{"id":13597,"date":"2025-05-09T06:44:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T13:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=13597"},"modified":"2025-05-09T17:50:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T00:50:02","slug":"greek-mothers-never-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2025\/greek-mothers-never-die\/","title":{"rendered":"Greek Mothers Never Die * A Comedic, Warm Hearted Movie That Highlights The Greek Family Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13602\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/greekmothers.poster.jpg?resize=123%2C185&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"123\" height=\"185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/greekmothers.poster.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/greekmothers.poster.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/greekmothers.poster.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/greekmothers.poster.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 123px) 100vw, 123px\" \/>Ella\u2018s story begins in\u00a0Greece, she is the only child of Jack, an American singer-song writer and Despina, a\u00a0Greek, zany, overprotective Gyros owner. Nick, Ella\u2019s only friend, is a 10 year old shy, nerdy looking boy. Ella and Nick grow and their friendship turns into love but in 2010 the\u00a0Greek\u00a0economy collapses, Nick vanishes and Jack dies. Despina and Ella have to move overnight to America for their survival. Now Ella is a 27 years old late-bloomer, with zero love life, dreaming of becoming a singer, but Despina pressures her to take over the Gyros. During their daily fight, Despina drops dead of a heart attack only to returns as an intervening ghost, haunting Ella with unwanted advice and romantic guidance after Nick re-surfaces as a handsome doctor (and something of a playboy). In this supernatural heartwarming romantic comedy-drenched in\u00a0Greek\u00a0Drama &#8211; Ella will ultimately take control of her life. Find the meaning of true love and learn how to deal with the passing of her\u00a0mother.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Mikella G. comments, \u201c<em>Greek Mothers Never Die<\/em>\u00a0is a comedic, warm-hearted movie. I really like this film and the way that it highlights the Greek experience. It\u2019s over-the-top dramatic in such an exciting way!\u201d See her full review below.<\/p>\n<p>Greek Mothers Never Die<br \/>\nMikella G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, age 18<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G9TuKALrgzA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13598 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.D.jpg?resize=155%2C155&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"155\" height=\"155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.D.jpg?w=225&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.D.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 155px) 100vw, 155px\" \/>Greek Mothers Never Die<\/em>\u00a0is a comedic, warm-hearted movie. I really like this film and the way that it highlights the Greek experience. It\u2019s over-the-top dramatic in such an exciting way!<\/p>\n<p><em>Greek Mothers Never Die<\/em>\u00a0follows the story of Despina (Rachel Suissa) and her daughter Ella (Abby Miner) who move from Greece to a small island in Florida after the economic crisis happening in Greece. Unfortunately, Despina unexpectedly dies, but she still finds ways to control Ella from beyond the grave. Ella is able to see ghosts of her mother, after struggling with her grief. Throughout the film, we watch Ella try to figure out who she is, and not be so alone. However, the burden of her overwhelming Greek mother takes her on a wild journey into discovering her identity.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13601\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.a.jpg?resize=222%2C148&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.a.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.a.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GMND.a.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px\" \/>I really enjoyed all the comedic aspects of this film. Getting to learn about the Greek mother-daughter relationship was really interesting to me. Seeing how overprotective Greek mothers are, yet so loving, and always putting their children first is so special. I could feel the energy and joy that this film created with the audience in the theater. For example, at one point, Despina is spying on Ella while she is interacting with a boy. This moment is quite funny, and something that people can easily relate too. Another standout is Rachel Suissa\u2019s talent. Not only does she play the leading role of Despina, she also directed the film, wrote the script, and wrote most of the music. Her work ethic and quality of work is extremely impressive. Rachel\u2019s passion and love for this project is so evident, and shines through as you watch the film. The storyline was inspired by her own life, making everything feel very authentic. There certainly would be no better person to take on this project than her.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13599 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BMND.C.jpg?resize=153%2C153&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"153\" height=\"153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BMND.C.jpg?w=225&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BMND.C.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 153px) 100vw, 153px\" \/>Lastly, the chemistry and connection between Abby Miner, and Simon R\u00e9rolle, who plays Nick, is outstanding. These two actors work so well together, and you can feel the love they have for each other bouncing off the screen. I learned that they had very little time from meeting one another, to filming, which makes their connection even more incredible. It is almost natural &#8212; I found myself smiling at the screen because of their lovely admiration for one another. All of their moments on the boat dock are key to the development of their relationship, and establish such a genuine connection.<\/p>\n<p>The message of\u00a0<em>Greek Mothers Never Die<\/em>\u00a0is to never take love for granted, and always listen to your heart.<\/p>\n<p>I give\u00a0<em>Greek Mothers Never Die<\/em>\u00a04 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults.\u00a0It releases on all streaming platforms May 9, 2025.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hcmYP19KAX4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ella\u2018s story begins in Greece, she is the only child of Jack, an American singer-song writer and Despina, a Greek, zany, overprotective Gyros owner. Nick, Ella\u2019s only friend, is a 10 year old shy, nerdy looking boy. Ella and Nick grow and their friendship turns into love but in 2010 the Greek economy collapses, Nick vanishes and Jack dies. Despina and Ella have to move overnight to America for their survival. Now Ella is a 27 years old late-bloomer, with zero love life, dreaming of becoming a singer, but Despina pressures her to take over the Gyros. During their daily fight, Despina drops dead of a heart attack only to returns as an intervening ghost, haunting Ella with unwanted advice and romantic guidance after Nick re-surfaces as a handsome doctor (and something of a playboy). In this supernatural heartwarming romantic comedy-drenched in Greek Drama &#8211; Ella will ultimately take control of her life. Find the meaning of true love and learn how to deal with the passing of her mother.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Mikella G. comments, \u201cGreek Mothers Never Die is a comedic, warm-hearted movie. I really like this film and the way that it highlights the Greek experience. It\u2019s over-the-top dramatic in such an exciting way!\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[9065,9069,9073,9076,9067,9077,9078,9070,9075,9071,9072,9079,9066,9074,9068],"class_list":["post-13597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-abby-miner","tag-asia-suissa-fuller","tag-bennett-pappas","tag-bob-ohara","tag-carter-siranni","tag-greek-culture","tag-greek-families","tag-james-pearthree","tag-kelby-roberson","tag-michelle-calloway","tag-mollie-laylin","tag-my-big-fat-greek-wedding","tag-simon-rerolle","tag-sophia-sutton","tag-wade-hunt-williams"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3xj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13597"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13597\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13603,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13597\/revisions\/13603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}