The Athens 14th Open Air Film Festival is back for the summer

The 14th Athens Open Air Film Festival (AOAFF) is ready to welcome tourists and residents to enjoy the city in a refreshing way. 

Despite the heat wave currently sweeping over Athens, this film festival is an opportunity to catch a flick and explore the city at night in a sweat-free environment. 

From June to September, different parts of the city will be transformed into outdoor cinemas playing old, new and classic films. These open-air films are free entrance for anyone wanting a unique cinematic experience in unexpected environments, whether that be next to ancient ruins or even in a park among the trees.  

There will be approximately 20 screenings throughout the summer that will appeal to all cinematic preferences. Stephan Frears’ “High Fidelity” kicks off the festival on June 17 at 9:30 p.m., in the courtyard of Zappeion Megaron, a cultural center. It hosts a variety of events and conferences and is in the center of three other magnificent destinations in Athens; the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kallimarmaro and Athens National Garden. Get there early to explore the sights before enjoying the film!

Last year’s AOAFF ended with a screening of “Gone with the Wind” by Victor Fleming, at the Gardens of the French School of Athens. Special screenings sometimes occur at the festival too. In August 2023, before its official release date in Greece, the now Oscar winning film “Anatomy of the Fall” by Justine Triet, premiered at Aegli, located in the Zappeion Gardens. 

This inclusive event is organized by the Athens International Film Festival Premiere Nights and the Organization of Culture, Sports and Youth of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA). The festival has recently partnered with PPC, a dominant energy company of Greece, to make this year’s outdoor cinema event possible. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” and “The Lion King” are classics but also cater to children, making this festival a family affair. If you are a tourist wanting to sightsee, there’s been movies at the Roman Agora, and if you are a history enthusiast, maybe a movie at Plato Academy Park might spark your interest. 

The complete program of the largest open air festival in the city has not been released yet, so look out for more details on which films are screening and their corresponding locations.