16th Athens Open Air Film Festival Transforms City into Outdoor Cinema
Athens, June 19 – Historic locations across Athens are once again being transformed into stunning outdoor cinemas for the 16th Athens Open Air Film Festival, powered by DEI. This annual cinematic event, running from June 18 to August 26, 2026, promises a vibrant and diverse program, offering unforgettable viewing experiences for both residents and numerous visitors to the city.
A Rich and Diverse Program with Free Admission
The festival offers free admission to all screenings, presented with advanced projection technology. The program combines classic masterpieces, contemporary creations, and unique collaborations with cultural organizations and institutions. The aim is to make high-quality cinema accessible to everyone, fostering a love for film and celebrating the city’s rich cultural heritage.
Opening Night with Harvey Keitel and The Gaze of Ulysses
The official opening of the festival on June 18 was marked by a rare cinematic moment: Harvey Keitel, one of the most significant actors in contemporary American cinema, was present at the Kolonos Theater to introduce Theo Angelopoulos’s The Gaze of Ulysses, in which he stars. Thirty years after Keitel’s first collaboration with the acclaimed Greek director, the film’s return to Athens serves as a tribute to Angelopoulos’s monumental work.
Highlights and Special Screenings
The festival commenced its screenings with the Greek premiere of Miguel Ángel Jiménez’s film Birthday Party, attended by the celebrated American actor Willem Dafoe, the director, and writer Panos Karnezis. On June 10, in collaboration with Athens Pride 2026 and to mark the tenth anniversary of his passing, the festival honored David Bowie with a screening of the legendary documentary Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by D. A. Pennebaker. This digitally restored version was shown in the courtyard of the Zappeion, attracting 800 spectators.
June Program Highlights
- Thursday, June 18, Open Air Theater Kolonos: Ulysses’ Gaze (1995, 179′) by Theo Angelopoulos, with Harvey Keitel in attendance.
- Tuesday, June 23, Kotzia Square: Grand Budapest Hotel (2014, 99′) by Wes Anderson.
July Program Highlights
- Wednesday, July 1, Eleftherias Park: The Virgin Spring (1960, 89′) by Ingmar Bergman. This screening is in collaboration with the Museum of Cycladic Art, as part of the Jeff Koons: ‘Aphrodite’ of Lespugue exhibition, with the film personally selected by Jeff Koons.
- Monday, July 6, Lais Open Air Cinema: La Femme Infidele (1969, 98′) by Claude Chabrol, in collaboration with the Plein-Air Festival of the French Institute of Greece.
- Wednesday, July 8, ELIVIP Courtyard: Happy Day (1976, 105′) by Pantelis Voulgaris. An anniversary screening for the film’s 50th premiere, featuring a 4K digitally restored copy from the Greek Film Archive. The screening is dedicated to George Panousopoulos (cinematographer) and Dionysis Savvopoulos (composer). In collaboration with the Hellenic Foundation for Culture and Development.
- Thursday, July 9, ELIVIP Courtyard: The River (1951, 99′) by Jean Renoir. In collaboration with the Hellenic Foundation for Culture and Development.
- Saturday, July 11, Plato’s Academy Park | Horror All-Nighter: Cape Fear (1991, 129′) by Martin Scorsese, Friday the 13th (1980, 95′) by Sean S. Cunningham, and Island of the Damned / Quién puede matar a un niño? (1976, 112′) by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador. The latter is an anniversary screening for its 50th premiere, shown for the first time in Greece in its complete, uncut version. Entry for these three screenings is recommended for individuals over 17 years old.
- Thursday, July 16, Arsakio Arcade Elevated Atrium: Diva (1981, 117′) by Jean-Jacques Beineix. A screening to celebrate the French National Day, in collaboration with the Plein-Air Festival of the French Institute of Greece.
- Wednesday, July 22, Drakopoulou Park: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962, 123′) by John Ford.
- Saturday, July 25, Dionysiou Areopagitou Pedestrian Street: Airplane! (1980, 88′) and Top Secret! (1984, 88′) by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker.
August Program Highlights
- Monday, August 24, Lais Open Air Cinema: À nos amours (1983, 95′) by Maurice Pialat. In collaboration with the Plein-Air Festival of the French Institute of Greece.
- Wednesday, August 26, Kallithea Municipal Stadium: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966, 177′) by Sergio Leone. An anniversary screening celebrating 60 years since the film’s initial release and the official founding of PAE Athens Kallithea FC in 1966.
The 16th Athens Open Air Film Festival, powered by DEI, is co-organized by the Organization of Culture, Sports and Youth of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA) and held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, transforming the city’s summer evenings into moments of art, imagination, and light.
For more information, please visit the official festival website at www.aoaff.gr.
Source: https://www.dnews.gr/eidhseis/entertainment/594913/16o-athens-open-air-film-festival-i-athina-metamorfonetai-se-ypaithrio-sinema-to-programma
