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Best International Feature Film goes to…
The Oscars are due in just two days, on 26 April. Last year, a few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Europe and the Americas, the South Korean film ‘Parasite’, directed by Bong Joon-ho, won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, but also the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. This was a historical moment: ‘Parasite’ was the first South Korean film to have been nominated in these categories, as well as the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. This year, there will be a total of 23 Academy Awards. Of those, the one I’m most excited about…
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6 French and Italian crime series to watch
Bonjour! Or, should I say Buongiorno? A couple of months ago, I published two posts about Greek covers of French and Italian songs respectively. Then, earlier this month, I published two posts about some of my favourite French and Italian films. Today, I discuss some of the French and Italian crime series I’ve recently watched. 3 French crime series to watch The Mantis (La Mante) ‘The Mantis’ is a French crime series available on Netflix. There are a total of six 50-to-60-minute-long episodes, where a convicted serial killer, known as the Mantis, helps the Police track down the perpetrator of copy-cat murders. The Other Mother (Maman a tort) Based on…
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25 French films worth watching
Oscars are due in just over two weeks, on 26 April. This year, there will be a total of 23 Academy Awards. Of those, the one I’m most excited about is the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (previously known as Best Foreign Language Film). So far, the most awarded foreign country is Italy (with 14 Oscars won), while France is the second most awarded one (12 Oscars), as well as the foreign country with the most nominations (37). Today, I’d like to take the opportunity to discuss some of my favourite French films. Portrait de la jeune fille en feu ‘Portrait de la jeune fille en feu’ (‘Portrait…
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12 (+1) Italian films to watch
The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, honouring the best films of 2020, is due to take place on 25 April. I recently watched the film ‘The Life Ahead’ (‘La vita davanti a sé’) by Edoardo Ponti and starring Sophia Loren. Set in Bari, it is based in the novel ‘The Life Before Us’, which is set in Paris instead. Although the film has not been nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the song ‘Io sì (Seen)’ written by Diane Warren and performed by Laura Pausini has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Inspired by ‘The Life Ahead’, I have been reflecting on some…
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Samali: a traditional Greek mastic-flavoured cake
The 25th of March is a national holiday in Greece. To celebrate, I have baked a samali, a delicious traditional Greek cake, made with semolina (instead of flour), flavoured with ground mastic, and soaked in syrup. Greeks celebrate today for two reasons: a religious (the Feast of Annunciation to the Virgin Mary), as well as a historical one (the starting date of the Revolution or War of Independence, which led to the establishment of the Modern Greek state in 1830). In fact, this year marks the 200-year anniversary of the declaration of the Revolution against the Ottomans, who had occupied Greece since the 15th century. The 400-hundred Ottoman rule has…
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Finland tops the World Happiness Report
Today, March 20th, is the International Day of Happiness. According to the ninth World Happiness Report, published yesterday, Finland is once again on the top of the happiness rankings (for a fourth year running). It is followed by the usual culprits: Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands. As usual, the happiest countries in the world are predominantly in Western Europe. New Zealand is the only non-European country in this year’s top 10 (9th place). Canada is no longer in the top 10 (15th place), whereas Germany has made it to the top 10 of the happiest countries in the world. My home country, Greece, is in the 51st place (better than last year’s…
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Lagana: the traditional Greek sesame flatbread
Today is a bank holiday in Greece, known as ‘Kathara Deftera’ (lit. Clean Monday). In the Greek Orthodox liturgical calendar, Kathara Deftera is the start of the Great Lent, and as such, it is the equivalent to Shrove Monday. The day falls on the 7th Monday before the (Orthodox) Easter; it follows the 3 weeks of Carnival celebrations (‘Apokries’). Kite-flying is one of the main Kathara Deftera customs, often accompanied by outdoor dining. The menu consists of seafood, taramasalata (fish roe dip), halva, and lagana, a traditional Greek sesame flatbread, baked only on this day. Although most Greeks buy their laganas from a bakery, it is an easy bread to bake…
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10 Greek islands to visit after the pandemic
Last week, it was announced that Cyprus would soon allow fully vaccinated British tourists into the country without any restrictions, such as the need for a negative COVID test or quarantine on arrival to the island. Meanwhile, other countries, Greece included, are keen to establish vaccine passport systems, to facilitate international travel. Hopefully, such a system will be in place before the summer, so we can travel safely and responsibly. In anticipation of this, here is my list of 10 Greek islands to visit after the pandemic: Serifos The Cyclades is a group of islands in the Aegean Sea, so close to each other (island-hopping, anyone?) and yet so different.…
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My 7 (+1) favorite books
Today is the World Book Day. A few months ago, I was nominated by my friend Haris to list my 7 favorite books in 7 days. At first, I was so excited about the prospect of looking back to the books I’ve read and reflecting on my favorite ones that I eagerly accepted the challenge. But then I realized that I had read so many books that I had a lot more than 7 favorites. Which ones to choose? To help make up my mind, I started reflecting on the reasons why I love reading books. Truth be told, I’ve not always been a bibliophile and an avid reader. As…
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10 places in Europe to visit after the pandemic
Last Saturday, the Guardian featured twenty pieces written by authors, travel writers and journalists on the places they were longing to go. Inspired by their reverie, I started daydreaming about the places I am longing to go. The realist in me quickly took charge, so I focused my reverie on those places in Europe that I would like to visit (or visit again) once the pandemic is over. So, here is the list of my top 10 places in Europe to visit after the pandemic: Skyros (Greece) Skyros is my favourite Greek island, which I last visited last summer, and I hope to visit again this summer (COVID permitting of…