Although there are no movie theatres in Gavalochori, the village does have a tie to a significant figure in film. The mother of filmmaker, screenwriter, and film producer Theodoros “Theo” Angelopoulos, Katerina Angelopoulou, was from Gavalochori. Angelopoulos, whose films include Days of ’36 and Landscape in the Mist, was known for his slow, episodic and ambiguous narrative structures and complex, carefully composed scenes. His film Eternity and a Day won the Palme d’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998.
If you are in the mood for watching a movie while you are in Gavalochori, your options depend on the time of year you are here. In the summer season, there are open-air cinemas—one of the best things about Greece! In the winter, there are standard movie theatres like you’ll find in just about every country.
Check to see what language a film is in and the language in which it is subtitled before you go. If you are an English speaker and the movie is in French with Greek subtitles, you won’t have an optimal movie-going experience.
Watching a movie outdoors in the summer on Crete is a magical experience. You are watching Tom Cruise do the impossible under a roof of stars with the sweet smell of jasmine wafting in on a cool breeze. You might even see a stray cat wander across the screen. Gavalochori doesn’t have an open-air cinema, but Chania (Χανιά) (29 kilometers or 18 miles away) has two such theaters, and Rethymno (Ρέθυμνο) (42 kilometers or 26 miles away) has another one. Movies start at sunset (usually at 8:45 or 9:00 p.m.), and there is often a second showing at 11:00 p.m. Snacks and drinks are available during the movie, and there’s always an intermission, where you can replenish your supply.
Located in Chania’s municipal park, this cinema is aptly named because kipos (kήπος) means “garden.” The offerings at this cinema tend to be family oriented, so this is likely to be a particularly good movie experience for children. Located near the watchtower in the park, the entrance to the park can be found at 63 Andrea Papandreou Street. You can call the cinema at 2821 03 4214 to find out what is playing.
Located at 118 Eleftheriou Venizelou Street on the eastern edge of Chania, the Attikon offers a lively rotation of current and historic films. You can find out what’s playing by going to the Attikon website or calling the theater at 28210 40 208.
The Asteria Cinema in Rethymno is located at 21 Melissinou Ioanni Street, and you’ll be able to spot it easily because the entrance looks like an old-time movie theatre. You can access information about it here.
