Wednesday, May 30, 2018

LAGFF 2018

12th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
June 4-10, 2018 - Egyptian Theatre - Hollywood




DO IT YOURSELF
Greece, 2017, 98 min, U.S. Premiere



A small time crook agrees to star in a viral video which can restore the public image of a prominent businessman. What he didn’t expect is that he would end up fighting for his life after the video’s director, a powerful gangster, decides he is an expendable part of his plan. Without much help to count on, this crook needs to find a way out, and he needs to do it himself.

* 2018 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for special Effects, Editing
* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival


HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Hronia Polla)
Greece, Cyprus, France, Germany, 2017, 88 min, LA Premiere



When George runs out of the police riot bus and sees his daughter among the demonstrators facing him, he and his wife decide that father and daughter should go to their country home for a few days, to keep her safe and see if they can salvage their relationship.

* 2018 Palm Springs IFF
* 2018 Seattle IFF
* 2017 Sao Paulo IFF


JAMAICA (Tzamaika)
Greece, 2017, 95 min, West Coast Premiere



Akis and Timos are two siblings who were close during their childhood but ended up growing apart. They are the main heroes of a film that explains the sweeping power of life and the sibling love that overcomes all misunderstandings from the past.

* 2018 NY Greek Film Expo
* 2018 London Greek Film Festival


LOVE ME NOT
Greece, 2017, 99 min, US Premiere



A couple hires a young migrant to be their surrogate mother and moves her to their beautiful villa. While the man is away for work, his wife and the girl start to bond and enjoy the wealthy way of life. But behind her forced cheerfulness, the woman seems more and more depressed. After a few drinks with the girl, she goes for a drive. The next morning, her husband gets a call: his wife is dead, her burned body was found in her wrecked car.

* 2107 Thessaloniki International Film Festival
* 2017 San Sebastian International FIlm Festival
* 2017 Zagreb Film Festival


PERFECT STRANGERS (Teleioi Xenoi)
Greece, 2016, 92 min, West Coast Premiere



Seven friends meet up for dinner on a Friday night. An idea emerges. Every text and call they receive through the night must be shared with the whole group. When the game forces complete transparency, secrets are revealed and relationships are deeply threatened.

* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival
* 2017 New York Greek Film Festival


POLYXENI (Polykseni)
Greece, 2017, 100 min, West Coast Premiere



In 1955, a couple of prominent Greek-Istanbulites adopt an orphan Greek girl from the town of their origin. They offer her a powerful family name and ensure her devotion. She embarks on a new life towards a bright future. Time passes, and the girl grows up, unaware of the devious plan that has been set behind her back.

* 2018 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for Cinematography, Original Music, Best Actress, Supporting Actress
* 2018 Greek Society of Cinematographers – Award for best Cinematography
* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Youth Award for Best Film
* 2017 Cairo Film Festival
* 2017 Tétouan International Mediterranean Film Festival – Grand Prix / Tamouda Award for Best Feature film
* 2017 Hellenic film society – Honorable mention for Best Performance in a Feature Film


ROSEMARIE (Rozmari)
Cyprus, 2017, 112 min, North America Premiere



A burned out soap opera writer, under pressure to deliver new episodes, turns his gaze upon his dysfunctional neighbors. Transforming their tragic everyday encounters into a light-hearted serial, he gets more than the inspiration he bargained for.

* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Best Film
* 2017 Cyprus Film Days International Film Festival – Best Film


SMUGGLING HENDRIX (Fygadevontas ton Hendrix)
Cyprus, 2018, 93 min, West Coast Premiere



Yiannis, a fading musician, is planning to leave crisis-ridden Cyprus for a better life abroad. His plans are put on hold when his dog Jimi runs away and crosses the UN buffer zone to the occupied side of the island. Through the simple story of a man who loses his dog, Smuggling Hendrix gives a vivid demonstration of how the fences we build, both real and imagined, between ourselves and others, can be broken down once we recognize the familiarity in the face of the unknown.

* 2018 Tribeca Film Festival – Best International Narrative Feature Award


THE LAST NOTE (To Teleftaio Simioma)
Greece, 2017, 117 min, LA Premiere



Following 34-year-old Napoleon Soukatzidis, a Cretan with Asia Minor origins, who fought and was held in prisons and exiled since 1936, this film tells the story of the execution of 200 Greek resistance fighters by the German occupation on May 1, 1944, in Kaisariani.

* 2018 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for Make Up, Sound, Costumes, Best Actor


THORN
Denmark-Greece, 2017, 82 min, U.S. Premiere



The night of their marriage, newlywed couple Jacob and Lisa drive away for their honeymoon somewhere in the countryside of Denmark. However, Jacob has no idea where they are going as Lisa has made all the preparations secretly. Everything goes according to plan until Lisa realizes that her plan is harming their love, and their faith is turning into fear.

* 2018 Göteborg International Film Festival
* 2017 Copenhagen Film Festival
* 2017 São Paulo International Film Festival
* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival
* 2017 Cairo International Film Festival


TOO MUCH INFO CLOUDING OVER MY HEAD
Greece, 2017, 105 min, West Coast Premiere



After the failure of his previous film, Gay Nazi Cyborg Zombies in Love, Vasilis will do whatever it takes to earn money for his next film. Meanwhile, those around him will fill the young, anxious director with concerns, and he will barely be able to survive in this hilarious Greek comedy.

* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – FIPRESCI Prize for Best Greek Film, GFC Award for Best Debut Film, ERT New Cinema Award
* 2018 BAFICI
* 2018 Cyprus Film Days IFF
* 2018 ECU Paris Independent Film Festival
* 2018 New York Greek Film Expo

The festival also features 13 Documentaries and 27 Shorts!
For more information and program schedule please visit: LAGFF2018


UPDATED on JUNE 10 - ORPHEUS AWARDS WINNERS

  • Best Fiction Feature Film: Polyxeni by Dora Masclavanou 
  • Best Feature Directing: Thodoris Atheridis for Perfect Strangers 
  • Best Performance: Katia Goulioni in Polyxeni 
  • Best Documentary: Dolphin Man by Lefteris Charitos 
  • Documentary Honorable Mention: Golden Dawn Girls by Håvard Bustnes
  • Special Jury Award: 1968 by Tassos Boulmetis 
  • Best Short Film: Goldfish by Yorgos Angelopoulos
  • Honoray Orpheus Award: George Chakiris