The Best Movies About Crete
One of the best ways to get a closer look at our next destination is to read books or watch movies. Whether you’re actively planning your trip to Crete or simply dreaming about the island, here is a list of interesting films you can watch from home before your next Crete adventure. Grab some popcorn and enjoy!
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Crete on the Big Screen:
Watching movies filmed, set, or simply about Crete is a great way to ignite wanderlust. It’s also a good way to anticipate everything you’ll see and experience on the island. The beautiful locations, the interesting history, and the remarkable traits of the locals will inspire you.
You’ll learn more about the history of Crete, including the painful occupations endured by the locals. For that reason, some films will help you understand what Cretans are today.
You will enjoy magnificent beaches and forgotten villages watching some of these films. Those are things that you can set to explore on your own the day you visit Crete.
Best Movies About Famous Cretan Characters
The following biographic movies tell the story of famous characters born on the island. The fantastic Cretan writer Nikos Kazantzakis and the Renaissance artist Domenicos Theotokopoulos, universally known as El Greco.
El Greco
A fantastic biography about Domenicos Theotokopoulos, El Greco.
The movie presents the life of this great artist of the sixteenth century, who sets off from his native island, Crete, going first to Venice and then settling in Toledo, Spain.
El Greco features the life and uncompromising character of one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance and his struggles against the Spanish Inquisition.
(2007).
Check the official trailer:
Kazantzakis
The film tells the fascinating story of the life, travels, and dreams of the great Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis.
It’s a fascinating account of his existential search for religious and philosophic ideas.
This quest earned Kazantzakis detractors and persecutors, whom he faced with dignity and always remained true to his values.
The film is based on his autobiography, Report to Greco. If you’re interested in his life and works, watch Zorba, the Greek (next on this list), based on one of his most acclaimed books.
(2017)
Check the official trailer:
Zorba the Greek
This Greek-American drama is based on Kazantzakis’s novel The Life And Times Of Alexis Zorba.
While waiting for his boat to depart to Crete, Basil, a conformist writer, meets Alexis Zorba, an enthusiastic peasant who persuades Basil to take him along.
The film is about their friendship and misadventures on the island, and it clearly shows the Cretan character and way of life.
Some of the most famous scenes of the picture were shot in the fantastic Stavros Beach, on the Akrotiri Peninsula not far from Chania.
(1964)
Although Zorba is a fictional character, it can be considered the perfect stereotype of any Cretan, with its unique view of life and friendship. This is the main reason for including this film in movies portraying famous Cretan characters.
Check the official trailer:
Best War Movies About Crete
Despite the over 400 years of Venetian domination and the 267 years of Turkish rule, the relatively short period of Nazi occupation of the island has been a great source of inspiration for filmmakers when it comes to movies set in Crete.
The legendary Battle of Crete, also known as Operation Mercury, took place on the island during World War II. On the morning of May 20th, 1941, the first mainly airborne invasion in history took place in the western area of Maleme when over 20.000 German paratroopers invaded the island.
Greek and Allied forces and civilian members of the Cretan Resistance defended the island with unique courage and fierce battle.
A battle bound to be remembered as the most tragic and bloody victory of the German troops. These events inspired the following movies about the Battle of Crete.
The 11th Day: Crete 1941
This is a great documentary for those interested in the history of Crete during World War II. It’s an eyewitness account of survivors of the Battle of Crete.
It features the island’s invasion by the elite German paratroopers in Maleme, not far from Chania, in West Crete.
The documentary is about the details of Operation Mercury and the role of the Cretan resistance, which, together with British and Commonwealth soldiers, put a fierce resistance to Nazi Germany.
(2005)
Ill Met by Moonlight
The film is based on the book Ill Met by Moonlight: The Abduction of General Kreipe by W. Stanley Moss. And it’s an account of events during the author’s service on Crete during World War II during the Nazi occupation.
Most of all, the movie is about the legendary kidnapping of the German commander, General Kriepe, by British officers.
It also features the help of the local resistance during the operation and their trip to a secluded cove in south Crete.
Once there, they are picked up, and General Kriepe is taken to Cairo, the Middle East headquarters of British forces.
(1957)
In Which We Serve
This British war film was produced during World War II. It is a patriotic and propaganda movie with the governmental help of the British Ministry of Information.
The film is a perfect example of wartime British cinema and a good account of national unity in the context of World War II. It’s worth watching if you’re a fan of history.
(1942)
Max Schmeling
Relating to World War II and filmed in Crete, this movie is also an outstanding biography about boxing star Max Schmeling.
The film is mostly about his life and his lack of sympathy for the Nazi ideology. Several scenes present his involvement in the Battle of Crete. Schmeling was instructed to enlist as a German paratrooper, participating in Crete’s invasion.
(2010)
The Naked Brigade
Another war film, this time a Greek-American coproduction. The Naked Brigade tells the story of a British girl trapped in Crete during World War II following the Battle of Crete in 1941.
The female leading character will eventually join the Cretan Resistance to fight against the German occupation of the island.
(1965)
Best Movies About Greek Mythology
The myth of the Minotaur and King Minos is intimately related to the island of Crete. According to the legend, Crete is also where the great god Zeus was born and raised.
The Minotaur myth and the Knossos’ ruins in Heraklion have inspired some of the following movies set in Crete.
Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete
The film is based on the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. As the story goes, the dreadful creature lives inside the labyrinth on the island (Knossos Royal Palace).
Classic characters include King Minos, Queen Pasiphae, and her daughters Phaedra and Ariadne, whom Theseus rescues. This is great for fans of Greek mythology.
(1960)
Immortals
A film loosely based on the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.
It was a commercial success at the box office because of its 3D features, but it was criticized for its flat character development.
(2011)
Check the trailer:
My Son, the Hero
My Son, the Hero is an Italian mythological comedy that tells the story of Cadmos, a king of Crete who gets rid of his wife to pursue the love of Ermione.
The film tells the episodes following the murder and the curse by a prophetess who foretells him that the day his infant daughter falls in love with a man will be the day he dies.
(1961)
Sinbad and The Minotaur
A perfect film for those who love fantasy movies.
This Australian film features the hero of the Arabian Nights, Sinbad the Sailor, and the Greek legend of the Minotaur.
Sinbad embarks on a journey to Crete in search of King Minos’s treasure, which is thought to be hidden in the Labyrinth.
(2011)
Other Films Set on Crete
In no particular order, these other great and inspiring films portray the island…
The Two Faces of January
This intense thriller is based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1964 homonymous novel.
The Two Faces of January takes place both in Greece and Istanbul. It tells the story of the misadventures of two American tourists in Europe. Key scenes of the movie take place in Chania and Heraklion.
Some scenes were filmed in one of my favorite restaurants in Chania Old Town, Adespoto!
(2014)
Watch the trailer:
The Moon-Spinners
This American mystery is the story of a young girl during a holiday in Elounda, Crete. There, she falls in love and is involved in mystery and intrigue at the Moon-Spinners Hotel.
Over there, she meets a young Englishman who might be a jewelry thief… or not!
(1964)
The Inbetweeners Movie
If you’re looking for a film somewhat lighter in plot and spirits, go for The Inbetweeners Movie.
Based on the sitcom The Inbetweeners, this comedy was also released as Sex on the Beach in some countries.
In short, it accounts for the misadventures of teenagers on holiday in Crete. The film takes place in the coastal village of Malia, near Heraklion. It is a trip to celebrate the end of school with typical cliché scenes, but overall, it is quite funny.
(2011)
Crete Arising
A winter adventure film set in Crete, this movie is about the island’s annual ranking as one of the top summer vacation spots in the world.
However, a group of mountaineers, determined to show that Crete can also be a world-class destination for mountain tourism, skiing, and snowboarding, set about to organize the first-ever winter ski mountaineering race in Crete.
(2019)
Watch the official trailer:
Series Set in Crete Worth Watching
if you prefer a series of short episodes instead of watching a movie, check out these series set in Crete.
Who Pays the Ferryman?
This is an eight-episode English television series.
Who Pays the Ferryman? is about the island’s history and popular culture.
Who Pays the Ferryman? about a former British soldier who travels to Crete thirty years after the Battle of Crete.
The character goes back to his days fighting against the German army. The series title refers to the ancient myth of Charon, the ferryman to Hades.
(1977)
To Nisi
Another series worth entering this list is To Nisi, one of the most successful productions of Greek television.
To Nisi (The Island) is based on the best-selling English novel by Victoria Hislop, The Island.
The series portrays the sad and tragic story of the Leper Colony of Spinalonga. The main characters, touched by the tragedy, live in the small village of Plaka right across the islet.
(2010)
Check the English trailer here:
Curious fact: Did you know that Crete has its promotional campaign to attract film directors looking for an affordable place with plenty of varied landscapes to film? It’s the official Crete Region promotional video from 2013. The short ad is funny and creative and portrays all the beauties you might see on the island! It’s called Crete, See it for Yourself. Take a look:
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Great Movies Set in Crete
Gabi, the Crete Insider
I have lived in Chania, Crete, since 2016, which has given me an intimate knowledge of the island. I host culinary and concierge experiences and write about Crete for several travel media. I co-authored DK Eyewitness Top 10 Crete and published several digital guides to the island. I blog about Greece at TheTinyBook.com and help travelers plan the perfect itinerary in Crete at CretePlanner.com.
Read more about Gabi Ancarola & Crete Insider.
