The vibrant spirit of Greek cinema returns to Hollywood this month as the 19th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) kicks off on May 27th, spotlighting a compelling lineup of over 65 films, high-profile tributes, industry panels, and in-person and virtual events.
Running May 27th-June 1st at select venues across Los Angeles and continuing online June 2nd-8th the festival will feature a wide array of narratives, documentaries, shorts, and animations from Greece, Cyprus, and the Greek diaspora.
This year’s centrepiece is a career tribute to legendary filmmaker Costa-Gavras, whose Oscar-winning legacy and political thrillers have shaped international cinema for decades. His classic film ‘Z’ will open the festival on May 28, followed by a red-carpet gala and reception catered by Petros Restaurant and featuring Greek wines from AVRA and spirits from KLEOS and Dulce Vida Tequila.
Costa-Gavras will be honored with the Honorary Orpheus Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by filmmaker John Landis and Oscar-nominated costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis.
The festival wraps on June 1st with the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Arcadia’, the latest feature by Yorgos Zois, starring Vangelis Mourikis, Angeliki Papoulia, and Elena Topalidou. Zois is expected to attend the screening and awards ceremony.
The Orpheus Awards Ceremony, hosted by KNX news producer Vivianne Linou Gabriel, will include a comedy set by Greek-Canadian comedian Angelo Tsarouchas, capping the evening with laughter and celebration.
Other films premiering include Costa-Gavras’ latest film ‘Last Breath’ starring Charlotte Rampling and Hiam Abbass, followed by an on-stage conversation with Oliver Stone and Costa-Gavras.
Miller’s Crossing, a special screening of the Coen brothers’ classic with Gabriel Byrne in attendance for a live Q&A is also premiering on June 3rd, and ‘Missing’ and ‘The Confession’, two Costa-Gavras classics are screening at the newly restored Egyptian Theatre with Costa-Gavras and Michèle Ray-Gavras present from June 2nd-3rd.
Another standout is the U.S. premiere of the emotional documentary ‘Takis’, about a former nightclub owner in Crete who rescues stray dogs. Director Michael Roubis and creative producer Eleni Alafouzos will attend. (May 31)
The festival’s Discovery Days initiative connects emerging filmmakers with industry veterans. A major free event this year is a masterclass by Oscar-winning producer Gareth Ellis-Unwin (The King’s Speech), now working in Greece with Antenna Group to develop new Greek film ventures.
The festival is presented with the support of major partners including GPK & Associates, the Kolovos Family, ELMA, the UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture, and the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture.
