![\"Hold](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Hold_Onto_Me_281206c1-086f-465f-9698-d56cf3ae1792.jpg\")
Opening Night screening at DGA New York Theater to feature writer and director Myrsini Aristidou and actor Christos Passalis, followed by audience Q&A<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Opening Night screening at DGA New York Theater to feature writer and director Myrsini Aristidou and actor Christos Passalis, followed by audience Q&A<\/p>\n
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New York, N.Y. \u2014 The\u00a0New York Greek Film Expo 2026, presented by the Hellenic Film Society, will have its New York Premiere Thursday, October 8 with\u00a0Hold Onto Me (\u039a\u03c1\u03ac\u03c4\u03b1 \u039c\u03b5), the winner of the\u00a02026 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for World Cinema Dramatic Competition\u00a0and Cyprus\u2019 first official submission to the Oscars for consideration in the Best Foreign Film category.<\/p>\n
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Hold Onto Me\u00a0follows 11-year-old Iris, who is determined to reconnect with her estranged father after he returns to Cyprus for his own father’s funeral. Her efforts to bring him back into her life slowly develop into a fragile bond.<\/p>\n
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The film stars\u00a0Maria Petrova, Christos Passalis, Jenny Sallo, Aulona Lupa and Andreas Koutsoftas. Writer and director\u00a0Myrsini Aristidou\u00a0and lead actor\u00a0Christos Passalis\u00a0will be in attendance for an audience Q&A following the screening.\u00a0Katia Goulioni\u00a0will serve as host of the 2026 New York Greek Film Expo.<\/p>\n
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Maria C. Miles, President of the Hellenic Film Society, says, “The Hellenic Film Society tries to bring the best of Greek cinema to its audiences every year. This year, I think we have a very special lineup of twelve films to take center stage at the New York Greek Film Expo. Kicking off the Expo is Myrsini Aristidou\u2019s debut feature film,\u00a0Hold Onto Me.\u00a0It is a masterfully written and directed film with magnetic performances by Christos Passalis and Maria Petrova. It mesmerized Sundance audiences and I\u2019m certain our New York audience will be equally besotted.\u201d<\/p>\n
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OPENING NIGHT \u2014 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8<\/p>\n
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The evening begins with an\u00a0Opening Night Reception at 5:00 p.m. at Acadia Restaurant, located at\u00a0101 West 57th Street, New York, NY<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The Opening Night screening of\u00a0Hold Onto Me\u00a0begins at\u00a07:00 p.m. at the DGA New York Theater,\u00a0110 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019<\/a>. The film is\u00a0in Greek with English subtitles\u00a0and will be followed by an audience Q&A with Myrsini Aristidou, writer and director, and Christos Passalis, lead actor.<\/p>\n
Opening Night tickets are available for the film screening only. The reception is sold out.\u00a0Tickets are available online at\u00a0HellenicFilmSociety.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0New York Greek Film Expo runs October 8\u201318, 2026, presenting the latest in Greek cinema along with special events, filmmaker appearances and audience discussions at venues throughout New York City and New Jersey.<\/p>\n
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