When we think of Greek stories, we think of the classics—”The Odyssey,” “The Iliad,” “Antigone,” “Oedipus.” But Greece’s more recent history has produced stories just as rich—and often just as dramatic. Over the past century, Greek cinema has evolved through dictatorship, occupation, and economic crisis, with each era inspiring a new generation of filmmakers.
The quick succession of the fascist Metexas Regime, Nazi control, and civil war in the 1930s and ‘40s sets the scene for Theo Angelopoulos’s “The Traveling Players,” an epic meditation of the perseverance of art through instability. An economic rebound in the ‘50s led to global hits like “Never on Sunday” and “Zorba the Greek,” while the military junta of 1967 sparked bold political filmmaking like Costa-Gavras’s “Z.” Jump ahead to the aftermath of the 2008 financial collapse and you will find the “Greek Weird Wave,” with films like “Dogtooth” and “Attenberg” offering surreal, unsettling portraits of life in a fractured society.
This mix of ancient myth and modern instability gives Greece a unique place in the storytelling world—where every narrative feels layered with history, memory, and reinvention. “The Trip to Greece,” which screens at The Triplex this Saturday, plays with those layers. It is a comedy on the surface—a road trip full of impressions and banter—but it also turns reflective, tying its characters’ midlife questions to the timeless journey of Odysseus.
After the screening, we will be joined by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Joachim Frank, whose new novel “Ierapetra” follows a brother and sister peeling back their own layered history on a trip to Crete. It is a story that reinforces Greece’s enduring appeal to storytellers, inspiring us to connect with the past while reminding us that the future always remains unwritten.
Now Playing
“The Wedding Banquet”
A modern rom-com from director Andrew Ahn.
Starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-chan, Joan Chen, and Academy Award winner Youn Yuh-jung, “The Wedding Banquet” follows Min (Han), a Korean artist desperate to stay in the States instead of joining the family business. Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris (Yang), Min proposes a green card marriage to his longtime friend Angela (Tran) in exchange for paying for IVF treatments for her and her partner (Gladstone). The elopement plans are upended, however, when Min’s grandmother (Youn) surprises them with an extravagant Korean wedding banquet.
Part of our Limited Engagement Series, “The Wedding Banquet” plays for one week from May 16 to 22.
“A League of Their Own”
“Comfort Food” returns with the baseball classic!
Our “Comfort Food” series with the Berkshire Food Co-op returns this May with Penny Marshall’s “A League Of Their Own”! Grab a hot dog on our patio and pick up one of the Co-op’s amazing baseball-themed gift boxes before heading in to watch the classic story of the rise of the Rockford Peaches starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty, Rosie O’Donnell, and Madonna!
May 20, at 7 p.m.
“The Land of Azaba”
Free documentary screening with director Greta Schiller.
A closely observed exploration of the worldwide effort to turn back the tide of mass extinction and restore balance to the earth, “The Land of Azaba” is the next entry in our free environmental documentary screening series, sponsored by the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation and the Roaring Brook Family Foundation.
Filmed in far western Spain, “The Land of Azaba” immerses viewers in a world where humans and wildlife work together to save rare species from extinction by restoring the largest tract of wild nature in western Europe. After the screening, join director Greta Schiller for a conversation about the global ecological restoration movement and the ways we can work to restore our local ecosystems.
May 21, at 7 p.m.
“Raiders of the Lost Ark”
An extra special member-appreciation screening!
Our members voted on their favorite summer blockbuster classic and picked “Raiders of the Lost Ark” as our next Member Appreciation Screening!
Join us on May 22 for a special screening of Steven Spielberg’s globe-trotting adventure that introduced the world to Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood as they attempt to acquire the mythical Ark of the Covenant before it can be converted into a weapon by Nazi scientists. Come early to enter our raffle for a collection of “Indiana Jones” collectibles, and stick around after the movie for a conversation with a very special guest…
May 22, at 7 p.m.
“Sinners”
The new film from visionary director Ryan Coogler.
From visionary director Ryan Coogler (“Creed,” “Black Panther”) comes “Sinners,” a wholly original blockbuster that celebrates Black culture while delivering all the genre thrills you could ever want.
After surviving stints in World War I and with the Chicago mob, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) return home to Mississippi to start a juke joint for the local Black community. But when opening night rolls around, the brothers must deal with a sinister force of evil unlike any they have ever encountered.
“Thunderbolts*”
A rag-tag superhero team-up from Marvel.
A group of disillusioned mercenaries and would-be superheroes embark on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront the darkest corners of their past in Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*.” Director Jake Schreier (“Beef,” “Robot And Frank”) creates a Dirty Dozen for the superhero era with an offbeat team that includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Harbour, Lewis Pullman, and more.
Coming Soon
“Lilo & Stitch”
The beloved story of a fugitive alien who finds an unlikely home in Hawaii, Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch” comes to The Triplex for Memorial Day weekend! When Stitch (AKA experiment 62), voiced by series creator Chris Sanders, escapes the clutches of the United Galactic Federation, he hides from his would-be captors by posing as the rescue dog of Lilo, an outcast little girl struggling to fit in following the passing of her parents. Starring newcomers Maia Kealoha and Sydney Elizebeth Agudong alongside a cast that includes Zach Galifnakis, Courtney B. Vance, and Billy Magnussen, “Lilo & Stitch” is a madcap adventure that celebrates the messiness of family.
Starts May 23.
“Pride & Prejudice”
Featuring the “hand flex” that inspired a thousand memes, Joe Wright’s “Pride & Prejudice” comes to The Triplex next week! Celebrating its 20th anniversary, catch this electric adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic story of love, longing, and stubborn misunderstanding starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFayden and featuring Rosamund Pike and Carey Mulligan in breakout roles.
Starts May 23.
“Bad Shabbos”
An accidental death—or was it a murder?—sends a Shabbat dinner off the rails in “Bad Shabbos,” a new comedy coming to The Triplex for a Limited Engagement starting on May 23. Winner of the Audience Award at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, “Bad Shabbos” follows David and his Catholic fiancée Meg as they gather their families together to meet for a dinner that becomes a comedy of biblical proportions.
Part of our Limited Engagement Series, “Bad Shabbos” plays for one week from May 23 to 29.
The Berkshire International Film Festival
The annual mix of trailblazing indies, introspective docs, and all-access filmmaker conversations returns to The Triplex when the BIFF comes to The Triplex from May 30 to June 1! See the full lineup and grab passes and tickets now at BIFF’s website.
