After the very successful launch of the 25th Greek Film Festival in Sydney, the festival was launched in Melbourne on the 10th of October.
More than 1,200 people took part at the opening of the festival at two cinemas: the historic Astor Theater in St Kilda and Palace Como cinema in South Yarra.
The opening night film was "The Last Note" by Greek director Pantelis Voulgaris, a film based on real history and the execution of 200 Greek men at Kasseriani.
From the 25th Greek Film Festival Opening Night in Melbourne (2018) Source: SBS Greek
Among the spectators was Phil Kalfakoudes, whose grandfather was one of the 200 Greek patriots that were executed by Nazis on May 1, 1944.
"My grandfather," Mr Kafkaloudis told SBS Greek "was Christos Maniarides. He was a journalist, with left-wing political perspective, was born in the city of Volos, was arrested in 1936 and remained in prison for years and until the events and his execution in 1944."
The General Consul of Greece in Melbourne, Dimitrios Michalopoulos, officially launched the Festival in Melbourne and he told SBS Greek about the exceptional progress of Greek film industry in recent years.
Jorge Menides, director of the Greek Centre Source: SBS Greek
Steve Dimopoulos MP for Oakleigh Source: SBS Greek
Victorian Government was represented by Greek Australian parliamentarians Steve Dimopoulos (Oakleigh) and Nick Staikos (Bentleigh), who told SBS Greek about the contribution of the Greek Film Festival to Greek Australian culture.
Finally, the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis, referred to the first festival 25 years ago, when about 85 people attended the 1st Greek Film Festival, and "tonight more that 1200 people will experience one of the best moments of the contemporary Greek Film Cinema".
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