About us
Cinema unites us
The Hellenic Film Academy (HFA) was founded in Athens in November 2009 to unite film professionals from all the creative disciplines that shape Greece’s cinematic landscape. Since then, it has evolved into a leading organisation representing Greek cinema, with an active role in shaping its future.
The HFA is a dynamic community, an open framework for collaboration where established and emerging creators, professionals, and film enthusiasts coexist, interact, and join forces toward a common goal: a modern and pluralistic Greek cinema that constantly evolves and excels both within and beyond borders.
Our Purpose
To advance the recognition of Greek cinema as a valuable cultural asset, and an integral element of public life and national identity.
Our Vision
A vibrant Greek cinema: open, free, pluralistic, strong, and outward-looking, bringing together creators, cultural institutions, public bodies, and society at large.
Our Mission
To support Greek cinema and amplify the voices of its creators through initiatives and actions grounded in the knowledge and experience of our members.
More specifically:
- We showcase and celebrate Greek cinema. Our flagship initiative is the annual IRIS National Film Awards through which we honour the talent and achievements of the Greek filmmaking community in a distinguished awards ceremony.
- We shape the future of Greek cinema by investing in networking, professional development, and the empowerment of the next generation of filmmakers through initiatives such as Film Factory.
- We strengthen the international presence of Greek cinema by building strategic partnerships across borders. As a founding member of the Federation of Film Academies Europe (FACE), we actively contribute to shaping a shared European film policy and co-organize international events such as the EFA Young Audience Award, the César Academy’s Golden Nights.
- We preserve and promote Greek cinematic heritage through contributions to studies aimed at improving national film policy and initiatives such as “Motherland, I See You” (“Chóra se Vlépo”).
- We unite the film community by fostering a vibrant culture of mutual support, open exchange, cross-pollination of ideas, and new collaborations.
- We champion equal access to expression, education, and recognition for every creator, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, or background.
Our Story
In 2009, a movement of Greek film professionals known as “Filmmakers in the Mist”, called for the revision of the national institutional framework governing Greek cinema and its alignment with the international audiovisual landscape.
That same year, the momentum generated by this initiative led to the establishment of the Hellenic Film Academy , founded by 108 active industry professionals.
Today, the HFA brings together more than 600 professionals from across the full spectrum of cinematic disciplines. Each year it welcomes new members, growing into a diverse, intergenerational community that reflects the evolving character and pulse of Greek cinema.