Rembetiko (1983)

Inspired by the turbulent life of legendary Rebetico singer Marika Ninou, Costas Ferris recounts the tragic story of Marika, a talented female Rebetico singer, from her birth in Smyrna in 1917 until her untimely demise in Athens in 1955. As young Marika's family finds refuge in Greece, in the aftermath of the Great Fire of Smyrna and the Asia Minor disaster, Costas Ferris portrays a fragile sociopolitical equilibrium and pivotal historical events, incorporating authentic newsreels into Marika's career journey. Rebetico follows her first steps as a singer in the backstreet taverns of bustling Piraeus Port, her relationship with her mentor Babis, her success in the nightclubs of America, and finally, her death.