Zefyros Athens

An open air cinephile experience

Antonis from Athens

Antonis Tsapepas (1974) About me I was born in Athens, a few metres from the Ancient Cemetery of Kerameikos, as were my father and my grandfather. Therefore, I consider myself a native of this unique city. Perhaps these images of the ancient monuments from my childhood made me want to become an archaeologist. I was able to do this by earning a degree in archaeology from t...
"Here is where viewers, myself included, got to know the worlds of Bunuel, Welles, Tarkovsky, Ozu, Bergman, and many more emblematic filmmakers."

Athens is one of the few European cities where you can watch a movie in an open-air cinema. This type of cinema is known as therino in Greek (theros means summer) and can be found in many city neighborhoods. It has always been a favorite place of the Athenians for a summer night out. The movie is not always important, as long as you sit and watch while drinking a cold beer and eating a snack.

Perhaps the most special of these cinemas is, in my opinion, Zefyros in Petralona. The history of Zefyros begins in the distant year 1932 when it started as a venue for variety shows. In the following decades, it was converted into a cinema following the rise in popularity of cinema as a form of entertainment and the heyday of Greek cinema. In the 1980s, its owners make a brave decision that will result in Zephyros differentiating itself and becoming a favorite destination for the city's cinephiles. They decided that Zephyros would show only older classic films and more recent works by important world cinema artists. As a result, it became a favorite haunt of Athens' cinephiles, where they discover a revealing, original, demanding, restless, and authentic cinema. Here is where viewers, myself included, got to know the worlds of Bunuel, Welles, Tarkovsky, Ozu, Bergman, and many more emblematic filmmakers.

Today, in defiance of contemporary trends, Zefyros continues its solitary course, and every summer evening is full of people who want a genuine cinephile experience.

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Athens Spotter Antonis

Antonis Tsapepas (1974) About me I was born in Athens, a few metres from the Ancient Cemetery of Kerameikos, as were my father and my grandfather. Therefore, I consider myself a native of this unique city. Perhaps these images of the ancient monuments from my childhood made me want to become an archaeologist. I was able to do this by earning a degree in archaeology from the University of Athens, even though I never worked in the field. So over time, archaeology and my love for Athens turned into a constant quest to uncover its secrets, neighbourhoods, bui...

About this spot

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2103462677

Sep 16, 2025

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