Mystery 1 CLOSING: OPENING, A Ceremony

Elefsina celebrates the end and the beginning! Just a few days left for Mystery 1 CLOSING: OPENING, A Ceremony, the unequalled three-day celebration by 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture for the conclusion of the title year, which will take place in Elefsina from 15 to 17 December.

The opening of the three-day celebration, on Friday 15 December, pertains to the first axis of the 2023 Eleusis programme titled PEOPLE | SOCIETY and begins with IN SITU REALITIES – Eleusis Documentary Festival. Returning to Elefsina, 23 years after the iconic Agelastos Petra [Mourning Rock], the new documentary by Filippos Koutsaftis titled THE ELEUSINIANS premieres at the renovated Cine Eleusis and three other open-air venues, presenting a portrait of Elefsina as a marginally symbolic and visionary city, transcending geographical boundaries. The Festival continues until Tuesday 19 December with the premieres of more than 12 documentaries inspired by Elefsina and the wider region, as well as an audio-visual retrospective of the activities and projects that were held in the context of 2023 Eleusis.

Moreover, the Festival features films and Masterclasses by renowned Greek directors – Filippos Koutsaftis, Eva Stefani, Menelaos Karamaghiolis, and Syllas Tzoumerkas – as well as works by young filmmakers focusing on West Attica. In addition, through synergies with significant institutions of cinema, such as the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Peloponnisos International Documentary Film Festival, and the Exile Room, it presents special tributes, workshops, and documentaries for children.

The heart of the festival beats in Cine Eleusis, the central hall of which is named, by decision of the Municipality of Elefsina, “Despina Geroulanou” as a minimum sign of gratitude for the contribution of the unforgettable Chair of 2023 Eleusis Board of Directors.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Warehouses of the Old Oil Mill Factory are inaugurated as well as the exhibition Mystery 87 My Sea Journey, I My Land Claim by visual artist Stefania Strouza.

Saturday 16 December is dedicated to the second axis of the programme, the ENVIRONMENT, where the city’s youth take over. ARKOPOLIS, an open space of cooperation, inclusion, and free creativity, created by the Belgian collective TimeCircus, becomes the centre of a day-long celebration where Elefsina’s Cultterra youth group curates a varied programme for young and old alike, featuring skate, rollers, bmx, finger skate, screenings, crafts, live music shows and DJ sets, workshops for all ages in collaboration with artists, groups and communities from Elefsina, as well as the Mystery 172 A Dancing Journey by Still Pilgrim Paradox. Moreover, a special event inaugurates the first Skatepark in the wider region, which was created by the Onassis Foundation as a donation to the Municipality of Elefsina.

In the afternoon of the same day, in the framework of IN SITU REALITIES – Eleusis Documentary Festival, the Μasterclass by Menelaos Karamaghiolis titled “The moving image as a starting point for actions with social impact” will be held, followed by the premieres of the documentary Mystery 69 GREEKIES and Yiannis Kanakis, Yiannis Panayiotarakos, and Anna Psarra’s The Wheat on the Shirt, as well as another screening of THE ELEUSINIANS. Right after, the speech-presentation “Rituals of the Winter Solstice,” curated by Lambros Liavas, will take place at the X-Bowling Art Center, as well as the last concert of traditional music “…it’s Christmas!” that will complete Mystery 100 Sacred Songs. The curtain will fall with the big party of the Closing Ceremony, which will inaugurate the renovated ELEOURGIKI INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, hosting DJs AD MARK, ELIOT, FO, THANASIS KARANIKAS and IRINI KARAOGLOU.

The axis of Sunday 17 December is WORK, featuring the opening of the impressive exhibition Mystery 111 Terracotta Army of Elefsina by Juan Sandoval, at the IRIS Factory: the history of human industry is artistically depicted in the form of an army, as more than 2,000 handmade clay helmets belonging to local workers and labourers occupy the former paint factory. A bit earlier, the Canteen art hub of Elefsina is inaugurated, while the project Immersion: an unexpected set also begins. In the afternoon of the same day, there will be additional screenings in the context of IN SITU REALITIES – Eleusis Documentary Festival, including a Μasterclass by Filippos Koutsaftis, premieres of films by Marianna Ekonomou and Pavlos Kosmidis, as well as the third screening of the documentary THE ELEUSINIANS.

One hundred and fifty residents of Elefsina participate in Mystery 125 Elefsina 2023 Community Orchestra & Choir by Aleksandar Carić, an unexpected parade starting at the Iroon Square and culminating in a great concert at ELEOURGIKI. The three-day celebration concludes on Sunday night with Immersion: an unexpected set, in front of the Canteen art hub, marking the finale of the activities for the European Capital of Culture title year.

The circle is complete. Persephone returns to the Underworld.

Parallel activities

Throughout the three-day celebration, Elefsina’s iconic chimneys of the TITAN factory and the former IRIS factory will be illuminated in the colours of 2023 Eleusis by renowned Eleftheria Deko. In parallel, Mystery 151 A Rave Down Below, a group exhibition curated by Panos Giannikopoulos in the Old Oil Mill Factory, the photography exhibition Mystery 8 European Eyes on Japan: The Return of the Spring and Other Rites of Transition by Antonis Theodoridis, co-organised by 2023 Eleusis and Mikiko Kikuta with the support of the EU-Japan Fest Committee at the Leonidas Kanellopoulos Cultural Centre, and Mystery 66 Voices in the City – Cultterra, γνωριmeet the locals, an installation by Lambros Tyrlis in OSE – Elefsina Old Railway Station will continue. IN SITU REALITIES will host Mystery 110 Orfeas, a video installation by Eva Stefani at the front window of the Old Orfeas Cinema, as well as various activities for children and teenagers. Finally, Mystery 6 As lovely as here, it could never be in Paradise, a light installation by Flux Office at the Old Oil Mill Factory, will be activated for the first time.

Special acknowledgement

In the framework of the 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, in collaboration with the Municipality and the Municipal Authority, the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Attica, and with the generous contributions of sponsors, five sites were renovated and delivered to the city of Elefsina. In particular: Cine Eleusis was renovated thanks to a sponsorship by HELLENIC PETROLEUM; the Warehouses of the Old Oil Mill Factory were renovated thanks to a sponsorship by the National Bank of Greece; the ELEOURGIKI Industrial Complex was renovated thanks to a sponsorship by the AIGEAS company; the Canteen art hub was renovated thanks to a sponsorship by Karpathios S.A.; and the Old Town Hall was renovated thanks to a sponsorship by ΜΕΤRΟΝ S.A.

The lighting on the chimneys of the ΤΙΤΑΝ and IRIS factories is realised thanks to a sponsorship by ΤΙΤΑΝ.

See the detailed schedule of the three-day celebration here | More information at 2023eleusis.eu & the Info Point (Old Town Hall of Elefsina).

On offer:
Round-trip transportation from downtown Athens to Elefsina
Saturday 16/12
21:30 Old Bus Depot OSY, Ermou & Pireos Str. – ELEOURGIKI Reserve tickets here
2:00 ELEOURGIKI – Old Bus Depot OSY, Ermou & Pireos Str.

Cyclical routes in the city throughout the weekend.
In particular:
Friday 15/12
19:30 Old Oil Mill Factory (KANONI bus stop) – Cine Eleusis
24:00 Cine Eleusis – Old Oil Mill Factory (bus stop on Kontouli Str.)

Saturday 16/12
12:30 KANONI bus stop – ARKOPOLIS
14:30 KANONI bus stop – Cine Eleusis

Sunday 17/12
12:30 KANONI bus stop – IRIS Factory 

Mystery 111 Terracotta Army and the film Mystery 31 The Eleusinians by Filippos Koutsaftis are implemented in the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0 with funding from the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

MYSTERY 1 
CLOSING: OPENING
A CEREMONY

THREE-DAY PROGRAMME

FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER
Axis PEOPLE / SOCIETY

18:00 | Old Oil Mill Factory
Venue opening
Opening of the exhibition «Mystery 87 I My Sea Journey, I My Land Claim»
by Stefania Strouza

20:00 | Cine Eleusis
Venue opening
Premiere of the documentary «Mystery 31 The Eleusinians» by Filippos Koutsaftis. In the framework of IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival.
(invitation only)

21:00 | Old Oil Mill Factory & Iroon Square & Laou Square
Open-air screening of the documentary «Mystery 31 The Eleusinians» by Filippos Koutsaftis.
In the framework of IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival.

SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER
Axis ENVIRONMENT

12:00 – 18:00 | ARKOPOLIS
ARKOPOLIS FESTIVAL by the Cultterra youth group & TimeCircus
Hip Hop, Skate, Rollers, bmx, Finger Skate, Screenings, Crafts
«Mystery 172 A Dancing Journey» by Still Pilgrim Paradox

13:00 | ARKOPOLIS – Skatepark
Venue opening – Special event

15:00 – 22:00 | Cine Eleusis

IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival
15:00 | Μasterclass: «The moving image as a starting point for actions with social impact» with Menelaos Karamaghiolis
17:00 | «Mystery 69 Greekies» by Menelaos Karamaghiolis (premiere)
20:00 | «The Wheat on the Shirt» by Yiannis Kanakis, Yiannis Panayiotarakos, Anna Psarra (premiere)
21:00 | «The Eleusinians» by Filippos Koutsaftis

15:00 – 21:30 | X-Bowling Art Center
«Mystery 100 The Sacred Songs» curated by Lampros Liavas
15:00 | Conference «Rituals of the Winter Solstice»
20:00 | Concert «…means Christmas!»

22:00 | ELEOURGIKI Industrial Complex
Venue opening
Grand DJ party for the Closing Ceremony with AD MARK, ELIOT, FO, THANASIS KARANIKAS, and IRINI KARAOGLOU.

SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER
Axis LABOUR

12:00 | Canteen art hub
Venue opening
OPENING «Immersion, an unexpected set»

13:00 | IRIS Factory
Venue opening
Opening of the exhibition «Mystery 111 Eleusis Terracotta Army» by Juan Sandoval. An exhibition as a tribute to the people who worked and still work in Elefsina.

15:00 – 22:00 | Cine Eleusis

IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival
15:00 | Μasterclass: «Approaching the subject matter in documentary» with Filippos Koutsaftis
17:00 | «Dark Waters» by Marianna Economou (premiere)
«Sportzal» by Pavlos Kosmidis (premiere)
20:00 | «ALIENATION» by Vangelis  Gkinis
«The Eleusinians» by Filippos Koutsaftis

19:00 – 21:00 | Iroon Square & ELEOURGIKI Industrial Complex
«Mystery 125 Elefsina 2023 Community Orchestra & Choir» by Aleksandar Caric, with the participation of more than 150 residents of Elefsina
19:00 | Parade | Starting point: Iroon Square
20:00 | Concert | ELEOURGIKI Industrial Complex

21:30 | Canteen art hub
CLOSING «Immersion, an unexpected set»

Parallel Activities

15 – 16 – 17 December

17:00 – 21:00 | Old Orfeas Cinema
«Mystery 110 Orfeas» video installation by Eva Stefani 

Friday 15 December

18:00 – 23:00 | Old Oil Mill Factory
«Mystery 151 A Rave Down Below» group exhibition curated by Panos Giannikopoulos
«Mystery 6 Paradise» light installation by Flux Office

17:00 – 23:00 | Leonidas Kanellopoulos Cultural Centre
«Mystery 8 European Eyes on Japan: The Return of the Spring and Other Rites of Transition» photography exhibition by Antonis Theodoridis. Produced by 2023 Eleusis with Mikiko Kikuta supported by the EU-Japan Fest Committee

17:00 – 20:00 | ΟSΕ – Elefsina Old Railway Station
«Mystery 66 Voices in the City» – Cultterra, γνωριmeet the locals installation by Lampros Tyrlis

Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 December

13.00 – 20:00 | Old Oil Mill Factory
«Mystery 151 A Rave Down Below» group exhibition curated by Panos Giannikopoulos
«Mystery 87 I My Sea Journey, I My Land Claim» art exhibition by Stefania Strouza

13:00 – 20:00 | Leonidas Kanellopoulos Cultural Centre
«Mystery 8 European Eyes on Japan: The Return of the Spring and Other Rites of Transition» photography exhibition by Antonis Theodoridis. Produced by 2023 Eleusis with Mikiko Kikuta supported by the EU-Japan Fest Committee

13:00 – 20:00 | ΟSΕ – Elefsina Old Railway Station
«Mystery 66 Voices in the City» – Cultterra, γνωριmeet the locals installation by Lampros Tyrlis

Activities for Children & Teenagers
In the framework of IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival 

Friday 15 December
18:00 – 20:00 | Canteen art hub
«Mystery 156 Elefsina Stories», idea-inspiration by the Exile Room
Educational programme for teenagers (reservation required)

Saturday 16 December
11:00 – 15:00 | Canteen art hub
«Mystery 156 Elefsina Stories», idea-inspiration by the Exile Room
Educational programme for teenagers (reservation required)

17:00 – 19:00 | Canteen art hub
«QUEEN WITHOUT LAND» by Asgeir Helgestad
«Mystery 149 Transition to a Climate-Neutral Future» by Maria Leonida
Screenings for children (free admission)

Sunday 17 December
11:00 – 15:00 | Canteen art hub
«Mystery 156 Elefsina Stories», idea-inspiration by the Exile Room
Educational programme for teenagers (reservation required)

17:00 – 19:00 | Canteen art hub
«BIKE BIRD» by Kari Klyve-Skaug & Odveig Klyve
«LOUIS AND LUCA – MISSION TO THE MOON» by Rasmus A. Sivertsen
Screenings for children (free admission)
Admission to the screenings in the main hall at Cine Eleusis is by reservation via ticketservices.gr and at the festival venue in Cine Eleusis.

The income of the events will be donated to the Association of People with Disabilities of West Attica and the Friendly Nest – Love Center of Elefsina. Admission to the other events is free unless stated otherwise.  The programme is subject to change.