HHF Recommends

See below for recommendations from members of the HHF’s award-winning History Committee for links to interesting books, music, film, series, documentaries, podcasts, and websites related to all things Greek.

New additions are added frequently so come back here often for new material:

Hermès Pan

Kalo mina and happy Valentine’s Day. This month Katherine Kirzati of the HHF’s History Committee recommends the dancer and choreographer Hermès Pan. If you like this video, and want more, please check out our website at HHF.ca.

Our Yiayia Sofia

Kali protoxronia kai kalo mina! This month’s award-winning history committee member Cathy Mobilos recommends our Yiayia Sofia. You can check out her page @yiayiasofia.

Greek Chef Akis Petrizikis

Kalo Mina! HHF’s history committee is back with another great tip. Check out Marilena’s recommendation of Greek Chef Akis Petrizikis.

Mary Katrantzou

Kalo Mina! HHF’s award winning history committee is back at it. This Fall, Irene Kritikopoulos recommends Greek fashion designer Mary Katrantzou. Known as the Queen of Print, Mary Katrantzou’s designs have graced the major runways of the world.

Marinella

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee has another great Greek recommendation for June. Barbara Athanasoulas recommends the iconic Greek Singer Marinella. Greece’s first entry into the Eurovision Song contest, among other achievements.

Cypria: A Journey to the Heart of the Mediterranean

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee has another great Greek recommendation for September. Bob Georgiou recommends reading the 2024 book “Cypria: A Journey to the Heart of the Mediterranean” by Alex Christofi.

Agios Porfyrios Monastery

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee has another great Greek recommendation for August. Voula Gountas recommends visiting Agios Porfyrios Monastery located just outside of Athens in the village of Milesi.

White Water Rafting on the Lousios River in Arcadia

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee has another great Greek recommendation for July. Cathy Mobilos recommends white water rafting in Arcadia on the Lousios river.

The Castle Fortress and Village of Mystras

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee has another great Greek recommendation for June. Barbara Athanasoulas recommends visiting the Castle Fortress and Village of Mystras – a UNESCO world heritage site situated on the Taygetos Mountain.

Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint

Kalo Mina! Our HHF Recommends for May is a compelling read, Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. Recommended by Gus Constantinou, a member of our award-winning History Committee. We’re bringing the best of Greek things to you every month. Enjoy!

The Centre for Visual Arts and Research (CVAR)

Kalo Mina! Our HHF Recommends for April is the Centre for Visual Arts and Research located in Nicosia, Cyprus. This month’s recommendation comes from Irene Kritikopoulos, a member of our award-winning History Committee.


To learn more about the work and features of the CVAR, click here: https://cvar.severis.org/en/

The Island of the Missing Trees

Kalo Mina! This month’s recommendation comes from our History Committee volunteer, Tina Poulimenou-Tzatzanis and is the novel: The Island of Missing Trees written by Elif Shafak. Set between Cyprus and London, this novel is a mix of fantasy and realism and delves into the topics of love, loss, heritage, history, nature and belonging.

Ulysses’ Gaze

Kalo Mina! Our HHF Recommends for February is the film , Ulysses’ Gaze. Directed by Theodoros Angelopoulos and starring film legends, Harvey Keitel and Thanasis Veggos to name a few. This month’s recommendation comes from Iason-Nikolaos Rodopoulos, a member of our award-winning History Committee and PhD candidate at York University.

Murder in Mykonos

Kalo Mina! Kai Kali Protoxronia! Our first HHF Recommends of the new year is a compelling read, Murder in Mykonos. Recommended by Katherine Kirzati, a member of our award-winning History Committee, we’re bringing the best of Greek things to you every month. Enjoy!

“Z”

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee is back with a great Greek recommendation for December. “Z” is a book and an adapted film, that every Greek should read and watch!

In the Beginning of the Song

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee has another great Greek recommendation for November. Helen Walsh is a big fan of Greek music and she’s found the perfect blog for more insight into the songs and performers.

Amerika Square

Our award-winning History Committee has a new Greek recommendation for the month of October. Since the Greek International Film Festival Tour (GIFFT) has screenings all month, volunteer Tina Poulimenou-Tzatzanis is getting into the spirit of things with her own film recommendation! You can find the film here:

https://corinthfilms.com/films/amerika-square/

Greek Food Blogs

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee is back with a Greek recommendation for the month of September! If you’re if you’re looking for new Greek recipes to try out, our volunteer Terry Gitersos has two Greek and one Cypriot Food websites (all based in Canada) for you:

www.kalofagas.ca
www.maikouppa.com
www.afroditeskitchen.com

Cartes Postales

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee is back with a Greek recommendation for the month of August!
If you’re lucky enough to be on a Greek beach or just want a good read, our volunteer Katherine Kirzati has the book recommendation for you: Cartes Postales From Greece by best-selling author Victoria Hislop.

https://www.victoriahislop.com/books/cartes-postes/

Attila 74

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee is back with a Greek recommendation for the month of July!

With the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus this month and our new podcast series, “Cyprus: An Island Divided” on The HHF Presents, volunteer Theo Xenophontos recommends the documentary Attila 74.

Social Waste

Kalo Mina! Our award-winning History Committee is back with a Greek recommendation for the month of June.
HHF History Committee volunteer, Maria Paraschos is a big fan of the hip hop band Social Wast

Exodus: The Stories of 1922 The Podcast Series

John Burry from our award-winning History Committee has a new recommendation for the month of May!

Incorporating detailed interviews with historians and family members of those affected, the documentary explores the causes of one of the largest anti-Greek riots in the world – using actual archival photos, newspaper reports and representational newsreel footage to bring the people, places and incidents to life.
Violent August reveals the social conditions and motives of the enraged WW1 veterans who started the riots in the summer of 1918 and the position of the small community of Greek immigrants and restaurant operators who unwittingly became the lightening rod for the violence. The film provides a powerful and shocking example of how a festering climate of racism and resentment became a ticking time bomb primed to explode at the slightest provocation.
If you want to better understand the unique history of what life was like for a small community of Greek immigrants in Toronto during this complicated period of time, you’ll need to see this powerful documentary to find out more.

Ted Papakostas: Archaeostorytelling: How the past can blow your mind | Ted Papakostas | TEDxAthens | TED Talk

HHF History Committee volunteer Irene Kritikopoulos highly recommends @archaeostoryteller – an innovative Instagram project by Archaeologist Ted Papakostas who decided to introduce a different view of what antiquity is through a modern Greek lens and promote what is called “pop archaeology”.

We plan to add a new link and recommendation every month.

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C.P. Cavafy: Collected Poems. - Revised Edition | Princeton University Press

HHF History Committee volunteer Stavroula Michalopoulos highly recommends the Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy. Regarded as one of the most important figures in twentieth-century Greek poetry, his poems are considered among the most powerful in modern European literature.
We plan to add a new link and recommendation every month.
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Salonica, City of Ghosts by Mark Mazower | Penguin Random House Canada

HHF History Committee volunteer Tina Polimenou-Tzatzanis highly recommends the book, “Salonica, City of Ghosts” by historian Mark Mazower. It’s the story of Thessaloniki’s layered past, and the people who once lived there. A must if you love this city or plan to visit!
We plan to add a new link and recommendation every month.
Click here