A historical documentary by Maria Iliou and a photographic exhibition.

What was Athens like after the first Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896, and until 1922? Why did Athenians go to the front for so many wars, like the war of 1897, the Balkan wars of 1912-1913, World War I in 1917 and the Asia Minor campaign from 1919 to 1922? How was Athens transformed from the era of the Belle Epoque to the Athens of the Great Idea and the National Schism, and how was the city transformed, in September 1922?

Through widely unknown archival visual material from three continents, photographs and film footage discovered and preserved in America, Australia and Europe, director Maria Iliou, historical consultant Alexandros Kitroef and their collaborators once again weave a fascinating story, told in a documentary film and an accompanying photographic exhibition at the Benaki Museum of Hellenic Culture, at 1 Koumbari Street.

With Roderick Beaton (Professor Emeritus at the Korais Chair at King's College and Chairman of the Board of the British School of Athens), Katherine Fleming (New York University), Nikos Vatopoulos (Kathimerini Newspaper), Christina Koulouri (Panteion University), Alexandros Kitroef (Haverford College), Jim Wright (American School of Classical Studies), Marina Lambraki Plaka (former Director of the National Gallery), Sir Michael Llewellyn Smith (King's College, London), while Despina Geroulanou and Philip Mazarakis-Ainian tell family stories from the National Schism.

Director: Maria Iliou

Music: Nikos Platyrachos

Editing: Aliki Panagi

Director of Photography: Buddy Squires

Sound: John Zecca, Marc Mandler

Mixing: Thymios Koliokousis

Production: Proteas & Proteus NY Inc.