‘Dune: Part Two’

Based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 masterpiece Dune, which has been hailed as one of the world’s best-selling science fiction novels, Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” premiered yesterday and is expected to reach double the box office in its opening weekend than its predecessor. The sequel, which is orchestrated by Hans Zimmer and boasts an acclaimed cast, follows Paul Atreides’ quest for vengeance against those who betrayed his family. As Paul allies with Chani and the Fremen, he grapples with the choice between love and the fate of the universe striving to prevent a catastrophic future foreseen only by him.

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux
Language: English
IMDB rating: 9.1/10
Production country: United States
Where to watch: Mikrokosmos cinema, Cinobo Opera, Athinaion cinema, Aigli 3D Digital cinema, Cinemax (Kifissia, Aello, Nana), Village Cinemas, Tria Asteria, Sporting Digital Cinema, Anoixi Art cinema, Theatre Lampros Konstantaras, Foivos cinema, WestCity cinemas, Maria-Elena Onar cinema, Options cinemas (Ilion, Glyfada), Municipal cinema Cineac, Artemis Municipal cinema

‘Joika’

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American ballet dancer, Joy Womack is accepted to Moscow’s renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy but faces serious challenges in her pursuit of becoming a great ballerina. James Napier Robertson writes the screenplay and directs this biopic on the dancer, who was the first American woman to graduate from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s rigorous training program. Womack herself not only agreed to this film’s making but also choreographs its ballet scenes.

Director: James Napier Robertson
Cast: Diane Kruger, Talia Ryder,Karolina Gruszka, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc
Language: English
IMDB rating: 7.3/10
Production country: United States
Where to watch: Galaxias cinema, Avana cinema,Cinemax (Kifissia), WestCity cinemas, Varkiza cinema, Options cinemas (Ilion, Glyfada)

‘Passages’

Premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Ira Sachs’ romantic-drama Passages is a bold erotic triangle between an openly gay German director who is risking the relationship with his current partner by falling for a woman. Set in Paris, this intimate portrayal stars acclaimed actors Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adèle Exarchopoulos.

Director: Ira Sachs
Cast: Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulos
Language: English, German (the film will be screened only with Greek subs)
IMDB rating: 6.7/10
Production country: France
Where to watch: Cinemax (Nirvana)

Additional English-speaking Cinematic Proposals

‘Gaza’

Studio New Star Art Cinema exclusively presents Andrew McConnell’s documentary Gaza filmed in 2019. Selected as Ireland’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 2020 Academy Awards, Gaza offers a portrait of Gazans’ striving for meaningful lives, offering a perspective that goes beyond the television news reports of conflict.

Director: Andrew McConnell
Language: Palestinian Arabic (Greek and English subs)
IMDB rating: 7.7/10
Production country: Canada, Ireland
Where to watch: Studio New Star Art Cinema Thursdays-Saturdays 17pm.

KINO Athens Independent International Film Festival

A distinctly ‘Indie’ film extravaganza just kicked off today lasting till March 10, featuring the screening of 80 independent films offering free admission, as well as English and Greek subtitles. Held at the Technopolis, Serafio and the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation venues the festival is organized by KINO Athens Film Society with the support of the European Parliament.

Gasoline Rainbow”, USA, by The Ross Brothers