Series of cultural and historical documentaries.

In such a critical period as the one our country is experiencing, the camera of Behind the Curtain" turns to an old, seemingly forgotten newspaper and the people who supported it.
The newspaper was "Mahi," and the choice to create a portrait that doesn’t refer to a specific person but to a publication might not be so unorthodox.
"Mahi" was founded as an illegal publication during an extremely bleak time—1941, in the heart of the occupation. From the outset, as its title suggested, it emerged to express the struggles of the many Greek people who were suffering.
The cream of journalists and intellectuals contributed to the underground newspaper. Nikos Kazantzakis, Angelos Sikelianos, Dimitris Psathas, and Alekos Sakellarios were among those who provided articles to the paper. The journalistic team formed the foundation that, in the decades that followed, staffed the most significant newspapers in Athens.
At the heart of "Mahi" was a trio of prominent figures: Professor Alexandros Svolos, Ilias Tsirimokos, and Stratis Someritis. All three envisioned socialism for Greece. They were also leading members of the ELD party, the most significant socialist movement of the time, and "Mahi" was its official organ.
However, it was not a blind partisan publication like those we became accustomed to in the following decades. It was, in fact, the refuge of a handful of romantics proposing an alternative path for Greece.
Post-war, "Mahi" staunchly supported reconciliation to prevent the impending civil war. Later, during the civil war, it stood against the authorities, criticizing the persecution of leftists and the mass executions. It was the only publication daring to do so during a time of extreme terror. At the same time, it kept a clear distance from the Zakariadis-led Communist Party, advocating for a different version of socialism for Greece, in contrast to the Stalinist version that was then regarded as the only one.
But the great battle of "Mahi" was its exposure of the drama at Makronisos. Through systematic, combative journalism backed by courageous research, it raised its voice against the victorious regime, and despite the legal persecution of its people, it not only resisted but ultimately won the battle, leading to the closure of the Makronisos prison camp.
"Mahi" continued to circulate, with enormous popularity, until the early 1950s. Its people envisioned socialism and actively pursued it, hoping to implement their beliefs in practice. Their ideas and visions found themselves caught between the Right, the Center, and the Communist Party. They never succeeded in forming a specific political power, but the core of their thought and the people behind it remained at the forefront of the political scene in Greece for decades.
In the figure of Ilias Tsirimokos, one might vividly see the deadlock of such an endeavor in Greece. A gifted political mind and a member of the Government of the Mountain (led by Alexandros Svolos), he later joined the Union of the Centre and became a key figure in the 1965 political crisis.
The show, using extensive archival material, examines not only the history of the newspaper but also the development of the socialist project in Greece, from then to today.
In today’s era, where ideological terms have lost their meaning and empty rhetoric and demagoguery dominate, it is undoubtedly interesting to reflect on how things might have evolved if different choices had prevailed, and what went wrong for the socialist idea to become distorted in our country. Lastly, we can see that an example of committed action with consistency, rationality, adherence to institutions, and a positive spirit could serve as a guide for today’s dark times.