Megaron once again presents the first three historical documentaries by Maria Iliou covering the period from 1821 to 1940 and focusing on Athens. In the near future, the next three documentaries—covering the years 1940–2021—will follow, thus completing the six-part series on the history of Athens.
What was Athens like during the Interwar period? Was it simply a city divided between Venizelists and Royalists, or was it something far more complex? The Asia Minor refugees of 1922 brought new energy to the city, enriching its culture and economy. Industry and shipping expanded, a new urban class asserted its presence, while at the same time a working class emerged, taking to the streets in protest. Women began working and, in the summers, swam alongside men at Palaio Faliro wearing swimsuits. Athens—now with a democratic system for the first time—was changing. Under the Acropolis, the Vrysaki neighborhood was demolished, revealing the Ancient Agora, while Omonia Square was modernized with the introduction of the electric railway. In the arts, the Generation of the ’30s transformed poetry, literature, and painting forever. During his second productive term, Venizelos brought running water to the city, built schools, and inaugurated the first airport. Athenians sang the songs of Attik and Giannidis, while in the outlying districts, rebetiko music prevailed. After the Crash of 1929, the return of the monarchy, the Metaxas dictatorship, and the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War marked the end of the era.
Maria Iliou and her collaborators recount the story of Interwar Athens with a fresh perspective, using previously unknown visual material discovered in archives in America, Europe, and Greece. Narration, photographs, home movies, the city soundscape designed by Aliki Panagi, the reconstruction of the period’s music, and original compositions by Katerina Polemi recreate the atmosphere of a highly creative yet deeply contradictory period.
DOCUMENTARY SPONSORS
The Jaharis Family Foundation
The Hatsopoulos Foundation
Commonwealth Foundation for Social &
Cultural Work (KIKPE)
The Pindaros Foundation
Anonymous Donor
PRODUCTION
Proteas & Proteus NY INC
