August nights in Rhodes are once again taking on their own cinematic atmosphere. The Municipality of Rhodes Department of Culture, in collaboration with Cine Education and the Stamatis Foundation, invites the people of Rhodes and visitors to the island to the historic RODON Summer Cinema, from August 5 to 9, 2026, for a diverse program of screenings brimming with history, emotion, culture, and quality entertainment. With a title inspired by nostalgia for the classic summer cinema, “With Honeysuckle and Jasmine,” this year’s August screenings under the stars include major retrospectives, historical documentaries, and award-winning international films.

The festival kicks off on Wednesday, August 5, with a moving tribute to the work of the great director, screenwriter, and author Loukia Rikaki, and the screening of her anthology film *Hold Me* (2006, 82 min.), which explores human relationships and coping with loss. The screening will be accompanied by a brief overview of her life and her entire body of work in film and literature, featuring a tribute video by Lefteris Gotzogiannis.

On Thursday, August 6, the evening is dedicated to local history and art through the valuable archives of the Rhodes film library at Cine Chevalier, part of the Stamatio Foundation, with screenings of the following documentaries:

“The Concentramento of Rhodes: Whispering of Freedom.” A historical documentary about the concentration camp established by the Italian occupation authorities on the island, directed by Olympia Gogue, Dimitris Kokkinos, and Giorgos Tzedakis.

“Among the Least of the Iconographers: Fotis Kontoglou and the Annunciation of Rhodes.” A documentary on the presence and work of this leading artist at the iconic church of Rhodes, directed by Giorgos Tzedakis, Rafaelia Giakoumi, and Dimitris Kokkinos.

On Friday, August 7, the film “Tholos Vythos” (2024, 90 min.) by acclaimed Greek director Eleni Alexandraki will be screened. This is a black-and-white drama based on the autobiographical books by Yannis Atzakas, which offers a tender yet gripping look at a harsh chapter of Greek history—the Children’s Villages of the Civil War—through the eyes of a child. The filmmaker, who divides her time between Athens and Nisyros, is also responsible, among other things, for organizing the unique film festival “Hephaestiada” inside the crater of the Nisyros volcano.

The five-day event will conclude on the weekend of August 8 and 9 with a two-day tribute to Spanish-language cinema in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes and the program “Cine itinerante en español.”

On Saturday, August 8, the hilarious Spanish black comedy “My Big Night” (2015, 100 min.) by Alex de la Iglesia will be screened,

while on Sunday, August 9, the elegant romantic comedy “Sheep Don’t Miss the Train” (2014, 103 min.), written and directed by Álvaro Fernández Armero, which explores the challenges faced by the 40-something generation in modern Spain.

The screening begins at 9:00 p.m.; please arrive by 8:30 p.m.

Admission is free for the public.