The 31st Greek Film Festival will kick off its 2026 program on Tuesday, October 13, with Konstantinos Mousoulis’s smash-hit comedy, Friends Forever.

The Festival, organized by the Greek Community of Melbourne and the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, will take place in Sydney and Melbourne from October 13 to 25 at various venues, and will then be presented in other Australian cities in the coming weeks (more details will be announced shortly).

Full of humor, emotion, and unforgettable characters, the film Friends Forever follows a series of interconnected stories revolving around a wedding that falls apart before it even begins. A well-intentioned favor turns into a chaotic trip to Crete, where misunderstandings, family tensions, and unexpected twists test friendships in ways no one could have imagined.

The film features an outstanding cast, including Thanasis Tsaltampasis, Agorasti Arvaniti, Doreta Papadimitriou, Thanasis Alevras, Matina Nikolaou, Zisis Roubos, Chrysi Michalopoulou, Yiannis Apergis, Takis Papamathaiou, and Australian actor Louis Mandylor. A tribute to friendship, loyalty, and the unpredictable consequences of trying to do the right thing, the film Friends Forever is the ideal way to kick off this year’s Festival.

The Festival’s opening night is traditionally more than just a movie screening; it is a celebration of cinema, entertainment, and the portrait of Greek society presented by the Film Festival.

In Melbourne, the GFF opening night will be screened simultaneously at Palace Pentridge, Palace Como, Palace Balwyn, Palace Penny Lane (Moonee Ponds), and Palace Westgarth, while the traditional opening ceremony will take place at the Astor Theatre in St. Kilda.

In Sydney, the opening night film and the opening ceremony will once again take place at the much-loved Palace Norton Street cinema.

The Festival’s full program, featuring award-winning dramas, comedies, documentaries, audience favorites, and special events, will be announced in the coming weeks.

TICKETS FOR THE OPENING NIGHT ARE NOW ON SALE.

Visit www.greekfilmfestival.com.au for more info and tickets