Meet Renos Charalambides in a live interview as part of the 30th Greek Film Festival in Melbourne

The Melbourne audience will have the rare opportunity to meet one of Greece's most distinguished directors up close, Reno Charalambide, in an interview with Palace Cinema Como on Thursday, October 23This event is part of the 30th Greek Film Festival's tribute to Renos Charalambides, whose unconventional storytelling has left an indelible mark on contemporary Greek cinema.

The Festival program includes five of his most acclaimed works:

4 Black Suits (2010) – “The dead man does not want to leave before making one last journey back to where his heart, which no longer beats, leads him: an odyssey of a dead Odysseus embracing his Ithaca,” says Charalambides. “For the four pallbearers, it becomes a journey towards self-knowledge and maturity.”

Night Announcer (2002) – A romantic story that unfolds through the city's radio waves, weaving chance encounters and urban loneliness into a story of connection.

Cheap Cigarettes (2000) – “The most autobiographical of my films,” explains Charalambides. “It captures the essence of a bohemian generation of Athenians in the late 1990s. After being neglected, it was rediscovered by a new audience and continues to be shown in cinemas 20 years later.”

History Without Francs (1997) – His first feature film, shot in black and white. “It was my ‘cinema or death’ film,” he recalls. “I was 26 years old and I was making the film with friends, family and neighbors. It remains autobiographical – I still watch it again today.”

The heart of the beast (2005) – A genre-defying story, combining noir, comedy and nostalgia. “It’s my only film that’s an adaptation of a book, but I wanted to keep my personal touch without betraying the author,” says Charalambides.

The tribute to Renos Charalambides is part of 30th anniversary of the Festival, which will last from 14 to 26 October, and offers the audience the opportunity to rediscover the creativity and vision of a unique Greek director.

The detailed program, film summaries and ticket information are available at Melbourne – Greek Film Festival 2025.

MAJOR FESTIVAL SPONSORS

bank of sydney

Oasis

Procal

Joannides Funerals

Hellenic Wines

ABOUT THE GREEK FILM FESTIVAL

The Greek Film Festival was created by cinephiles in Melbourne and Sydney, with the aim of showcasing the rapidly growing Greek film industry. In 2025, the Festival celebrates its 30th season.

Screenings take place at the Palace cinema network, while corresponding festivals are organized by the Greek Communities of Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra.