In Friday’s episode, January 24, 2025, we connected via phone with Los Angeles to speak with Aris Katopodis, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. He shared updates on the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that began on January 7 and continue to rage with new fronts. He spoke about friends, neighbors, and loved ones who have lost everything, fleeing the area with only a backpack, and are now being hosted by friends and relatives. Katopodis also highlighted the significant issues with insurance companies, as some contracts expired just days before the disaster at the end of 2024, leaving homeowners unprotected. The film industry has also been heavily disrupted, with schedules changed and shoots canceled. Regarding the Greek Film Festival scheduled for late May, Katopodis mentioned that some events have been postponed, and there is uncertainty about funding, though he remains optimistic that the festival will proceed as planned.
Following this, we spoke with journalist Giorgos Alexakis from news247 and reporter.gr about current political developments, polling trends, potential alliances within the center-left, and the challenges posed to European governments by Trump’s economic policies.
In the second hour, we hosted Mr. Pavlos Aslanidis, a member of the association of relatives of the victims of the Tempi train disaster. The discussion focused on recently released audio recordings from the 112 emergency service, capturing the first moments after the train collision from the front carriage, where children’s voices are heard just seconds before they lost their lives to fire and explosions. Updates on the ongoing investigation into the incident and efforts to hold those responsible accountable were also discussed, along with the protests planned for Sunday, January 26, in Athens and other cities.
The program concluded with Kallirroi Raouzaiou, an exceptional Greek musician and performer who has built a career in France, based in Marseille. A versatile artist, she experiments with various musical genres, including art music, rebetiko, jazz, blues, and Portuguese fado. A celebrated vocalist in France, Raouzaiou is also an outstanding pianist. She frequently offers Greek audiences the chance to hear her live through regular performances in Athens. Raouzaiou shared insights into her decision to move to France, a pivotal moment influenced by her collaboration with the floating theater troupe La Nef des Fous, which marked a significant turning point in her life and led to her settling in Marseille.