The national focus is an increasingly popular format that every year draws festival-goers’ attention to a select national cinema and its thematic, genre and poetic specifics. This year, we chose a country that has been amply discussed in Slovakia over the past several years. In contrast to the country’s bleak political and financial situation endlessly dissected and regurgitated by world media, Greek films have enjoyed the limelight at prestigious film festivals the world around. The cheeky and uncompromising rising stars of New Greek cinema – an attribute that has earned a capital “N” and has made it a phenomenon among some film critics – seem to reiterate their reputation with each new release. To say that contemporary Greek film is worthy of attention is an understatement; it simply commands it.

The section was prepared in cooperation with the Greek Film Centre.