Summary
- “Patty” won 7 Iris Awards 2026
- The ceremony took place on June 17 at the Onassis Stegi
- “Broken Vein” was limited to an ex aequo supporting actress award
- “Beachcomber,” “Christmas Carols,” and “Bearcave” also stood out
- The night highlighted the new generation of Greek cinema
“Patty” was the film that dominated the 2026 Iris Awards.
At the 17th awards ceremony of the Hellenic Film Academy, held on the evening of June 17 at the Onassis Stegi, Giorgos Georgopoulos’ film won a total of seven awards and emerged as the big winner of the night. Among them were the award for best fiction feature film, directing, screenplay, editing, music, sound, and the supporting actress award for Gioula Bountali, which was shared ex aequo with Betty Arvaniti for “Broken Vein.”
The result matters not only because it confirmed the momentum of “Patty,” but also because it highlighted one of the most discussed contradictions of this year’s ceremony: “Broken Vein,” despite having many nominations, essentially left with only half an award in the supporting actress category. At the same time, the night offered another sign of the direction of Greek cinema’s new generation, with distinctions for new filmmakers, performers, and technical contributors.
The complete dominance of “Patty”
“Patty” collected the ceremony’s most important awards, with Giorgos Georgopoulos directly linked to four of the film’s distinctions, as he was honored for directing, screenplay, and editing, while the film also won the top award for best film. The film also received the award for original music, the sound award, and the supporting actress award for Gioula Bountali.
Georgopoulos’ absence from the hall, because he was attending a festival abroad, was one of the elements noted during the night, as the big winner was not there to receive his major distinctions in person.
The other main winners
Right behind “Patty” came “Christmas Carols” and “Beachcomber,” with three distinctions each. “Beachcomber” won the best actor award for Christos Passalis and the cinematography award for Giorgos Karvelas, while “Christmas Carols” was awarded for production design, costume design, and makeup, hair, and special effects.
“Bearcave” also had a strong presence, earning the emerging director award for Chrysianna Papadaki and Stergios Dinopoulos, as well as the best actress award for Chara Kyriazi. In the acting categories, the supporting actor award was shared by Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos for “Small Breaths” and Christos Valavanidis for “Receptions.”
In the remaining major categories, the documentary award went to “Lo,” the Greek minority co-production that stood out was “Maricel,” while in the short film categories the winners were “For Dust Thou Art and Unto Dust Shalt Thou Return,” “Be Afraid of the Southern Stars,” “Black States,” and “She Was Very Good at Leaving.” The visual effects award went to “Kota.”
The night at the Onassis Stegi and the wider context
The ceremony took place at the Onassis Stegi, with Zeta Makrypoulia and Thanasis Alevras as hosts, while the stage direction was by Zacharias Mavroeidis. According to information from the event, this year’s ceremony revolved around the concept of light as a core element of cinematic art, while the parallel program also included public activities such as masterclasses with Vicky Krieps and Anna Hints.
A special moment of the night was the honorary award for Pantelis Voulgaris, for whom Hellenic Film Academy president Lefteris Charitos spoke. At the same time, this year’s event is also placed within a broader strategy of outreach for Greek film production, ahead of the 2027 European Film Awards in Athens.
What this year’s Iris Awards showed
The 2026 Iris Awards did not simply record a triumph for one film. They also showed where the interest of Greek cinema is moving: toward filmmakers with a more personal voice, toward new directing talents, and toward films that can stand out both artistically and institutionally. At the same time, the near-total absence of “Broken Vein” from the final distribution of awards will remain one of the most talked-about points of this year’s ceremony.
What we think
This year’s picture of the Iris Awards seems clear: “Patty” was the film that convinced the Academy the most on almost every level. At the same time, however, the ceremony also left a question about the gap between many nominations and the final tally of some films. That is part of the charm of awards, but also part of the discussion that keeps Greek cinema alive.
