New York Greek Film Expo Wraps Successful 2026 Festival with Sold-Out Screenings and Audience Awards
Posted by estiator at 21 October, at 09 : 20 AM Print
NY Greek Film Expo Celebrates Successful 2026 Festival with Sold-Out Screenings, International Filmmakers and Awards
The annual New York Greek Film Expo brought Greek cinema to audiences across New York and New Jersey, featuring acclaimed films, filmmaker discussions and special events.
The filmmaking team behind Life in a Beat, recipient of the 2026 New York Greek Film Expo Audience Award. Photo by Grant Svarre. All rights reserved by HFS. [L-R: Thoma Kikis, Ioanna Kolliopoulou, Eva Mallis, Katia Goulioni, Maria Miles, Amerissa Basta, Jimmy Demetro, George Balafoutis, Dimitris Nakos]
NEW YORK, NY — October 20, 2026 — The Hellenic Film Society’s 2026 New York Greek Film Expo wrapped up a highly successful run celebrating Greek cinema that brought together audiences, filmmakers, actors and industry professionals across New York City and New Jersey. Running October 8–18, the Expo featured 12 films and special events at venues including the Directors Guild of America Theater, Village East by Angelika, the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria and the Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Opening night got off to an extraordinary start with a sold-out reception and screening of Hold Onto Me (Κράτα Με), directed by Myrsini Aristidou. The film, which won the Audience Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, was followed by a discussion with the director and actor Christos Passalis. The screening set an exciting tone for a festival filled with memorable films and opportunities for audiences to engage directly with the people behind them.
Another highlight was the sold-out screening of Broken Vein, directed by Yannis Economides, underscoring the enthusiasm for contemporary Greek filmmaking. Both Hold Onto Me and Broken Vein have been submitted for consideration for the 2027 Academy Awards.
Throughout the Expo, audiences had the opportunity to hear from directors, actors and other members of the filmmaking teams who traveled from Greece and Cyprus to participate in post-screening Q&As and discussions. These conversations offered a closer look at the creative vision, stories and perspectives behind the films, making the Expo an especially engaging experience for moviegoers.
Audience gathers for the 2026 New York Greek Film Expo opening night, presented by the Hellenic Film Society USA. Photo by Grant Svarre. All Rights Reserved by HFS. [L-R: Maria Miles, Katia Goulioni, Myrsini Aristidou, Christos Passalis]
The festival also celebrated outstanding achievements with its Audience Award presented to Life in a Beat (Μικρέs Ανάσεs), and its Best Performance Award presented to Christos Passalis for his performance in Hold Onto Me (Κράτα Με).
The Expo concluded with a special four-film retrospective honoring the legacy of acclaimed Greek-Cypriot filmmaker Michael Cacoyannis, whose work helped bring Greek cinema to international audiences. Presented October 16–18 at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, the retrospective featured four of his films: A Girl in Black (1956), Stella(1955), Windfall in Athens (1954) and Zorba the Greek (1964), his internationally celebrated film starring Anthony Quinn. The retrospective offered audiences an opportunity to revisit the work of one of Greek cinema’s most influential filmmakers.
Director Myrsini Aristidou and actor Christos Passalis participate in a discussion following the sold-out opening-night screening of Hold Onto Me. Photo by Grant Svarre. All rights reserved by HFS.
[L–R: Myrsini Aristidou, director; Christos Passalis, actor]
“The Hellenic Film Society believes there is a place for Greek cinema in the US. While we present the films, it’s the audience that fulfills our mission by turning up in record numbers each year to watch Greek film and interact with our invited guests. Together with our audiences, we are creating a community of Greek cinephiles who support our mission during the Expo and throughout the year at our monthly screening series, Always on Sunday, at the Museum of the Moving Image. The Hellenic Film Society extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the Expo, purchased tickets, supported the films, and helped make this year’s Expo such a success. Special thanks go to Katia Goulioni for her wonderful work hosting the Expo’s events, as well as to all the directors, actors and crew members who traveled from Greece and Cyprus to share their work and participate in discussions with audiences. The Hellenic Film Society also acknowledges the donors and sponsors whose support helps bring the Expo to life. “We can’t wait to do it all again next year, October 7th to the 17th,” said Maria Miles, president of the Hellenic Film Society.
The celebration of Greek cinema continues throughout the year with Always on a Sunday, the Hellenic Film Society’s monthly film series at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York. Movie lovers are invited to continue discovering the best of Greek cinema through this ongoing program.
For film schedules, upcoming screenings and more information, visit HellenicFilmSociety.org.
About the Hellenic Film Society USA
The Hellenic Film Society USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the best of Greek cinema to American audiences through year-round screenings, special events and its annual New York Greek Film Expo.
MEDIA CONTACT
Iris Zaverdas De Vita
Publicist, New York Greek Film Expo
Golden Iris PR
