Category Archives: film

“The Tree and the Swing”: The Importance of Home

This 2013 Greek film is about the gravitation of Greek cardiologist Eleni (Myrto Alikaki), working in London, to her place of birth and her father in Greece. Life is simply perfect for Eleni as she has just been given a seat at a prestigious London hospital. Then basically out of nowhere the bank her husbandContinue reading ““The Tree and the Swing”: The Importance of Home”

Greek Cypriot Comedy “Committed”: Romantic Comedy with a Twist

You think you know in what direction this film is heading in but be prepared for a twist that gives an extra meaning to “Committed”. George (Orestes Sophocleous) is a Cypriot Greek educated as an engineer in London. As many engineers can be he is technical and scientific. Love is nothing but an infatuation causedContinue reading “Greek Cypriot Comedy “Committed”: Romantic Comedy with a Twist”

“Anna”: Greek Short Film Has You Wondering Who Anna is?

Poor Papou ( translated in English as grandfather), Michalis Maratheftis, (Spiros Stavrinides) is an aged Greek famer apparently in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s. Being unable to care for himself his family has hired Maria (Imee Lysandrou), a Filipina domestic, as live-in caregiver. Papou is often in an agitated state as Alzheimer’s patients can be.Continue reading ““Anna”: Greek Short Film Has You Wondering Who Anna is?”

A La Calle” (“To the Streets”): Fair to say lucky to be Canadian!

“A La Calle” is the opening night film for this year’s Annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival Canada running from February 18th-22. Violation of human rights is never a pretty story but combine it with the economic collapse of a nation that includes food and medicine shortages the picture is uglier. In this case itContinue reading “A La Calle” (“To the Streets”): Fair to say lucky to be Canadian!”

“All Too Perfect”: Counterbalance Collective Teases Us

If you like a short film that has you querying what really is going on when the credits role “All Too Perfect” may very well be for you. Sam (Nabil Ayoub) and Alex (Bridget Ori) have a seemingly perfect relationship until Sam’s phone starts binging away. Alex jokes when she hears it was a callContinue reading ““All Too Perfect”: Counterbalance Collective Teases Us”

“My Sweet Canary”: Documentary on Legendary Greek Songstress

No, this documentary is not about Greek opera star Maria Callas but a woman by the name of Rosa Sarah Eskenazi who was born in either 1897 or 1898 in the Jewish quarter of Istanbul. Eskenazi was known in the 1930’s as the Queen of Rebetiko which can be roughly equated as the Greek blues.Continue reading ““My Sweet Canary”: Documentary on Legendary Greek Songstress”

“Wake Up on Mars”: Virtual Human Rights Watch Film Festival Canada

“Wake up on Mars” is one weird documentary. A Muslim family flees persecution in Kosovo and seeks refugee status in Sweden but they are deported back to Kosovo yet again they flee to Sweden where finally they obtain their residency permits. However both teenage daughters are in a vegetative state apparently with “resignation syndrome” whichContinue reading ““Wake Up on Mars”: Virtual Human Rights Watch Film Festival Canada”

“Cloudy Sunday”: Epic Greek Tragedy

OK so you see the phrase “Epic Greek Tragedy” and you might surmise it is some ancient Greek play I am referring to. Quite the opposite. This is a 2015 Greek film delving into a most unpleasant topic which is the humiliating step by step process where in 1943 some 50,000 Jews in Thessaloniki wereContinue reading ““Cloudy Sunday”: Epic Greek Tragedy”

Bread & Olives; Good Greek German short film

Greek brothers Vangelis and Leonidas have a coffeeshop and bar that had to close due to harsh times in 2014 Greece so they phone their uncle Giannis in Munich who leads them to believe he owns a successful Greek restaurant in Munich so off the brothers go with their mother leaving Greece behind. Well GiannisContinue reading “Bread & Olives; Good Greek German short film”