“Born Greek” won first prize in the Podcast Competition at the 63rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Thessaloniki International Film Festival is one of the first institutions in the world to explore the affinities between podcasts and cinema, which is what we at Melon Media have aimed at from the beginning.
I am beyond excited and ready to tell the real untold story of the thousands of children who were sent to the US from Greece during the Cold War. It is the first large-scale international adoption scandal in history.
I couldn’t thank everybody on stage, so here it goes:
Thank you Mary Cardaras for sharing your story, thank you Gonda Van Steen for all your trust and guidance and thank you Sofka Zinovieff for your endless support. Thank you Vaggelis Makris for endless hours of professional commitment and for being so creative. Thank you Stathis Katopodis and Konstantina Kappou for the cover and support in every part of the process. Thank you Lefteris Charitos. You are the best partner and the best adviser I could ever have all these years.
said Katerina Bakogiani, Co-founder and Managing Director, Melon Media.
About Born Greek: Between 1950 and 1970 Greece allowed for the exportation of thousands of children for adoption to the US. Not everything was done above-board. The system was controlled by a small circle of orphanage directors, local mayors, doctors, lawyers, judges, Greek American community leaders, and even travel agents. Now, these children are searching for the truth. And time is running out. An 8-part series about the first international adoption scandal in history which has been kept a secret for too long.
Listen to the trailer and first episode here.