Athens in Film: 7+1 Documentaries
Capturing the fleeting image of an ever-evolving southern metropolis
Athens is a city in constant flux. Within the last 10 years, the city’s image has been radically transformed - from a European black hole of debt, riots and social disintegration to an exotic playground of hypertourism, good eats and radiant culture.
In this newsletter, we rediscover some documentaries (and a music video) from recent decades that highlight how Athens became what it is today, and capture the ever-changing image of its city centre.
Eva Stefani - Athene (1995)
Eva Stefani is one of the most prominent contemporary filmmakers, who has carved her own artistic path with her avant-garde, observational documentaries.
Athene, her graduation film from 30 years ago, captures life at Athens’ main railway station, on a spring night in 1995. Homeless people, soldiers, and immigrants define a space where different worlds meet and coexist.
Melina Mercouri’s Athens (1979)
Melina Mercouri is a Greek legend. Coming from a prominent Greek political family, she carved out her own career as an actress (having many accolades, including the award-winning 1960 film Never on Sunday), and later as a politician.
In this film for the CBC television series ‘Cities’, she takes us on a ride through Athens, showcasing its history, people and sights, all highlighted by her unique energy.
Builders, Housewives and the Construction of Modern Athens (2021)
This documentary is a great introduction as to why Athens looks the way it does, and addresses various questions about the city’s past.
Who were the people who moved from the countryside to Athens after the Civil War and ‘cemented’ the city? Who ‘demolished’ the neoclassical buildings and why did they fill the Attica basin with apartment buildings?
A documentary about the most distinctive Athenian building type, the polykatoikía, and the reconstruction of the city by anonymous lay builders and their housewives, who were the most unlikely “co-creators.”
Kypseli (2009)
A portrait of Kypseli, one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Athens that has gone through consecutive waves of urban glory, disregard, gentrification and reappreciation in the past few decades.
Filmed by a group of amateur filmmakers as part of a series of documentary seminars organised by the municipality of Athens, this documentary provides a pre-crisis view of the ever-changing neighbourhood.
The Neoclassical Houses of Athens (1980)
A historical documentary about the neoclassical houses of Athens, featuring words by legendary Greek painter Yannis Tsarouchis and images by painter Spyros Vassiliou. Filmed in 1980 by Nikos Grammatikopoulos.
This documentary shows how many of Athens’ neoclassical houses were demolished in the past few decades to make space for the more modern multi-storey polykatoikias.
For some, neoclassical houses constitute a simpler, less crammed way of urban living, with more space and a more communal and elegant approach.
Athens Chinatown (2017)
Although the Chinese started immigrating to Greece very late compared to other populations, today Athens is home to the newest Chinatown in Europe.
Trying to get a good grasp of the Chinese community in Greece, this documentary explores what the two nations have in common.
How Athens Became a Modern Metropolis (2023)
Is Athens the ugliest city in Europe? It seems that many locals and tourists think so. Others though claim that there’s a hidden beauty in its chaos.
This recent documentary explores the development of Athens and some of the current issues and problems surrounding the city.
Stin Athina - Paidi Thavma (1999)
Probably one of the most iconic music videos filmed in central Athens, Taki Tsan’s ‘Stin Athina’ (In Athens) is an urban hymn to the city’s darkest corners, and one of the best bangers in Greek hip hop history.
Side Note: We did our first podcast interview!
If you’re interested in learning more about Greek Visions, founder Takis Zontiros sat for an hour-long podcast with Legal Pizza and talked about the inspiration behind the project, digital culture in Greece, humour, greek identity, and the aesthetics of chaos.
That’s all for now! Thanks so much for following along. If you liked this newsletter, you can always share it with a friend. 😊
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See you at the next one!