OUTFEST 2017

JULY 6-16
DGA - Harmony Gold - REDCAT

The 35th edition of OUTFEST, the Los Angeles pre-eminent LGBT Film Festival, returns with a vast and diverse selection of highly acclaimed films from around the world. The festival showcases the best American and International LGBT feature films, documentaries, and shorts, followed by receptions at the atrium of the DGA and after-parties in West Hollywood.

God's Own Country

Opening Night Gala

(United Kingdom, 2017, 104 min)

Directed by: Francis Lee

Gritty yet tender, desolate yet beautiful, carnal yet romantic: God’s Own Country is a masterpiece directed with powerful focus and authenticity by first-time feature filmmaker Francis Lee. Johnny Saxby (Josh O’Connor) is an overworked 25-year-old sheep farmer who feels as though life has already passed him by. He whiles away the time with drunken hookups in his small community in Northern England. When his ailing father takes a turn for the worse, handsome Romanian migrant Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu) is brought in to assist Johnny. Although Johnny resents Gheorghe at first, the two are quickly drawn to each other, and during an excursion to the highlands, they forge an even deeper connection.

Freak Show

Closing Night

(USA, 2017, 91 min)

Southern California Premiere

Directed by: Trudie Styler

Teenager Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther, THE IMITATION GAME) learned fabulousness at the feet of his larger-than-life Muvv (Bette Midler). But when he’s shipped off to live with his conservative father (Larry Pine), Billy’s classmates at Ulysses S. Grant Academy don’t know what to make of this flamboyant newcomer and his seemingly endless array of colorful ensembles (with matching makeup). After being severely bullied, Billy bounces back with the help of his new friends, sensitive jock Flip (Ian Nelson, THE HUNGER GAMES) and the loquacious BlahBlahBlah (AnnaSophia Robb). Eventually, our glamorous hero decides to wave his freak flag as high as he can by running for homecoming queen, even if that means facing off against Bible-thumping mean girl Lynette (Abigail Breslin).

Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall

Centerpiece Screening

(USA, 2017, 100 min)

West Coast Premiere

Directed by: Katherine Fairfax Wright

Last year Todrick Hall, the singer, dancer, actor, director, AMERICAN IDOL sensation, and YouTube superstar unveiled his biggest project yet: THE WIZARD OF OZ—inspired musical STRAIGHT OUTTA OZ. Influenced largely by his small-town Texas upbringing and his close relationship with his conservative Christian mother, Hall brings this deeply personal yet ambitious project to fruition over the course of this up-close-and-personal documentary.

Close-Knit

Centerpiece Screening

(Japan, 2017, 127 min)

West Coast Premiere

Directed by: Naoko Ogigami

This warm, witty exploration of unconventional family and unconditional love won the Teddy Jury Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. The award's message of solidarity and equality is epitomized in this film, hailed by critics as breaking new ground for trans narratives in Japanese cinema. 

KEVYN AUCOIN Beauty & The Beast In Me

Centerpiece Screening

(USA, 2017, 90 min)

World Premiere

Directed by: Lori Kaye

This extraordinary film documents renowned celebrity makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin, who fought his way from rural Louisiana to become the most sought after makeup artist of his time. At the heart of the documentary is an abundance of never before seen archival footage of some of the most iconic moments in fashion history, shot by Kevyn himself throughout his life and career. Intimate and uncensored moments with the celebrated paragons of 80s and 90s fashion and pop culture include Naomi Campbell, Cher, Cindy Crawford, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Andie MacDowell, Paulina Porizkova, Tina Turner, and Amber Valletta. Interviews with celebrities, colleagues, family, friends, and former lovers explain and share why they think Kevyn was able to achieve all of his dreams and create so much beauty, yet struggled to see the beauty within himself. This World Premiere is produced by Logo Documentary Films and Putti Media.

Strangers

Centerpiece Screening

(USA, 2016, 115 min)

West Coast Premiere

Directed by: Mia Lidofsky, Celia Rowlson-Hall

Newly single and bisexual, Isobel rents out her spare room in a last ditch effort to keep the home she loves. Along with her lesbian best friend, Cam, she navigates the most complicated time in her life—emotionally, sexually, and professionally. As Isobel begins to share her life with a revolving door of colorful characters, their zany antics challenge her perspective and help open her up to a new way of looking at the world. From navigating her first relationship with another woman, to grappling with career dissatisfaction, Isobel ventures into uncharted territory with hilarity and sincerity. 

Beautiful Thing

Legacy Project

(United Kingdom, 1996, 90 min)

Directed by: Hettie Macdonald

Released in 1996, this beloved coming-of-age classic tells the story of two teenage boys, living in the same London housing project, who hold the same secret: they think they might be gay. After a fight with his abusive father, Steve ends up crashing in Jamie's bed, allowing the two to open up to each other and begin the process of embracing their identities. Two decades after its initial release, the film still stands as one of the most poignant and honest depictions of the coming out process ever presented on screen.

Chasing Amy

Legacy Project

(USA, 1997, 113 min)

Directed by: Kevin Smith

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Kevin Smith’s iconic film. Both beloved and dismissed by members of the LGBTQ community, this film explores the complexities of friendship and sexuality. Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Banksy (Jason Lee) are best friends and comic book artists. When the two meet fellow comic book artist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) at a convention, Holden is immediately smitten, only to discover Alyssa is a lesbian. However, as the two become closer as friends, the lines begin to blur.

Muchachas de Uniforme 
Girls in Uniform

Legacy Project

(Mexico, 1951, 83 min)

Directed by: Alfredo B. Crevenna

Likely the first time this film has been screened in the United States since its release, this drama is a rarely-seen Mexican remake of the iconic German film Mädchen in Uniform. Orphaned Manuela enters a strict boarding school dominated by an overbearing headmistress. She finds protection in Lucila, a young teacher for whom Manuela builds a strong affection, but this crush could get them both in trouble.

4 Days in France

Jours de France

International Narratives

(France, 2016, 142 min)

Directed by: Jérôme Reybaud

One morning, Pierre quietly leaves his sleeping boyfriend Paul in their Paris apartment, hops in a gleaming white Alfa Romeo, and heads for the gorgeous French countryside, embarking on a series of anonymous encounters. Before long, Paul sets off in pursuit, using Grindr to track his wandering lover. In this twisting road trip movie, full of charming and unexpected moments, both men meet a series of beguiling strangers, propelling each other to a destination neither of them expected. 

Body Electric
Corpo Eletrico

International Narratives

(Brazil, 2017, 93 min)

Directed by: Marcelo Caetano

First-time filmmaker Marcelo Caetano gracefully weaves a warm, sensual tale that captures the charm of young working people and the beauty of the changing sexual landscape in Brazil. Carefree Elias works at a textile factory, juggling long shifts with animated nights out and no-strings sexual encounters. As he tries to discern where his future might lead him, Elias learns to take pleasure in the small things in life. 

Center of My World

Die Mitte der Welt

International Narratives

(Austria, Germany, 2016, 115 min)

Directed by: Jakob M. Erwa

Bursting with the erratic euphoria that fuels our teenage emotions, wide-eyed high schooler Phil (Louis Hofman, Oscar-nominated LAND OF MINE) finds his humdrum life turned upside-down by the arrival of a strapping young track star. Navigating first love, and an escalating feud between his counter-culture mom and rebellious sister, Phil is forced to confront the reality of his rose-colored point of view. First-time director Jakob M. Erwa imbues this coming-of-age story with pops of panache, creating a vibrant mosaic of adolescence. 

The City of the Future

A Cidade do Futuro

International Narratives

(Brazil, 2016, 76 min)

West Coast Premiere

Directed by: Claudio Marques, Marilia Hughes Guerreiro

In a remote part of Brazil, the triad of Mila, Igor, and Gilmar are determined to break away and form their own nontraditional family, defying the definitions that society has attempted to impose on them. As they prepare for the birth of their child, the three contemplate their intertwining relationships. Cláudio Marques and Marília Hughes Guerreiro have boldly collaborated on a naturalistic film that shuns convention, instead embracing love in all its dazzling iterations. 

A Date for Mad Mary

International Narratives

(Ireland, 2016, 82 min)

Directed by: Darren Thornton

Mary's charms are undeniable in this Irish coming-of-age portrayal of the angsty path from youth to womanhood. Mary has just been released from a six-month prison stint for a drunken bar fight. Her best friend Charlene is now getting married and wants to keep Mary at a distance, alienating her from their circle of friends. An encounter with a queer musician changes Mary's perspective and awakens her romantic spirit. Filmmaker Darren Thornton's first feature is warm and instantly relatable.

Fathers

International Narratives

(Thailand, 2016, 96 min)

North America Premiere

Directed by: Palatpol Mingpornpichit

Striking couple Phoon and Yuke, urban professionals in their 30s, seemingly have it all—except for one thing: they've always dreamt of being parents. When they adopt the adorable young boy Butr, the pair become "Daddy" and "Papa" and their family is complete. However, schoolyard bullying and interference from prejudiced parents brings unwelcome attention from child protective services. A tender portrait of same-sex fatherhood, this film makes a heartfelt plea in support of rainbow families.

I Dream in Another Language

International Narratives

(Mexico, Netherlands, 2017, 103 min)

Directed by: Ernesto Contreras

Winner of the Audience Award at Sundance, this romantic drama is sure to please. Martin, a handsome linguist, travels to a Mexican jungle to record audio of Zikril, an indigenous language on the verge of disappearing. But the last two remaining speakers, Evaristo and Isauro, have not spoken for 50 years due to a lovers’ quarrel. Can Martin persuade the men to reconnect in order to save their language? This epic sensory experience explores the impact of cultural identity on matters of the heart.

In Between

Bar Bahar

International Narratives

(France, Israel, 2016, 96 min)

Directed by: Maysaloun Hamoud

Three Palestinian women share an apartment in the bustling city of Tel Aviv, as they attempt to break away from the expectations of their families and society. Laila, an outspoken lawyer who parties hard, and Salma, a lesbian DJ from a conservative Christian family, take in new roommate Nour, a devout Muslim studying for her degree despite her fiancé's protests. Buoyed by a sparkling cast, Maysaloun Hamoud's taboo-breaking first feature expertly navigates the culture clash among religious, gender, cultural, and ethnic divides.

Paths

Ein Weg

International Narratives

(Germany, 2017, 108 min)

USA Premiere

Directed by: Chris Miera

For anyone in a relationship who’s ever asked themselves, "How did we get here, anyway?" comes this poignant and impassioned tale of a love that’s reached an impasse. Furniture designer and single father Andreas falls for Martin, and as the years go by, we see the ebb and flow of their lives together, both deeply in love and falling apart at the seams, even as their son Max grows into manhood. Movingly acted and directed, this story avoids flashy melodrama in favor of the discrete, everyday intimacies that couples create together over time.

Rift

Rökkur

International Narratives

(Iceland, 2017, 111 min)

North America Premiere

Directed by: Erlingur Thoroddsen

When Gunnar reluctantly answers a late-night phone call from Einar, his ex-boyfriend, he’s concerned: Einar sounds disturbed and capable of hurting himself. Gunnar travels to the secluded cabin where Einar is holed up and quickly discovers that someone, or something, is relentlessly stalking them both. As sparse and chilling as a northern winter, this Icelandic thriller will keep you guessing and leave you haunted.

Santa & Andres

International Narratives

(Cuba, 2016, 105 min)

Southern California Premiere

Directed by: Carlos Lechuga

Cuba, 1981: For many, the wounds of the revolution have begun to heal, although there are still those who refuse to be compliant with the regime's silencing of intellectuals and LGBTQ people. Gay writer Andrés spends three days under house arrest, supervised by young revolutionary Santa, who knows nothing of life away from the countryside. During this brief period, the pair form an unpredictable bond. Subtle and moving, yet boldly political and provocative, this is a story of day-to-day lives affected by sweeping change.

Tamara

International Narratives

(Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, 2016, 110 min)

Directed by: Elia K. Schneider

This extraordinary biopic follows the true story of Venezuela's first transgender politician Tamara Adrián. Conservative Tomás builds a life as a successful lawyer and devoted husband and father, despite having always felt female on the inside. A sojourn in Paris frees Tamara to assert herself, and a lengthy battle with Venezuelan authorities over misgendered ID papers turns her into an activist who eventually decides to run for office. Powerful performances anchor this acclaimed portrait of a real-life, present-day heroine.

Tom of Finland

International Narratives

(Finland, 2017, 115 min)
Directed by: Dome Karukoski

His unabashedly sexual drawings-featuring leather-clad studs of all stripes-shaped the fantasies and fetishes of generations of gay men, but who was Tom of Finland? This acclaimed film follows the life of artist Touko Laaksonen, from the trenches of WWII through the repression of the 1950s to the explosion of gay liberation, which his artwork helped inspire. Moving and inspiring, this stirring biopic pays tribute to one of the great pioneers of erotic art, who happily called Los Angeles home during the latter years of his life.

The Wound

Inxeba

International Narratives

(South Africa, 2017, 88 min)

Directed by: John Trengove

In the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, a group of young men head to a remote mountain camp to be initiated into manhood. Matched with mentors who lead them though this ancient Xhosa rite of passage, the expectations of masculinity create a pressure-filled environment for Xolani, who harbors a secret about his identity. Singer Nakhane Touré, a Xhosa tribe member, plays the lead role in this captivating film that offers insight into a cultural tradition rarely explored onscreen.

Bones of Contention

Documentary Features

(Spain, USA, 2017, 75 min)

Directed by: Andrea Weiss

The brutal Franco dictatorship continues to haunt Spain—literally, as some 120,000 skeletons of the Fascist leader's enemies were buried in unmarked graves all over the country. If one man has come to symbolize all of these desaparecidos, it's legendary poet and playwright Federico Garcia-Lorca, whom this film calls "the first LGBT victim of the Franco regime." Director Andrea Weiss examines the men and women (including the writer's niece, Laura) who recall Spain's homophobic past and seek to exhume it by finding these remains.

Boys for Sale

Documentary Features

(Japan, 2017, 76 min)

Directed by: Itako

In Tokyo’s Shinjuku district there are bars that specialize in "Urisen", young guys who have sex with men. Featuring candid interviews and interspersed with animation detailing the awkward, sweet, and sometimes hilarious situations these sex workers experience, the boys for sale boldly tell their stories of life in the Tokyo underground. This doc is an illuminating look into a rarely seen world that tantalizingly shows the humanity of sex work.

Chavela

Documentary Features

(Mexico, Spain, USA, 2017, 90 min)

Directed by: Catherine Gund, Daresha Kyi

This stunning documentary captures the significance of Mexico’s most beloved lesbian Rancheras icon—Chavela Vargas—a rebellious, solitary and profoundly wounded trailblazer. An unforgettable journey through the enigmatic life of Chavela, this lyrical love letter interweaves never-before-seen interview footage and mesmerizing musical portraits of her most famous soul-gripping songs. From the spotlight of the stage, Chavela’s tortured vocals and unapologetic queer sensibility inspired a deeply patriarchal culture to love, to cry, and to feel, redefining entrenched gender traditions. You’ll never forget it.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Documentary Features

(USA, 2017, 105 min)

Directed by: David France

A fixture in NYC’s Greenwich Village and a stalwart advocate for gay rights, Marsha P. Johnson was a beloved, vivacious trans woman who has been called the Rosa Parks of the LGBTQ movement. Her tragic death in July 1992 was quickly dismissed as suicide by the NYPD. Director David France (Oscar-nominated HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE) uses his background in investigative journalism to dig deeper into the mystery of Marsha’s death while highlighting the very real dangers trans people still face.

Dream Boat

Documentary Features

(Germany, 2017, 92 min)

Directed by: Tristan Ferland Milewski

Decked from port to starboard in tops and bottoms, this cruise sets sail every year with leagues of gay men hungry to find their own slice of paradise on the open seas. International waters provide the perfect platform to explore the ecstasy, agony, hopes, and dreams that bridge this community behind the bacchanalia, revealing a manifest rife with intersections between the diverse identities aboard, a brotherhood across borders.

The Fabulous Allan Carr

Documentary Features

(USA, 2017, 90 min)

Directed by: Jeffrey Schwarz

Director Jeffrey Schwarz (VITO, I AM DIVINE) returns with this fascinating look at Allan Carr, one of the most extravagant Hollywood figures of the 1970s and 80s. The film charts Carr’s rise from talent manager to megastar producer of GREASE, before he perpetrated the box-office blunders CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC and GREASE 2, as well as the disastrous 1989 Academy Awards ceremony. Featuring new interviews and archival footage of Carr’s legendary parties, this portrait of a showbiz legend is both hilarious and deeply sympathetic.

No Dress Code Required

Etiqueta no rigurosa

Documentary Features

(Mexico, 2017, 92 min)

Directed by: Cristina Herrera Borquez

Stylists Victor and Fernando made many Mexicali brides look beautiful on their wedding day, but when they decide to marry, the pair begin a complicated journey requiring them to navigate Baja California's legal system and labyrinthine bureaucracies. Neither bomb threats nor accusations of mental illness stop these determined men from marrying in their hometown. An Outfest Fusion favorite, this compelling and poignant documentary reminds us that the fight for global marriage equality is nowhere near over.

For a complete list of films and screening schedule please visit: OUTFEST 2017

LAGFF 2017

11th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
June 7-11 - Egyptian Theatre - Hollywood

OPENING NIGHT FILM:

AMERIKA SQUARE (Plateia Amerikis)
Greece/UK/Germany, 2016, 86 min, West Coast Premiere

Amerika Square is a Square in Athens. It’s the Casablanca of our times. A triptych revealing the opposing forces of today’s humanitarian challenges. Two friends, Billy, a tattoo artist and Nakos, a “banal” Greek racist, come head to head in Amerika Square in Athens because of the survival journey of Tarek, a Syrian refugee.

FEATURE FILMS:

THE OGRE OF ATHENS (O Drakos)
Greece, 1956, 103 min

A peaceful innocent man is mistaken for a serial ravisher and killer who looks very much like him. He finds himself on the run by everyone that knows him, and finally hides inside a nightclub owned by small crooks. In his face, they see the leader that will give them everything they desire.

BOY ON THE BRIDGE (To Agori Sti Gefira)
Cyprus, 2016, 85 min, West Coast Premiere

In a seemingly idyllic Cypriot village, twelve-year-old Socrates’ careless summer days of riding his bike and tantalizing the local residents come to an abrupt end when he finds himself at the center of a murder investigation, which exposes a dark family secret and changes his life forever. Confronted with a dilemma that will change his life forever, Socrates discovers the meaning of love, family loyalty and courage.

BLISS (Eftichia)
Greece, 2016, 84 min, North American Premiere

Anna, a detached and introverted woman in her early 30s, keeps finding Post-It notes with countdown numbers stuck on her door, triggering a series of events that will shatter her mental health. When a man starts stalking her, Anna suspects everyone she knows, clashing with friends and family. Her meeting with her stalker will be the only way out. “BLISS” is a tragicomic glance at the life of a young woman, viewed through a distorted perception of reality.

LINES (Grammes)
Greece, 2016, 88 min, North American Premiere

Greece today. Seven different stories about seven persons who have already reached their limits and finally fall apart. Despite their seemingly obvious connection they are simultaneously connected through a common desperate action: the last phone call to the psychological support center called ‘life line’. It’s their last hope.

SMAC
Greece, 2015, 110 min, LA Premiere

A dying woman brings home a homeless man trying to overcome her fear of death to discover that it’s not her death that she fears most.

ROZA OF SMYRNA (I Roza Tis Smyrnis)
Greece, 2016, 97 min

Izmir 1922: Young Roza is preparing to get married. Athens today: The passion of a young collector leads him to the coast of Asia Minor. An old photo and a wedding dress is enough to unfold an old and a new love story. The smell of the antique shops, the charm of the trips, the challenge of the mystery create the atmosphere to discover.

SWING AWAY
USA/Greece, 2016, 98 min, LA Premiere

Following a suspension, professional golfer Zoe travels to her grandparents’ village in Greece to escape harsh publicity. She meets and mentors a 10 year-old girl. Rediscovering her Greek heritage and her love of the game, she inspires the town in an epic showdown against a greedy American developer.

THE OTHER ME (Eteros Ego)
Greece, 2016, 100 min, US Premiere

Five murders. Dimitris Lainis, a peculiar criminology professor, undertakes to assist police in solving the hidden mystery. His only alias the puzzle of Pythagorean theorems and a professor of mathematics, who as another “deus ex machina” will lead him towards the solution. The closer he gets, the more he steps into some dangerous paths. Will he be able to resolve the mystery?

AFTERLOV

Greece, 2016, 94 min, LA Premiere

Nikos, still unable to get over his recent break-up with Sofia, invites her to a luxury villa he takes care of, in order to get answers. Is Nikos ever going to get the answers he was looking for? Is Sofia ever going to be able to explain why they broke up? A funny, poignant and scathing post-love story between two people who refuse to grow up.

XAMOU
Greece, 2016, 87 min, LA Premiere

Based on the Cretan land and people, XAMOU is not a film about the Greek crisis. It is an optimistic film about all the crises, those who refute the established and force us to reinvent ourselves and our relationships with people, land…and the world around us.

PARK
Greece/Poland, 2016, 100 min, LA Premiere

Athens Olympic Village, ten years after the Games: wilding youths, injured retired athletes and stray dogs among ruins and decaying sports venues. Isolated and abandoned, surrounded by decaying sport venues, the Athens Olympic Village is today a near-deserted place. Its only residents a few working class families who were offered free housing following the 2004 Games. Stuck inside the village a group of boys wander around the ruins playing distorted versions of Olympic Games and organizing dog mating for money.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM:

SON OF SOFIA (O gios tis Sofias)

Greece/France/Bulgaria, 2017,111 min, West Coast Premiere

11-year-old Misha is coming from Russia to Athens during the 2004 Olympic Games to live with his mother. He does not know there is a father waiting for him. While Greece is living the Olympic dream, Misha will get violently catapulted into the adult world, riding on the dark side of his favorite fairy tales.


DOCUMENTARY FILMS:

THE GREEK
USA, 2017, 26 min, World Premiere, Documentary

The Greek tells the story and daily struggles inside and outside the ring of the only one-armed professional boxer in the world.

A LATE STYLE OF FIRE: LARRY LEVIS, AMERICAN POET
USA, 2016, 93 min, LA Premiere, Documentary

The brilliant writing and troubled life of Californian Larry Levis came to an abrupt halt when he died at age 49. Is self-destruction required for a serious life of art? Featuring an original score by Iron and Wine, this innovative documentary explores his childhood working alongside Mexican-American field hands, three marriages, friendships with America’s greatest poets, and his own words for answers.

LETTERS FROM ATHENS (Briefe aus Athen)
Germany/France, 2017, 88 min, North American Premiere, Documentary

With the German Occupation in Greece (1941-1944) as a background, this film tells the love story between the filmmaker’s father, an assistant professor at the mysterious German Scientific Institute of Athens, a refuge for resistant students.

OUR OWN MARIA CALLAS (I diki mas Maria Kallas)
Greece, 2016, 95 min, West Coast Premiere, Documentary

This Maria Callas dramatized documentary is a voyage to the mythical world of Maria Callas, the soprano we all know. Her life was one with the roles she interpreted, Medea, Norma, etc. Drama rules supreme. The glory from her art only gives way to the love for life. Rejection, pain, loneliness follow. Towards the end she returns to Greece. This film required the selfless work of hundreds of volunteers, while it was filmed in Neohorion Oihalias, place of origin of Maria Callas, Meligala, Kalamata, Tripoli, Athens, New York City, Verona, Milano, Paris and the island of Scorpio.

THE ARTIST VASSILIS THEOCHARAKIS (O Kallitechnis Vassilis Theocharakis)
Greece, 2017, 84 min, North American Premiere, Documentary

The great love affair of well-known businessman, Vassilis Theocharakis, with painting and his devotion to it for over half a century, made him unique, because he succeeded in both realms – business and art.

THE PATRIARCH’S ROOM
Canada/Israel, 2016, 85 min, West Coast Premiere, Documentary

The Patriarch of the Greek Church in Jerusalem is imprisoned in his room for over a decade. Demoted to the rank of a simple monk after being accused of selling church lands to Jewish Settlers; he claims his innocence.

BALLROOM BOYS
UK, 2016, 14 min, US Premiere, Documentary

Tensions arise as Lemington and Nejc train for the European Ballroom Championships in Blackpool. Will their relationship survive?

JANUS’ LEGACY: REFUGEE PASSAGE TO EUROPE (Me ti matia tou Ianou. Prosfyges sto dromo pros tin Evropi)
Greece, 2016, 93 min, US Premiere, Documentary

JANUS captures the problems and options faced by refugees in their contact with the reception society and relating to different levels of interaction, involving municipal and state authorities, NGOs, local inhabitants and generally Greek citizens, and especially the specific section of Greeks or foreigners, who were enlisted as volunteers trying to assist them.

LAUGHTER WITHOUT BORDERS
USA, 2016, 36 min, West Coast Premiere, Documentary

Swedish Clowns in Greece helping Syrian Refugees. Sometimes, laughter is the best medicine. A University of Oklahoma film professor, Andrew Horton, decided to travel to northern Greece and film four clowns making Syrian refugees laugh. He is now sharing his experience through a new film, LAUGHTER WITHOUT BORDERS. I got the idea last year when the big migration of Syrian refugees left Turkey and went to Greece, ”OU professor Andrew Horton said.“ American clowns [from Clowns Without Borders] were in Greece traveling around the different villages doing anything they could to try and make the refugees laugh and enjoy life. That made me decide that I needed to share the stories of these four clowns.”

LAST SONG TO XENITIA
Greece/Canada, 2017, 74 min, LA Premiere

103 year old folk poet Grandmother returns to Greece for her last journey to her homeland with her book of folk songs and a message of hope. Folk-poet Vasiliki left her homeland as a bride during the Great Depression in search of a better life in America. The Greeks call this Xenitia, meaning ‘to live as a stranger in a foreign land”. Nurtured and sustained over the years by an ancient oral tradition, she dictates from memory at the age of a hundred more than 340 songs and poems which are published in a book. At the age of 103 she returns to a Greece in crisis once again. She hopes that these songs can live on to inspire a new generation facing the same question whether to stay in their homeland or depart once more for Xenitia.

TRUE BLUE
Greece, 2016, 29 min, North American Premiere, Documentary

In a country on the verge of collapse, Girly and Stamatis, a Greek-American couple are enjoying life on the island of Ikaria, known as the place where “people forget to die.”

WITH THE HOES AND THE TERRARIUM FORKS (Me Ta Tsapia Ke Me Ta Thkelia)
Greece, 2016, 56 min, World Premiere, Documentary

The people of the village of Zagora on the slopes of Mount Pelion, historically based their survival on farming, animal husbandry and trade. In 1916, they founded the Agricultural Cooperative of Zagora which prospered through the years, the first Agricultural Cooperative in Greece to celebrate a century of continuous operation. The film presents farmers of the past and present, the organization and evolution of a local community which develops cooperatively over the last 100 years and passes on this tradition from generation to generation.

FROZEN AMBROSIA
Greece, 2016, 58 min, North American Premiere, Documentary

When people think of Greece, few realize that the country has high mountains and a winter season, with skiing and snowboarding. Determined to change this perception, Greek-American filmmaker Constantine Papanicolaou sets out on an adventure to make a ski film that will show the magic of winter in Greece.


  

The festival also features award winning shorts.

For more information please visit: LAGFF2017