Cheap Smokes

Live musical performance by Renos Haralambidis and Christos Rafalides precediing screening; followed by discussion with film historian Andrew Horton

Dir. Renos Haralambidis. 2000. 85 mins. 35mm. In Greek with English subtitles. With Renos Haralambidis, Anna-Maria Papaharalambous, Michalis Iatropoulos, Kostas Tsakonas, Alkis Panagiotidis. In the most autobiographical of Haralambidis’s films, Nikos, struggling with work, romance, and finding meaningful purpose in life, roams the streets of Athens on a warm summer night looking for love and questioning his existence. Along the way, he befriends a motley bunch of quirky characters: a young woman who has just broken up with her boyfriend, two unrepentant middle-aged bachelors, two mobsters, and a poetry-reciting coffee house owner. The film went unnoticed by both critics and the public, but it has been rediscovered by the next generation. It is still shown in cinemas all over Greece, almost 20 years after the first screening. In 2021, the National Lyric Stage mounted a popular musical performance based on the film. 

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.