The Bethlehem Open Air Cinema lands again, armed with flicks for the easily bored, nostalgia junkies and anyone desperate for a fresh tan line. Tourists and locals will stare at the big screen, complain about the chairs, and maybe fall in love with movies all over again. Just try not to spill anything—especially your drink, because you won’t find popcorn refills here.
- When: June 30 to September 21, 2025
- Where: Leforos Plastira (opposite Pananeio), South Lower Square, Bethlehem Bastion
- Tickets: €4 at the box office (opens 60 minutes before screening) or online here
- Early birds: Online sales start June 26, 2025
- Languages: Foreign films with Greek subtitles
- Format: All films screened in DCP digital
- Complete program: Download here
Summer Film Stats
- 23 feature-length films lighting up the screen from June 30 to September 21
- 20 titles making their Heraklion debut for movie bragging rights
- 1 Oscar-winning Palestinian documentary: “No Other Land”
- 2 major throwbacks: classics from Pedro Almodóvar and Pantelis Voulgaris
- 1 David Lynch tribute because nightmares are best shared
- 6 short films for teens, all from the Positively Different Short Film Festival
- 7 unique organizers team up for an Italian cinema festival during the closing week
- €4 per ticket (not counting the always-annoying booking fee)
- Screenings in digital format with Greek subtitles for all foreign films
- Opening film: “La Passion de Dodin Bouffant,” fresh off a Cannes Best Director win
- All screenings start at 21:30 (until August), 21:00 sharp in September
- Popcorn not included; bring your own snacks and insect repellent
Problems Solved
- Warm summer nights with nothing to do
- The urge to tell someone, “I watched it before it was cool.”
- Trying to look cultured without reading subtitles at home
- The need to escape the hellish heat indoors
- Sick of doomscrolling? Here, phones only light up for ticket scans
- Kids and teens are bored out of their minds
- Impressing a date with a “quirky” night out
- Locals tired of beach bars and tourists needing a real Heraklion experience
Blockbuster Cinema, Minus the Roof
The Bethlehem Open Air Cinema ropes in film buffs and curious wanderers each year, refusing to let anyone forget how lovely movies are when paired with a breeze and a questionable plastic chair. The 2025 program is nothing short of bold, packing the lineup with 23 full-length films, including 20 premieres for Heraklion, and scattering in quirky gems and critical darlings. It launches on Monday, June 30, and runs until September 21.
“There’s something about watching Juliette Binoche under the actual stars that can’t be topped,” says one regular who, for some reason, returns every year. This season opens with “La Passion de Dodin Bouffant,” directed by Tran Anh Hung, a film that scooped up awards at Cannes and will probably teach you more about French cuisine than any menu ever could.
Among the main events, audiences can expect “No Other Land,” an Oscar-winning documentary about Palestine, as well as prized international works such as “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” “My Brother’s Orchestra,” and “Tatami.” Feeling nostalgic or too broke for therapy? “All About My Mother” by Pedro Almodóvar and Pantelis Voulgaris’ “All is Road” have been dusted off and slotted into the program to fill that emotional void. For anyone keen on the weird, David Lynch’s “Lost Highway” will remind you why you never sleep with the lights off after one of his films.
Side Quests: Short Films and a Taste of Italy
No festival is complete without short films. Six entries for teenagers, hand-picked from Athens’ own Positively Different Short Film Festival, will probably make adults question what happened to their dreams. And, for a final lap, from September 15 to 21, it’s all pasta and projection as the venue transforms for the Italian Film Festival. Organizers include the Italian Embassy’s Cultural Institute and, apparently, every Italian speaker in Heraklion.
To quote the organizers, “We’re waiting for you under the stars again this year to enjoy films from across the globe.” They’re serious—bring a pillow and maybe a scarf for dramatic effect.
