In honor of Greek Independence Day on March 25th, ERTFLIX’s international edition is featuring a special tribute highlighted by feature films dedicated to the subject matter, outstanding documentaries, beloved series from ERT’s archives, and a festive concert!

GREEK CINEMA

Wind of Freedom 

The film follows the activity of Ioannis Philonas, a fictitious senior member of the ‘Filiki Eteria’ in the pre-revolution Peloponnese and specifically in the regions of Messenia and Mani. Through the story of a fiery Greek freedom fighter who travels and roams around under the cloak of a merchant and his activity as a ‘Filiki Eteria’ cadre, one develops his/her understanding regarding the early 19th-century society’s economy, daily life, dominant ideas and trends, and ultimately the conflicts of the era; all products of a thorough history research.

The script is based on historical facts and is to a great extent inspired by the activity of Christophoros Perraivos, a prominent ‘Filiki Eteria’ member who traveled to the Peloponnese before the revolution with the aim of reconciling the powerful clans of Mani and thus sowing the seeds for the emancipation of the Greek nation.

Directed by Stelios Charalampopoulos

Written by Antonis Tolakis & Stelios Charalampopoulos
Starring: Sifis Polyzoidis, Rinio Kyriazi, Timos Papadopoulos, Panos Kyparissis, Lefteris Tsatsis, Giannis Anastassakis

Bouboulina

Captain Lascarina Bouboulina (Irene Papas) decides to organize the revolution in Spetses despite her double widowhood. In the struggle for the liberation of Greece, she gives all her property, fighting along with her lads.

Directed by Kostas Andritsos

Written by Nestoras Matsas, Kostas Asimakopoulos
Music by Kostas Kapnisis

Zalongo, the Fort of Freedom

The heroic Souliotes have managed to repel the attack of Ali Pasha, and the brave Malamos Drakos sends his mother to ask for the hand of Maro, the niece of Captain Tzavelaina. She overlooks the hatred that separated the two families for years and agrees to give him her niece, without knowing that Maro loves Kitsos Mpotsaris. When Tzavellas’ son becomes engaged to Maro with Kitsos, Malamos drowns his sorrow and unleashes his anger against the Turks, who are once again trying to take Souli. The Souliot women, in order not to fall into the hands of the Turco-Albanian people, throw themselves off the cliff of Zalongo…

Directed by Stelios Tatasopoulos

Written by Theodoros Tempos
Starring: V. Pallis, N. Sgouridou, T. Karousos, A. Zisimatos, N. Fermas, E. Zafiriou

Babylon

Nafplion, 1827. The members of the group having fun at the Bastias restaurant come from different parts of Greece. Among them are a man from Chios, a man from Arvana, an “intellectual”, a man from Morea, and a Cretan. During the feast, a fight breaks out and the man from Arvana injures the Cretan in the arm. The Ionian Police Officer Giorgos Fantes is called on the spot and tries to find out if this is a premeditated action or a random event. Mayhem follows because each person involved speaks a different dialect, as a result of which everyone is sent to prison…

Directed by Giorgos Dizikirikis
Starring: Elias Logothetis, Athanodoros Proutsalis, Yiannis Kontoulis, Ria Deloutsi, Thanos Papadopoulos, Evangelia Samiotaki, and others.

Sacred Footprints

In the context of the celebration of the 200 years since the Greek Revolution, ‘Sacred Footprints’ was performed by the theater workshop EKFRASSI of Toronto, Canada, under the auspices of the Panarcadian Federation. It was dedicated to the memory of Theodoros Kolokotronis, the legendary Old Man of Morea, to express the gratitude of the Greek Diaspora artists to this strategic hero, by asserting they are all doing everything they can to follow in his sacred footsteps. The screening of the film “Sacred Footprints” was based on the poetic composition of Parthena Tsoktouridou.

Written -adapted -choreographed by Nancy Athanasopoulou – Mylona
Directed by Nancy Athanasopoulou- Mylona
Music arrangements by Kostas Matzafleris

DOCUMENTARIES

“Hymn to Liberty” – 200 Years of Greece!

An imaginary narrative of the two centuries of modern Greece. The film is produced by the “Greece 2021.  Based on archives and documents, it approaches the subject by highlighting not only the elements of our military or political history but also elements from our science, arts, and everyday life.

In essence, it attempts to show how from General Makriyannis’ “we fought for this”, through successes, difficulties, and setbacks, we ended up where we are today: a modern, democratic, and European state.

Directed by Konstantinos Pilavios

Written by Nikos Antypis

Executive Producer Vasilis Karamitsanis – ANIMASYROS

Art direction: Despoina Mouzaki

Original music score by Evanthia Reboutsika

 My Ηomeland’s Flag Is Blue

‘’The history of this small village in the 20th century is a miniature reflection of Greece over the years. The things that happened there pretty much also happened in other regions of the country: the war with the Italians and the occupation, as well as the first migration flows to Australia and America. As this is my place of origin, I have been recording all of the above for 15 years. Observing the life of the village’s inhabitants turned into a documentary that shows that history repeats, making references to our times…’’

Written, directed and narrated by Stelios Charalampopoulos

Landmarks of 1821, Docu series 12 episodes

Two centuries since the outbreak of the War of Independence. We trace the “1821-2021, Landmarks” in places where the memories are still alive. We find them in many forms. In old castles and museums. In legends and traditions. At festivals and local anniversaries. In folk songs that were passed down from one generation to the next.

The series “1821-2021, Landmarks” attempts to highlight the impact of history on the present day. On people who live in places where battles for freedom were fought 200 years ago. We record the aftermath of the events and capture the feelings they evoke in today’s Greeks.

How is continuity ensured over time? Who do we meet in the houses, in the square, at the village fountain? What are the habits, the smells? Where do they keep their grandparents’ pistols and precious costumes? Which songs can still be heard during the celebrations? How many secrets do the mountains and the seas that surround a place hide? Does the flame of the ancestors remain inextinguishable in the soul? Are the values transmitted by the forefathers alive in modern societies?

Directed by Grigoris Karantinakis

Presenter: Grigoris Tziovaras

Why 21? 12 Questions  , Docu series  12 episodes

In their research, journalists Marilena Katsimi and Pierros Tzanetakos seek answers to 12 timeless questions (e.g., Why are we celebrating 1821? Why are we bankrupt? Are foreigners our friends or enemies? Why are we divided? Why are there Greeks everywhere? etc.) It is a charming and documented narrative of events, through personal stories, myths and truths. The aim is to disseminate scientific knowledge to the general television audience, through the popularization of history.

The 12 questions are answered by 80 leading historians, political scientists, economists, constitutionalists and social psychologists, teaching in Greece and abroad. At the same time 18 elementary, junior high and high school students, give us their perspective on modern Greek history. The detection of the proportionalities and differences between identical historical events contributes to the understanding of the past, but also to creating inspiration and vision for the future.

Directed by Elena Lalopoulou

Presenters: Marilena Katsimi, Pierros Tzanetakos

1821 The Greek War of Independence (The Greek Revolution), Docu series 13 episodes

The Greek War of Independence is one of the radical, national, and democratic 19th century movements that were influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. This series attempts to describe briefly and clearly that fascinating period of revolutionary Struggle, offering grounds for a reflection on the course of the Greek state from its independence until today. Covering different topics, we will trace the complex beginning of the movement through the founding of Filiki Eteria, examine the attitude of the leaders of the Orthodox Church and the stand of the Ottoman Empire in relation to it, the complex development of the struggle and the role of the Great Powers, which contributed to its successful outcome. Apart from the war and the political events, other aspects of life during the years of the revolution concerning the institutional organization and functioning of the state, the economy, the role of the clergy, etc. are also highlighted.

Directed by Alexandros Kakavas, Adamantios Petritsis

Writing Credits: Alexandros Kakavas

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ERT REMEMBERS

Manto Mavrogenous

Katia Dandoulaki in the iconic series as the Greek Revolution fighter. In Trieste of 1815, a spark kindles the flame of revolution. A historical and biographical series of 12 forty-five-minute episodes, originated from the novel by Georgios Roussos (1959). The first episode was screened on the 8th of June 1983 and the final one on September 7th, while the series was aired 32 years later, in 2015. The central storyline is about the youth and the national contribution of Manto Mavrogenous, outlining, at the same time, the courage and actions of various personalities of the Greek Revolution of 1821, mainly members of the Filiki Eteria. The story begins in 1815 and takes place in Trieste, Odessa, Petersburg, Vienna and Greece. It concerns the desire of the Greeks for liberation, the role of foreign forces, international diplomacy and the friction among the Greeks themselves. The main character is Manto Mavrogenous. The Ypsilantis brothers, Ioannis Kapodistrias, Chancellor Metternich and members of the Filiki Eteria Nikolaos Skoufas, Emmanouil Xanthos and Athanasios Tsakalov play an important role.

Directed by Stamatis Chondrogiannis

Written by Giorgos Roussos
Starring: Katia Dandoulaki, Nikos Galanos, Giorgos Kotanidis, Kaiti Lampropoulou, Stavros Ksenidis, Christos Parlas, Panos Hatzikoutselis, Timos Perlegkas, Periklis Moustakis, Sotiris Tsogas, Ntora Valonaki

Time Machine 1821, TV Show 11 episodes

The show “Time Machine” is an informative show about historical events and figures. The show features journalistic research on issues that have greatly concerned Greek society in the past. Show host journalist Christos Vasilopoulos and the other contributors, collect evidence, personal testimonies, and forgotten documents, organizing them into single documentaries. In 2013, Vasilopoulos was awarded the Botsi Award, which is the top journalistic distinction in Greece, for “Time Machine”.

Directed by Giorgos Daoulis, Panagiotis Kakavias, Dimitris Giahnis, Nikos Nieris

Host: Christos Vassilopoulos

FROM ERT’S MUSICAL ENSEMBLES

Eleftheria 

A special place in the anniversary schedule of ERT’s Music Ensembles is held by the presentation of the work “Eleftheria” by the internationally acclaimed Cypriot composer, Marios Ioannou Elia, by the National Symphony Orchestra and the ERT Choir.

The work was commissioned by the ERT Music Ensembles on the occasion of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, is under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, and was filmed at the Roman Agora.

A multi-dimensional and complex symphonic work, full of melodies and poetry, with faith and hope in Freedom. The texts and poems are by Angelos Sikelianos, Dionysios Solomos, Kostis Palamas, Andreas Kalvos, Yannis Ritsos, Nikos Kazantzakis, etc.

The work “Eleftheria” brings together great literature, music, symphonic sound, tradition, timbres, memory, national symbols, contemporary creation, and the Greek spirit in unison and aspires to become a universal and timeless work.