elc team
By Old Boy
Old Boy went to the movies and has some recommendations
“Do We Match?” That’s the question posed in the Greek title of Celine Song’s new film. At least in the Greek version, since the original is “Materialists” and Madonna’s “Material Girl” plays in the trailer. Celine Song stole hearts two years ago with Past Lives and now returns with a similar dilemma: once again, a woman caught between two men. Dakota Johnson plays the woman, a professional matchmaker—an occupation that seems to be coming back into style, especially in New York, where everything seems to start. And when one of the choices is Pedro Pascal, we’re clearly in summer crowd-pleaser territory. In the worst case, we’ll have a film full of glamorous names—perfect for an open-air cinema night. In the best case, we’ll get a movie that tries to add its own take on modern relationships, on how people “match” today, and the criteria by which two individuals decide to take—or not take—that big step toward intimacy.
“28 Years Later” by Danny Boyle. When the first lockdowns hit and urban streets were deserted, many of us who had seen 28 Days Later recalled its imagery. A sequel with a different team (28 Weeks Later) came in between, and now, 23 years after the original 2002 film, Danny Boyle returns behind the camera with dystopian sci-fi master Alex Garland writing the script. Viruses escaping from labs, suffocating quarantines, the infected and the fearful—it all hits differently now. And zombies under the stars of a summer night? Not a bad idea at all. As for the cast: there’s the strongly rumored new James Bond Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, and the one and only Ralph Fiennes.
“The Birthday Party” by Miguel Ángel Jiménez, based on the novel of the same name by Panos Karnezis. A tycoon throws a party for his daughter’s 25th birthday on his private island. He’s played by Willem Dafoe, with supporting roles by Christos Stergioglou and Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos. Set in the jet-set scene of the 1970s, the film promises to blend wild parties with Greek tragedy, and to bring The Great Gatsby into conversation with Festen. Like every summer, every film is a promise waiting to be fulfilled. But heaven forbid everything depended solely on being fulfilled. What kind of life would we live without summers, without films, without promises?
Island Open-Air Cinemas: When the Big Screen Looks to the Stars
In every corner of the Aegean Sea, when the sun sets and the breeze softens, cinephile magic comes alive outdoors. From community courtyards to old schoolyards, island cinemas transform into meeting places, emotional havens, and dreamy summer sanctuaries.
Mykonos: Cine Manto, Paros: Enastron, Andros: Alex, Santorini: Cine Kamari, Syros: Pallas, Kimolos: Cine Kalisperitis, Samos: Rex, Kos: Orfeas, Chania: Kipos
Cine Kalisperitis: Summer Nights on the Island of the Evening Star
Nestled in the serene landscape of Kimolos, Cine Kalisperitis is more than just an open-air cinema — it’s a heartfelt invitation to pause, gather, and dream under the stars. Created in 2014 by the passionate volunteer group Kimolistes, this charming pop-up cinema is named after the first star that appears in the sky at twilight — affectionately called “Kalisperitis” (the Evening Star) by the locals.
From June to September, the cinema transforms courtyards, schoolyards, and hidden corners of the island into magical movie spaces, offering free weekly screenings for everyone — locals, visitors, wanderers, and cinephiles. Films are projected beneath the open sky, and every screening is a small celebration — always weather-permitting, always soul-stirring.
It’s not just about the films — it’s about sharing a moment, a breeze, a laugh, and the kind of stillness that only an Aegean night can offer.
Kimolos | Free entrance | 1–2 screenings per week | Organized by Kimolistes
