Monica Bellucci is dazzling at the Olympian for the Thessaloniki Festival

The red carpet had been laid early outside the Olympion cinema, up to the height of the semi-circular road above Aristotelous Square.

This entire route is bordered by railings, outside of which a crowd of people waits patiently.

Just before 11pm, a luxury car pulls up to the spot, the door behind the driver opens right at the start of the red carpet and the long-awaited Italian star disembarks.

Amid exclamations, flashes and expressions of adoration, Monica Bellucci walks up, politely greets people and blows a kiss.

In the Olympian hall they have already taken their seats those who have secured a ticket for the sold out showing of the film “Maria Callas: letters and memories” by Tom Wolff and Yiannis Dimolitsa and upon its arrival burst into applause.

The artistic director of the Thessaloniki Film Festival welcomes her and calls Yiannis Dimolitsa to the stage.

“What we will see today is certainly not a documentary about Maria Callas. Today we will watch a documentary about Monica Bellucci, Monica if you will, who embodies Maria, through her letters”explained the Greek director.

Then he “introduced” the rest of the contributors to the audience and finally, “the moment you’ve all been waiting for has come”, as Mr. Andreadakis said.

The dazzling Monica Bellucci took to the stage of the Olympian. “I don’t want to say much about the film, you will discover it yourself. As you all know, Greece is deep, deep, deep in my heart. “Thank you very much”, were the few words he said. “Besides, on Friday night, he will be at the same place again for the screening of the movie “Malena”, when he will be awarded by the 64th Thessaloniki Film Festival with an honorary Gold Alexandros, for her entire contribution to cinema.

The screening of the film that followed is part of the celebrations for the Maria Callas Year, on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the leading soprano.