documentaries, and film shorts made by Greek filmmakers and those of Greek descent, as well as films that promote the cultures of Greece and Cyprus.

In addition to presenting its annual film festival, HFS collaborates with the prestigious Museum of the Moving Image on Always on Sunday, a series of monthly Greek film screenings.

New York Greek Film Expo 2023 Feature Films

All films are in Greek with English subtitles

Opening Night Screening

BLACK STONE - New York Premiere. An elderly mother searches for her missing son. When authorities accuse him of fraud, she becomes even more determined to find him, even if it means discovering who he really is. Directed by Spiros Jacovides. With Eleni Kokkidou, Julio George Katsis, Kevin Zans Ansong, 2023 Hellenic Film Academy Award: Best Actress (Eleni Kokkidou)

BROADWAY- New York Premiere. A winsome troupe of castaways establish a small squatter community in an abandoned Athens theater complex. The balance of their makeshift family is upset when a former member of the group, wanted dead by the city's most dangerous mafioso, is released from prison. Directed by Christos Massalas. With Elsa Lekakou, Foivos Papadopoulos, Stathis Apostolou. Nominated for 15 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Elsa Lekakou) and Best Actor (Foivos Papadopoulos). Recommended for mature audiences. Co-presented with NYWIFT, New York Women in Film & Television.

DIGNITY (ΜΕ ΑΞΙΟΠΡΕΠΕΙΑ) - New York Premiere. Family members gather on the birthday of their ailing patriarch. What begins as a celebration, however, quickly turns into an intense confrontation when the fraught question of who's to care for the old man comes up. Secrets and mistakes of the past are revealed, changing the lives of all involved. Directed by Dimitris Katsimiris. With Electra Gennata, Giorgos Ieronymakis, Giannis Kotsifas, Vangelio Andreadaki. 2022 Thessaloniki International Film Festival Audience Award, Film Forward Competition. Hellenic Film Academy Award nomination - Best Supporting Actress (Vangelio Andreadaki)

DODO - New York Premiere. A dodo, a bird extinct for the past 300 years, appears at the villa of a financially troubled family on the eve of their daughter's marriage to a wealthy heir. Wedding preparations are disrupted, and the line between sanity and madness collapses as the situation spins out of control. Directed by Panos Koutras. With Smaragda Karydi, Akis Sakellariou, Marisha Triantafyllidou, Mariella Savvides. Nominated for 15 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Smaragda Karydi), Best Actor (Akis Sakellariou). Recommended for mature audiences.

IMAN - New York premiere. A terrorist attack in a Cypriot city brings together three seemingly unconnected stories involving two radicalized women, a troubled civil engineer, and a lonely teenage girl. The stories are defined by the characters' search for redemption from their past, their guilt, and their loneliness. Directed and written by Korinna Avraamidou, Kyriakos Tofaridis. With Stephanie Atala, Andreas Tselepos, Rita Hayek, Margarita Zachariou.

LISTEN (ΑΚΟΥΣΕ ΜΕ) - New York Premiere. A deaf teenager contends with the prejudice and intolerance of her peers and neighbors. When the stability of her family is threatened and her personal relationships are in shambles, she begins the difficult task of facing the truth and ending self-delusions that will lead her to forgiveness and reconciliation. Directed and written by Maria Douza. With Efthalia Papacosta, Dimitris Kitsos, Yorgos Pirpassopoulos. Hellenic Film Academy Award nomination - Best Supporting Actor (Yorgos Pirpassopoulos).

Co-presented with NYWIFT, New York Women in Film & Television.

WHERE WE LIVE (ΕΚΕΙ ΠΟΥ ΖΟΥΜΕ) - New York Premiere. On his birthday, a young struggling lawyer must confront his obligations as a professional, a son, a friend, an ex-husband, and a lover. By the end of the day, he is a changed man. Directed by Sotiris Goritsas. With Prometheas Aleiferopoulos, Stelios Mainas, Maria Kallimani, Makis Papadimitriou, Christina Tsafou. Nominated for three Hellenic Film Academy Awards.

Renos Haralambidis Retrospective

All films are directed and written by Renos Haralambidis

4 BLACK SUITS (4 ΜΑΥΡΑ ΚΟΥΣΤΟΥΜΙΑ) - The Marx Brothers meet Aristophanes as four bankrupt undertakers carry the body of a wealthy Greek man whose last wish was to be carried on foot to his home village many miles from Athens. This unique road comedy odyssey turns into an unexpected journey of self-awareness. With Renos Haralambidis, Giannis Zouganelis, Takis Spyridakis, Alkis Panagiotidis.

CHEAP SMOKES (ΦΤΗΝΑ ΤΣΙΓΑΡΑ) - Nikos, struggling with work, romance, and finding meaningful purpose in life, roams the streets of Athens at night looking for love and questioning his existence, when he encounters a motley bunch of quirky characters. Cheap Smokes builds on Renos's carnivalesque ability to blur boundaries of life and film. With Renos Haralambidis, Anna-Maria Papaharalambous, Michalis Iatropoulos, Kostas Tsakonas, Alkis Panagiotidis.

THE HEART OF THE BEAST (Η ΚΑΡΔΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΤΗΝΟΥΣ) - At its core, The Heart of the Beast is a buddy film that crosses comedy with crime. Stefanos, who has a big attitude and even more debt, gets talked into robbing a bank with a former classmate. Eventually, he immerses himself in the wildness, but also the magic, of real life, making the obligatory journey to maturity. With Renos Haralambidis, Giorgos Voultzatis, Mano Vakousis, Tina Thliveri, Mara Darmousli.

NO BUDGET STORY - A financially challenged wannabe movie director falls in love while waiting for the start of his film project. With Renos Haralambidis, Yannis Bostantzoglou, Dimitra Papadima, Giorgos Voultzatis, Vana Pefani. Haralambidis won the coveted FIPRESCI Prize awarded by international film critics at the Istanbul Film Festival.

MORE THAN THE MOVIES!

In addition to screenings, film festival programming includes talks, classes, and parties.

Wed 10/11, 6:30pm - Greek Consulate, 69 E 79th St, New York, NY

Panel discussion on the state of Greek cinema, moderated by Nicholas Alexiou, Professor of Sociology, Queens College. Panelists include Renos Haralambidis; Michael A. Nickles (writer-director), Angelo Venetis (Boo Productions).

Th Oct 12, Doors open 6:30 pm - Retrospective Launch Party at Hana House, 345 Adams St., Brooklyn (Willoughby Plaza)

"Directors on Directors" conversation with Renos Haralambidis from 7-8pm, followed by afterparty. DJ entertainment, food and drink included.

Fr Oct 13, 11am-1pm - The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, NY, NY

Renos Haralambidis Master Class

New York Greek Film Expo 2023 Screening Schedule

Village East Cinema, 181 Second Ave (12 St)

Opening Night

Th Oct 5

7 pm - BLACK STONE, followed by audience Q&A with lead actress Eleni Kokkidou

We invite those attending the screening to join us for an opening night reception immediately following.

Fri Oct 6

7 pm - LISTEN, followed by audience Q&A with director Maria Douza

9:20 pm - BROADWAY

Sat Oct 7

7 pm - DIGNITY, followed by audience Q&A with director Dimitris Katsimiris

9:15 pm - DODO, followed by audience Q&A with actor Mariella Savvides

Sun Oct 8

1:30 pm - BLACK STONE, followed by audience Q&A with lead actress Eleni Kokkidou

4 pm - WHERE WE LIVE, followed by audience Q&A with director Sotiris Goritsas

7 pm - IMAN

Barrymore Film Center, 153 Main St., Fort Lee, NJ

Mon Oct 9

7:30 pm - BLACK STONE

Tue Oct 10

7:30pm-DODO

Renos Haralambidis Retrospective

Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Ave at 37 St, Astoria, NY

Fr Oct 13

7 pm - FOUR BLACK SUITS, followed by interview with David Schwartz, former Chief Curator of MOMI

Sat Oct 14

1pm - NO BUDGET STORY, followed by interview with film historian Andrew Horton

3 pm - THE HEART OF THE BEAST, followed by interview with film historian Foster Hirsch

Sun Oct 15

4:30pm - CHEAP SMOKES, featuring a live musical performance by Renos Haralambidis and Christos Rafalides, prior to screening. Followed by an interview with film historian Andrew Horton.