If you’re learning Greek and love Greek music, the film Eftihia is a must-see! This moving biopic offers a unique opportunity to discover the life and legacy of one of Greece’s most influential female lyricists, Eftihia Papagiannopoulou. Watching this film is not only a great way to enjoy Greek cinema but also to deepen your understanding of Greek culture and enrich your vocabulary.
Who Was Eftihia Papagiannopoulou?
Eftihia Papagiannopoulou (1893–1972) was one of the most important female figures in the Greek music scene. She wrote lyrics for hundreds of laika and rebetika songs, many of which remain popular today and are still performed in tavernas, concerts, and festivals all over Greece.
She was born in Aydin, near Smyrna (modern-day Izmir) in Asia Minor, and fled to Greece after the destruction of Smyrna in 1922. Arriving in Athens with her two daughters, she would eventually become a beloved, though often underrecognized, figure in Greek music history.