The Caller: Papastratos’ Story, Told on Screen

When the lights went down at Olympion Cinema in Thessaloniki and “95 Years of Papastratos – This Is Our Story” began, almost a century of company history started to unfold on screen.

Directed by Sotiris Danezis and produced by Danezis Stories, the documentary brings that history to life through personal accounts, first-hand testimonies and memories passed down by people connected to different chapters of the Papastratos story.

The film moves through moments both large and small, tracing a journey marked by periods of growth, difficult years and major turning points. At the centre of that journey are the people who built the company and the employees who contributed to its evolution across generations.

Black-and-white photographs reveal some of the lesser-known chapters of Papastratos history. Among them are the group weddings once organised and funded by the Papastratos family for company employees, with newly married couples also receiving financial support or dowries.

Another story centres on the company’s early cigarette case-style packaging, which found an unexpected second use: politicians were known to write notes, dates and appointments on the case so they would not forget them.

Details like these give the documentary much of its character. They move the story beyond corporate milestones and bring viewers closer to the people, habits and everyday moments behind the company’s history.

For audiences unfamiliar with these stories, the film offers a glimpse into the people who believed in the original vision, supported it through difficult periods and helped carry it forward to the generations that followed.