Hellenic Film Society president Mary Miles and founder Jimmy DeMetro sat down for this special edition of Greek Film Scene to talk about the films.

MARY MILES: I’m excited about the films in this year’s Expo. They are the best of the season’s Greek films, most of them highly lauded award winners.

JIMMY DeMETRO: Nine films in all, 13 screenings. I agree, it’s a strong lineup.

MM: Let’s start with Animal, directed by Sofia Exarchou. It’s the story of a woman who has been working for years as an entertainer at a second-rate summer resort. During the course of one crucial summer, she begins to realize that her body is failing her and that it’s time to give it all up. It’s a raw, honest film about a difficult time of life.

JD: In last year’s Thessaloniki Film Festival, Animal became the first Greek film in 30 years to win best picture honors in the international competition. And its star, Dimitra Vlagopoulou, was named Best Actress. Seven Hellenic Film Academy awards followed, including Best Picture and Best Director.

MM: All of them well deserved.

JD: Mary, what do you think of the new Renos Haralambidis film, Athens Midnight Radio?

MM: Honestly, I think it’s one of the loveliest films I’ve ever seen. It’s about a late-night radio announcer who, on the evening of his 50th birthday, decides to use the air waves to find a woman he loved years ago.

JD: Haralambidis is a cutting-edge director, the closest Greece has to an auteur, and this is the quintessential festival film. It’s a beautifully written meditation on aging and romance, and an ode to the city of Athens.

MM: It’s a quiet, introspective film that will resonate with those of a certain age who can look back on their youth and appreciate the fun they had, the mistakes they made, the love they had.

JD: Let’s move on to Fonissa (The Murderess), directed by Eva Nathena, the season’s top-grossing Greek film. Those who know the Papadiamantis novel on which it is based, will know what to expect. Others, though, must be warned. Every effort has been made to get it right, and the filmmakers have succeeded. Still, this is a tough film to watch.

MM: It deals with domestic abuse, femicide, and infanticide and takes on the dowry system and how it made women property, first of their fathers and then their husbands. It’s a deep, dark film. Visually striming too. Just about every frame looks like a painting you can find in a museum. If art is about moving you, this is art.

JD: Our next film, Guest Star, directed by Vasilis Christofilakis, is easier to watch. He plays the hapless son of celebrities who is unexpectedly and improbably given the chance to host a TV talk show. Christofilakis told me that the film was first envisioned as a comedy but became more and more serious once production was underway.

MM: He’s an affable guy who is enjoyable to watch. I think he’s made a fine dark comedy, a satire on celebrity and the TV industry. It’s not just chuckles.

JD: The Last Taxi Driver, directed by Stergios Paschos, is about a cabbie whose life is upended when he witnesses the suicide of a customer. I like the way it blends elements of film noir and psychological thriller. The first ten minutes are so involving. The film grabs you and keeps you wondering where it will go next.

MM:  Professionals pitching a film will tell you the first ten minutes, the first ten pages of the script, are the most important. They want to see the inciting event, the thing that launches the film very early. Pashos manages to do this and doesn’t let go.

JD: The female lead is Klelia Andriolatou, who is the young star of the Netflix series Maestro in Blue. She gives a credible performance here. I think she’s on the verge of an international career, and the Netflix exposure will no doubt help.

MM: The driver is played by Kostas Koronaios, and he too turns in a strong performance. He won the Best Actor award in the international competition in Thessaloniki last November.

JD: Little Things That Went Wrong, directed by Haris Vafeiadis, is another film I’m very excited about. It’s the story of two fathers at opposite ends of the economic scale who do not know each other but who are brought together in a situation that reveals the turmoil in each mean’s psyche. It’s a well acted film, and I don’t want to slight any of the other actors, but watching Thanos Tokakis is thrilling. He reminds me of a young Al Pacino—that same kind of energy and tremendous range.

MM: I remember how excited you were about Tokakis when we saw the film for the first time in Thessaloniki. No doubt, this is an impressive performance, ranging from the dramatic to the comic.

JD: Thanos told me he loves to play losers, and the character here is so misguided, so lost. Yet there’s real pathos in his effort to regain a sense of dignity and endear himself to his indifferent daughter.

MM: This one is highly recommended as is The Promotion, directed by Periklis Choursoglou.  It’s a lovely, moving film about a professor and his elderly father who make an effort to sharpen their relationship and achieve a level of cathartic healing.

JD: There’s a surprising plot twist toward the end of the film. Usually I’m suspicious of this sort of thing. All too often twists come off as gimmicks, an easy way out for the director, but that’s not the case here.

MM: It adds depth and feeling to the film and shows the skill of a seasoned filmmaker who knows how to manipulate his audience and use his actors.

JD: No doubt, Choursoglou is an important filmmaker. For the past 15 years or so he’s been teaching filmmaking  at the University in Thessaloniki, and this is his first film since retiring from teaching. It’s a most welcome comeback.

MM: Next, we go to The Rhapsodist, by young American director Nikolai Hamel.

JD: From the sublime to the ridiculous.

MM: It’s fun, bright.

JD: Zany too.

MM: A guy walks into a bar and starts telling stories. The wilder they get, the more patrons gather. Tokakis is in this film too, as is his friend, noted actor Prometheus Aleifer. Anything goes. Just buckle up and let it carry you into the zaniness.

JD: Our ninth film is Yanis Spanos: Behind the Marquee, directed by Aris Dorizas. If you love Greek music, this is the film to see.

MM: Spanos was a beloved and prolific composer of Greek popular music, and this documentary honors his legacy by highlighting his music. People will come out of the theater singing.

JD: The director told me that Spanos was reluctant to have a documentary made about him. Luckily, the director prevailed, and this highly entertaining film was made.

MM: That’s a wrap! I know our audiences will find much pleasure in the films we have selected for this year’s New York Greek Film Expo. We are proud to present the best Greece has to offer and proud to be on the forefront of bringing audiences quality entertainment from across the ocean throughout the year.

JD: See you at the movies!

You can watch the full conversation about this year’s Expo films on our YouTube channel.