Masterclass with Yannis Economides: The Phenomenon of the Broken Vein

For 26 years, Yannis Economides has persisted in his cinema. His characters, the kinds of people who could just as well be our next-door neighbors, are trapped in a society that does not let them breathe. His shots, almost documentary-like, record the marathon of everyday survival, the dead end of Greek society and the deep existential need for redemption. In the era of second-screen attention spans, platforms, and Artificial Intelligence, Yannis Economides breaks the Greek box office with an arthouse film that is uncompromising and deeply personal.

In the masterclass “The Phenomenon of the Broken Vein,” we plunge into the Economides universe, following all stages of the creation of his latest film: from the initial concept and the development of the script with Vangelis Mourikis, to shooting and editing. In a wide-ranging cinematic conversation with director Argyris Papadimitropoulos, the leading Greek filmmaker will talk about the sharp dialogue, the suffocating narrative, collaboration with key contributors, directing actors and non-actors, the difficulty or perhaps the liberation of making films in Greece—and making films in general—in a constantly changing global cinematic landscape.

Thomas Alexopoulos, a middle-aged businessman, owes money to a loan shark and desperately seeks help. The time he has available to save his precious home is short, and the pressure of the situation is suffocating. With mere hours left before his life is ruined, a simple last-minute plan seems to be the only solution to his problem.

“Broken Vein” is a pure urban drama, with tragic heroes in a grey, minefield-like world. Drawn from the guts of the great tradition of ancient Greek drama, the film bridges past and present to revisit concepts such as Ethos, Hubris, Fate, Shame, Excess, Voluntary and Involuntary Crime. What always remains at the end of life’s frenzied journey is nothing other than the lonely, tragic nature of being human. The film stars Vasilis Bisbikis, Maria Kechagioglou, Betty Arvaniti, and Yiannis Niarros, while the screenplay is co-signed by Yannis Economides and actor Vangelis Mourikis. The film is a co-production of Onassis Culture and premiered at the Onassis Stegi shortly before its release in Greek cinemas in November 2025.