Athens is once again transforming into a fashion hub, hosting the seventh edition of Eleven The Fashion Project, the women’s fashion trade show that will take place at the Zappeion Megaron from January 30 to February 1, 2026.

Eleven The Fashion Project brings together designers, manufacturers, and retailers, positioning Athens as an international destination for fashion and commerce.

Since 2019, Eleven The Fashion Project has established itself as an important institution for showcasing contemporary Greek creativity, bringing together more than 340 brands and over 5,000 professionals from 22 countries.

With a consistent vision to strengthen the international presence of the Greek fashion industry, Eleven The Fashion Project offers a modern and professional exhibition environment within the Zappeion Megaron — a venue of historical significance in the heart of Athens, where cultural heritage meets contemporary design.

The event is organized by Eleven S.A., a company with 24 years of dedicated presence in the fashion sector.

A documentary by Eva Stefani, produced by Onassis Culture, inspired by the performance Transverse Orientation (2021) by Dimitris Papaioannou.

From January 31, at Danaos Cinema for a limited number of screenings, as part of the CineDoc documentary festival.

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CLICK HERE to watch the official trailer!

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Director Eva Stefani follows the preparation and European tour of Dimitris Papaioannou’s Transverse Orientation, observing the acclaimed Greek creator and his collaborators up close as they shape and breathe life into the work. Stefani’s camera captured two years of rehearsal footage at the Onassis Cultural Center during the pandemic and performances in Paris, London, Vilnius, and other international venues, culminating in the final performance in San Francisco.

The Heart of the Bull is an intimate portrait of the multifaceted artist and director Dimitris Papaioannou. The viewer encounters his obsessions, relationships, methods, and constant questioning of the process—despite the fact that process is the only thing he fully trusts. Rehearsals, adaptations, bodies, movement, pressure, images, friendships, and family are laid bare—the preparation of Transverse Orientation reveals his unwavering faith in the creation of art. “The joy of art,” Papaioannou notes, “is that it gives you the sense that there is something beyond the life you live.”

The film premiered at the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, winning the WIFT GR Award and the Special Jury Prize of the Student Youth Committee of Thessaloniki Universities. It was also presented at Doc Lisboa ’25 and DOC NYC, and won the Best Documentary Award at InShadow – Lisbon Screendance Festival ‘25.

Director’s Note

“I have known Dimitris Papaioannou since I was 17, and I always wanted to make a documentary about/with him. When he invited me to film the making-of of Transverse Orientation, I was thrilled. However, at the same time, COVID was surging across Europe, leading to repeated postponements of the performance. Alongside the uncertainty caused by delays and the shadow of the pandemic, the question arose once again: ‘What is the meaning of art in a time of crisis?’

The documentary began as a simple record of a group of dancers and technicians trying to give meaning to the daily routine of preparing a performance that might never happen. At the same time, it is the portrait of an artist who inspires his collaborators and captivates audiences with works that combine pain, heart, and beauty. The filming was done with a very small crew (2–3 people), following the direct cinema method, so that we could be as unobtrusive as possible. We experimented a lot with imagery, particularly out-of-focus shots, which we felt conveyed the uncanny atmosphere we experienced while watching the work. My intention was for the documentary to capture, at least to some degree, the experience of watching Transverse Orientation: its sensuality, darkness, and enigma. Additionally, I wanted to leave gaps that offer a window into the complex psyche of this brilliant artist.”

SCREENINGS

As part of the CineDoc Documentary Festival, The Heart of the Bull will have its Athens premiere on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 20:00, at Danaos Cinema, with the filmmakers in attendance. Through CineDoc’s network, the film will also be shown in Volos and Rethymno, with a special screening in Thessaloniki. Screenings will have Greek and English subtitles.

The documentary is nominated for the Audience Award in Athens, Volos, and Rethymno.

Athens – Danaos Cinema
With filmmakers in attendance:

• Sat, Jan 31, 2026, 20:00 (Premiere)

• Sun, Feb 1, 2026, 20:00

• Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 20:00

• Sat, Feb 7, 2026, 18:00

• Sun, Feb 8, 2026, 18:00

Advance tickets: Danaos Cinema box office and HERE!

For group bookings (10+ people): cinedocanemon@gmail.com | +30 210 7211073

Larisa – Hatzigiannio Cultural Center
Fri, Feb 13, 2026, 20:00
With director Eva Stefani in attendance

Volos – Cultural Center of Nea Ionia
Sat, Feb 14, 2026, 20:00
With director Eva Stefani in attendance
Advance tickets: ENTEKA – Digital Prints
Info: https://www.facebook.com/CineDocVolos

Thessaloniki – Limani, “Stavros Tornes” Hall
Wed, Feb 18, 2026, 19:00

Rethymno – “Simeio” Cultural Space
Sat, Feb 28, 2026, 20:00
With director Eva Stefani in attendance
Info: https://bleproductions.gr/simeio/
Advance tickets: Simeio box office

Director Bio

Eva Stefani was born in the USA and lives in Athens. She has directed over 30 films, spanning ethnographic and experimental cinema. Her work has been screened at festivals worldwide, earning international awards (Oberhausen, Cinéma du Réel, FIPRESCI, etc.), and retrospectives have been organized at festivals like the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival and L’Europe autour de l’Europe, as well as at universities such as NYU and Columbia in New York.

Since 2000, she has participated in international visual arts exhibitions, notably documenta14 and the Venice Biennale. Her latest art installation, The Luminous Cave, was commissioned by the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) as part of the exhibition cycle “What if women ruled the world?”.

In addition to her artistic work, Eva Stefani is a cinema professor in the Department of Communication and Mass Media at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA). Her latest film, The Heart of the Bull, is a unique portrait of director and choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou.

For more information, visit: onassis.org

About CineDoc

CineDoc screens and distributes award-winning Greek and international documentaries. Screenings are organized as part of the CineDoc Documentary Festival, in collaboration with Danaos Cinema, Anesis Summer Cinema, the French Institute, the Film Archive of Greece, CineDoc Volos under the auspices of the Municipality of Volos, and with the support of the Region of Thessaly – P.E. of Magnesia & Northern Sporades, the Municipality of Larissa, Thessaloniki Film Festival (halls “Pavlos Zannas” and “Stavros Tornes”), and the “Simeio” Cultural Space in Rethymno. The festival runs annually from September to April across CineDoc’s network, presenting new films approximately once a month.

The festival is sponsored by the Hellenic Center for Cinema, Audiovisual Media & Creation (E.K.K.O.ME.D.) – Creative Greece.

CineDoc continuously expands its distribution network through screenings across the Greek islands (Cyclades, Sporades, Ionian, and Dodecanese as part of CineDoc Island) and throughout Greece. The festival co-organizes and supports regional screenings in collaboration with cultural and environmental organizations, film clubs, advisory centers, institutions, cinemas, municipalities, and more. Regional screenings run year-round.

Follow CineDoc on Facebook and Instagram. More info: https://www.cinedoc.gr | cinedocanemon@gmail.com

 

THEATRE OF THE NO, Athens’ first English-speaking theatre, presents Samuel Beckett’s iconic one-act play “Krapp’s Last Tape”, one of the most profound and moving works of contemporary theatre. Directed by Elvira Poulianou and starring American actor David Gilliam as Krapp, the performance premieres on Monday, February 16 at 20.30. The play is performed in English with Greek subtitles.

The performance brings to the stage a solitary figure conversing with his past, revealing memories, choices, and missed opportunities. Krapp, an elderly man, sits alone in front of a tape recorder and reels of his old recordings. Through this unique dialogue with his younger self, memories, decisions, losses, and unfulfilled desires unfold from the death of his mother to romantic recollections and abandoned ambitions. Time and memory become the true protagonists in a play where silence is as powerful as the voice.

With bitter humor, moments of heavy silence, and precise language, Beckett’s work reflects on the human inability to reconcile with oneself. Although only one man appears on stage, the echoes of Krapp’s past create a chorus of unseen characters and moments that feel familiar and almost painfully real. The result is a stunning reminder of our relationship with time and the strange intimacy of hearing ourselves speak across the years.

Krapp’s fragile yet piercing journey is both personal and universally recognizable, inviting the audience to reflect on their own lives while watching his unfold on stage.

Elvira Poulianou trained in Athens under Leonidas Trivizas and at the Hatzikos Theatre School. She has performed at the Herodion and Lycabettus Theatre and directed productions such as Short Eyes, Impassioned Embraces, and Written in Sickness, which was awarded by Time Out.

David Gilliam trained at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. He has performed in repertory productions such as Oedipus Rex and Cyrano de Bergerac, worked with notable directors in film, and appeared in the West End, national tours, and fringe theatre productions, most recently as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot at the Theatre of the NO.

The Theatre of the NO continues its strong support for young and emerging musical talents with the 3rd Open Mic Challenge / New Talents Music Nights. This event offers a unique opportunity for artists to perform original material in sets of up to 45 minutes, while the audience participates actively in a live voting process.

The Open Mic Challenge is an open platform for artistic expression, aiming to highlight new musical voices and foster an active, interactive music community.

Audience Participation & Competition: The audience plays an active role throughout the evening through live voting, selecting their favorite artist. This process strengthens the connection between listeners and creators, showcasing the power of the live music experience.

Awards & Benefits: Each month, one winner is selected, while at the end of the season five finalists will be chosen to compete in the grand finale, where one overall winner will receive a cash prize.

Participation in the competition is unpaid; however, it offers significant benefits in terms of exposure, experience, and networking, serving as an important step forward in the artistic development of the participants.

Date & Time: Thursday, February 19 at 21:00
Entrance Fee: 5€

Credits:

• Poster Design: Sotiria Bramou
• Communications & PR: Eleftheria Sakareli

Submission Guidelines for Artists:
Interested performers can submit their materials to: theatreoftheno@gmail.com

Dimitri Vegas, one of the most recognizable and influential DJs and producers worldwide, arrives at Universe Multivenue on Friday, March 6, 2026, for an exclusive live DJ set. With a career spanning over two decades and a permanent fixture at the forefront of the international electronic scene, Dimitri Vegas is the force behind some of modern EDM’s most iconic tracks—including Woops, Tremor, and The Hum—which collectively boast over 300 million streams on Spotify.

The night’s lineup is rounded out by Manolaco and Lost Prince, two leading names in the contemporary electronic circuit. Manolaco remains a cornerstone of Greek club culture, with a long-standing presence and signature groove-driven sets that have shaped the local scene. Lost Prince stands out for his hypnotic, melodic techno sound, delivering atmospheric and intense sets that build tension and raw emotion on the dancefloor.

A perennial headliner at the world's biggest festivals and a benchmark for modern dance culture, Dimitri Vegas promises a high-energy night defined by his trademark build-ups and powerful drops. His set is specifically designed for the Universe space, transforming the performance into a complete audiovisual experience where sound and digital visuals function as a single, immersive entity.

The event is produced by DRGNBLL (Dragonball), a dynamic new booking and entertainment brand dedicated to developing and executing high-specification modern musical experiences. With an emphasis on the international scene, technology, and contemporary aesthetics, DRGNBLL aims to redefine how major electronic acts are presented in Greece.

At Universe Multivenue, every night is unique. Cutting-edge sound and lighting technology meet world-class productions, creating a new landmark for live events in Athens.

Kostyantyn is Vienna’s self-proclaimed best well-dressed comedian. Born in Donetsk, raised in Athens, and currently based in Vienna, Kostyantyn is touring his new show ‘Victim of Love’ and bringing it home for one night only! 

Victim of Love is a raw, unfiltered, painfully relatable comedy hour about dating disasters, emotional chaos, and the questionable decisions that led one very well-dressed man to write an entire show about his love life. This show is all about the messy, modern chaos of trying to find love when everything seems designed to break you.

Kostyantyn takes the stage with nothing but a microphone, too much emotional baggage, and a long list of romantic failures; and serves them to you on a platter of comedy gold. 

This is the kind of show where you laugh hard, nod silently, and think:

“Wow… I’ve made all those mistakes too.”

A regular at The Comedy Pub in Vienna, Kostyantyn has also performed at clubs including Backyard Comedy Club (London), Cosmic Comedy Club (Berlin), Lucky Punch & The Jungle Comedy Club (Munich), Metro Comedy Club (Prague), and The Fool & Club 99 (Bucharest).

He is currently performing his work-in-progress solo show “Victim of Love,” a brutally honest hour about dating disasters, romantic optimism, and why modern love sometimes feels like a subscription service you forgot to cancel.

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FokiaNou Art Space presents the group exhibition “A Closer Look II” with works by five artists who explore different aspects of the human experience. The exhibition focuses on detail and deeper observation, from the body and the city to nature and memory.

Duration: March 19 – April 4, 2026

Opening:  Thursday, March 19, 18:00  Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 17:00–20:00 

Buschbeck explores the delicate conversation between man and nature: the eternal rhythm of blossoming and decay, the traces of transformation, light and darkness. She wonders how nature reflects man and whether the earth can hold a memory, where time ends and memory persists.

 

Gounari explores the invisible ecologies of the natural world through digitally transformed landscape photographs. Roots, rocks, foliage and water flows reveal underground networks and interdependencies that are usually hidden. The negative color palette destabilizes the visual habit, suggesting the landscape as a living, multi-layered system.

 

A year after the great fires, Zachariou returns to the burnt landscapes of Penteli, Parnitha and Rhodes. Her photographic eye captures the fragile balance between the loss and regeneration of a landscape that is slowly transforming, within a world of climate change.

 

Kantas approaches functional dyspepsia as a psychosomatic phenomenon and wanders around Athens following the traces of physical discomfort. The body becomes a tool for reading the urban landscape, revealing stories that persist beneath the surface.

 

Her photographic wanderings in Palermo map a city through the desires of her friends. From the intensity of the markets to the silence of the churches, her images combine sweetness, mortality and sunlight, revealing the many layers of the urban experience.

 

Participants: Bettina Buschbeck, Dimitra Gounari, Kyveli Zachariou, Vassilis Kantas, Georgia Touliatou. Curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris.

 

FokiaNou Art Space is an active and open creative hub, promoting collaboration between Greek and international artists. In 2024, it celebrated ten years of continuous presence, having presented, under the curatorship of Panagiotis Voulgaris and Mary Cox, more than 70 group, solo and interdisciplinary exhibitions, as well as workshops and lectures. Its outward-looking character is further strengthened through participation in major international events, such as the TRYST Art Fair at the Torrance Art Museum in Los Angeles, the Athena exhibition in Karlsruhe (2025) and the SuperMarket Independent Art Fair in Stockholm (2023, 2019), contributing to the interconnection of independent art spaces and the creation of a broader international network of collaborations. 

After a banging premiere on January 25th, HOI POLLOI improv troupe invites you to more hilarious, awkward, improv shows powered by the Athens English Comedy Club and House of Improv!

🥳 Hoi Polloi welcome you to an evening of pure fun. Featuring some of Athens’ most experienced performers, their fast-paced comedy is created right here, right now, as you watch. 

💪 A team of improvisers take inspiration from the crowd at the beginning of the show and then perform a random number of scenes. Some scenes will appear once and then disappear forever, other scenes or characters might reappear. Free improv utilizes all the tools of improvisation theater, offering stories and scenes that can be both funny and dramatic, surreal and grounded, short and long. 

✋ A single suggestion from the audience will see them build a world where human flaws and frailties are on full display, bringing glorious laughs and moments of touching joy.

😆 Expect bold characters, unexpected connections, joyful chaos, and those beautifully awkward situations. 

💥 A show where ideas and references collide and nothing ever quite goes as planned. 

⁉ Every night will be completely different, and anything can happen.

This is improv that celebrates the weird, warm, confusing, and human side of all of us, performed in - let's be real - moderate English. 

🤝 The HOI POLLOI (/ˌhɔɪ pəˈlɔɪ/ from the greek words “the many”) troupe is made up of experienced improvisers with 3 to 15 years of practice. After performing together regularly they decided to join forces and creating a new, unstoppable, ensemble. 

🎆 Created with the vision to offer amazing improv to English speakers in Athens, they bring diverse backgrounds, strong chemistry, and a shared love for playful, honest scenes. 

😎 Funny, awkward, energetic, and sometimes touching — their focus is always great improv, making eachother and the audience look good, and creating a great night out.

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📅 Sunday, March 22nd

⏰ Time: 21:00 (Doors open 20:40)

⏳ Duration: 1h20 (without interval)

🎟 Tickets:
* Early-bird: €8
* General admission: €12
* At the door: €15

 

♿ The theatre is wheelchair accessible.

👶 Recommended for audiences aged 16 and above.

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The Athens International Literature Festival debuts at Technopolis from March 27–29, 2026. This three-day celebration brings together world-renowned authors, Nobel and Booker prize winners, journalists, and activists for a series of provocative discussions on the most urgent topics in literature and society today.

Program Highlights

The festival features a stellar international lineup exploring identity, gendered violence, the rise of the far-right, and the future of reading in the digital age. Key participants include:

• Nobel & Booker Winners: László Krasznahorkai, Paul Lynch, David Szalay, and Nicole Krauss.

• Featured Voices: Kevin Barry, Selva Almada, Katharina Volckmer, and activist Lilian Thuram.

• Special Events: Masterclasses with Paul Lynch and Nicole Krauss, book signings at the "Old Retorts" venue, and a tribute to Athenian chronicler Menis Koumandareas.

Quick Schedule

• Friday: Opening talks on resistance and political anxiety (18:00 – 21:00).

• Saturday: Full day of panels on femicide, Dark Europe, and book clubs (12:00 – 20:00).

• Sunday: Discussions on AI, cinema vs. literature, and deconstructing racial identity (14:00 – 20:00).

You can take a look at the fulle schedule HERE and on the AILF website!

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