The Hellenic Film Society USA will be bringing its 2022 Greek Film Expo to Astoria’s Museum of the Moving Image Oct. 7 to 9. Four Greek films will be played throughout the weekend.
The four films scheduled to be played are “Magnetic Fields” (2022) on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., “The Lifebelt” (2020) and “Pack of Sheep” (2021) on Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively and “The Fortune Teller” (1956) on Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. Each film will be played with English subtitles.
“Magnetic Fields” is a love story about a man and woman who meet on the Greek island of Kefalonia. The woman is a former dancer running away from her old life while the man is there to bury a box containing the ashes of his aunt. The film stars Elena Topalidou, Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos and Nikos Spanidis. It received five 2022 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best First-Time Director (Yorgos Gousis) and Best Actress (Topalidou).
“The Lifebelt” is about a young Athenian shop owner who faces financial ruin and moral collapse, blaming refugees for his business failing. However, a homeless man throws him the “lifebelt” that helps him find a way out of his predicament and rediscover the values he once had. A refugee then ends up contributing to his salvation. The film stars Panos Kokoris, Christos Moustakas, Dimitris Piatas, Anna Psara and Katerina Stanisi and is directed by Yiannis Panayiotarakos.
“Pack of Sheep” is about a group of businessmen joining forces to try striking a better deal with a loan shark from whom they’ve obtained loans. However, not all debtors see things the same way and the balance of power between prey and predator begins to shift as toxic masculinity sets in amongst the group. The film stars Dimitris Lalos, Aris Servetalis, Giannis Vasilottos, Lefteris Polychronis, Giorgos Valais and Vivi Petsi and is directed by Dimitris Kanellopoulos. It received nine Hellenic Academy Award nominations, winning for Best Supporting Actor (Servetalis).
Considered a Finos Film comedy classic, “The Fortune Teller” will be shown in a newly digitized print. Released during the Golden Age of Greek comedy, the film is about a laundress who, with help from a cohort, poses as a fortune teller. The laundress “reads” her clients’ coffee cups to predict their futures. Chaos quickly ensues shortly after the duo begin this scheme. The film stars Georgia Vasileiadou, Mimis Fotopoulos and Vasilis Avlonitis and is directed by Alekos Sakellarios.
Tickets for each film screening are now available on the Hellenic Film Society USA website. The cost for each movie ticket is $15 for seniors, $11 for university students, $9 for youths ages 3-17 and $7-$11 for Museum of the Moving Image members. Discount codes are also available on the website. Tickets can be picked up at the Museum of the Moving Image’s admissions desk upon arrival. Seating for each showing is general admission.
