Tuesday, May 13, 2025

LAGFF 2025

The 19th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival Program Announced
With 65+ Films in Competition May 27-June 1, Virtual on June 2-8

The 19th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) returns with expanded programs and 65+ films in competition. Artistic & Festival Director Aris Katopodis has announced the 2025 official selections, a Tribute to legendary filmmaker Costa-Gavras, a collaboration with American Cinematheque, Discovery Days industry program, Hollywood Scene & Be Seen Bash, Greek TV Presentations, virtual screenings (June 2-8), including animation. “Showcasing 23 International and World premieres, 19 North American and US premieres, and 12 LA premieres, Greek cinema continues to have a vibrant presence in Hollywood,” said Mr. Katopodis.

For the complete festival program, schedule, and passes, please visit www.lagff.org

OPENING NIGHT FILM: MAY 28

• Z – Award-winning feature by Greek-French filmmaker Costa-Gavras. John Landis and Professor Deborah Nadoolman Landis will present him with the Honorary Orpheus Lifetime Achievement Award. Red Carpet Opening Night Reception will be catered by Petros Restaurant, Greek wines from AVRA, cocktails from KLEOS Mastiha Spirit, Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress Gin, and non-alcoholic drinks from Greece by Optima Foods. The multi-event tribute celebrating Costa-Gavras’ achievements is presented by ELMA.org

CLOSING NIGHT FILM: JUNE 1

• ARCADIA – Feature LA Premiere, directed by Yorgos Zois (who will attend) and starring Vangelis Mourikis, Angeliki Papoulia, and Elena Topalidou. The screening is followed by Red Carpet Orpheus Awards Ceremony, hosted by KNX news writer-producer Vivianne Linou Gabriel and a comedy set by Angelo Tsarouchas. Closing Night is presented by the Kolovos Family, and the reception is catered by PETROS Restaurant; wines by AVRA; drinks by KASTRA ELION, soft drinks & snacks by OPTIMA FOODS and water by SMARTWATER.

LAGFF 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

• LAST BREATH - West Coast Premiere of Costa-Gavras’ new film starring Hiam Abbass, Denis Podalydes, Angelia Molina, and Charlotte Rampling will be followed by a Conversation with Oliver Stone and Costa-Gavras, and Reception. The event is hosted by the UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture. (May 31, James Bridges Theatre, UCLA)

• MEAT – LA premiere, award-winning film directed by Dimitris Nakos, in attendance

• KYUKA BEFORE SUMMER’S END – US Premiere, award-winning drama-comedy directed by Kostis Charamountanis

• MISSING and THE CONFESSION - The American Cinematheque in Collaboration with LAGFF screening of two Costa-Gavras films with Costa-Gavras and Michèle Ray-Gavras in attendance at Egyptian Theater. (June 2-3).

• MILLER’S CROSSING – Feature by Joel & Ethan Coen with Gabriel Byrne in person for a Q&A (June 3).

FREE FESTIVAL EVENTS

Masterclass with Gareth Ellis-Unwin presented by Antenna Group. Gareth Ellis-Unwin is an Academy and BAFTA award winning producer, best known for the film THE KINGS SPEECH (Oscar 2011, Best Picture). Now living and working in Greece, Gareth brings 30+ years of international filmmaking experience to a new venture within Antenna Group. During his 60-minute masterclass Gareth will reflect on his career to date, a journey that saw him go from being an assistant director all the way to picking up his Oscar and BAFTA Award, and discussing practical advice on pitching, developing and producing movies. He will also share details on the new venture in Greece, the values and ambitions of the new company in shaping Greek filmmaking, and most importantly how they will be looking to work with Greek talent from around the world. (May 31)

SKAI Greek TV Presentation and documentary film screening TAKIS – international premiere - directed by Michael Roubis with creative producer Eleni Alafouzos in attendance. TAKIS shares the inspiring journey of a former nightclub owner who gave up everything to rescue stray dogs on the island of Crete. Takis created a model animal shelter, where 2,500 abused dogs have been rescued and 1,500 adopted, mostly abroad. His commitment to doing good has created a snowball effect. May 31

LAGFF Sponsors

GPK & Associates and the Kolovos Family — GPK & Associates is an established property management company and family-owned business. GPK & Associates takes a hands-on approach to managing communities and has successfully leased and managed a large portfolio of apartment homes in the greater Los Angeles area for over 40 years. It is the company's mission to provide residents with the highest quality customer service and ensure their homes are comfortable and the properties are well maintained. GPK & Associates take pride in their level of customer service and the quality of workmanship provided in their remodeled apartment homes. They believe this translates into a positive rental experience for all residents who live in their communities. www.gpkassociates.com

Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture - The mission of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture (LACDAC) is to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout LA County. LACDAC provides leadership, services, and support in areas including grants and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations, countywide arts education initiatives, commissioning and care for civic art collections, research and evaluation, access to creative pathways, professional development, free community programs, and cross sector creative strategies that address civic issues. All this work is framed by the longstanding commitment to fostering access to the arts, and the County’s Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative. www.lacountyarts.org

European Languages & Movies in America - The European Languages & Movies in America (ELMA) mission is to create new avenues for better cultural understanding between the people of Europe and the USA by celebrating alternative cinema. Since its inception in 2007, ELMA has supported over 100 events in 30 countries in over 20 languages. ELMA strives to provide more opportunities to view European films by supporting educational and nonprofit venues showing such movies. ELMA supports a wide spectrum of projects, from classic films to the works of emerging talent in order to provide new audiences with an alternative to Hollywood. www.elma.org/copy-of-home-1

UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture was established in 2019 by a lead gift from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and matching funds provided by generous members of the Hellenic and Philhellenic community of Southern California. The Center supports a comprehensive set of academic and public initiatives, both locally, through strategic collaborations with organizations in Southern California, and in Greece and Cyprus, through partnerships with universities and cultural institutions. https://hellenic.ucla.edu/

The Egyptian Theatre is a classic and beloved movie palace originally built in 1922 during the silent film era. A fixture in Hollywood’s Golden Age, the Egyptian was the site of the world’s very first movie premiere of ROBIN HOOD starring Douglas Fairbanks and remains to this day the ultimate destination for moviegoers. This historic venue has been the home of glamorous red carpet premieres, groundbreaking film festivals and incredible cinematic experiences over the near-century it has been presenting films for audiences in Hollywood, the movie-making capital of the world.

In 2007, Petros Benekos opened his flagship restaurant, Petros Restaurant, in Manhattan Beach California, which Zagat named “Top New Restaurant” and which continues to earn accolades and awards celebrating Petros’s meticulously handmade recipes inspired by his mother. Today three additional Petros restaurants serve the popular communities of Century City, El Segundo and Solvang; while Petros' ‘Villa and Vine‘ has become the premier place for hosting luxury private events in Santa Barbara.

The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood - Located a block south of Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Los Angeles’ iconic Hollywood enclave, The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood brings the distinct Chicago hospitality brand to the West Coast. Exuding the energy of old Hollywood, the hotel’s curated art program and immersive interior design set the stage for supreme Hollywood moments. www.godfreyhotelhollywood.com

Additional Supporters: Getty, Aris Anagnos Charitable Trust, ERTFLIX International, The Gianopulos Family, Alexander Payne, The Antholis Family, The Siafaris Family, Greek National Tourism Organization, AT&T, Elina Siafaris Realtor Berkshire Hathaway, AVRA Estiatorio, Aris Anagnos Charitable Trust, Gibson Dunn & Theane Evangelis, Dr. Stephen & Dr. Anna Yallourakis, West Coast Investors, ANTENNA Satellite, SKAI, GTG Law, BEGREEK.com

About: LAGFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses its attention on bringing films and filmmakers from Greece, Cyprus, and the rest of the world to the United States. Over the past 18 years, LAGFF has screened more than 800 films and hosted over 700 filmmakers supporting their films.

For Ticket info and details, please visit: www.lagff.org

Saturday, April 12, 2025

SEEfest 2025

20th ANNUAL SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL (SEEfest) ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAM LINE-UP

Opening ceremony at the Writers Guild Theatre on April 30th in Beverly Hills

The 20th annual South East European Film Festival #SEEfest (seefilmla.org), co-presented by ELMA, foundation for European Languages and Movies in America, is bringing to Los Angeles U.S. premieres, European talent and an Industry Accelerator with panels and workshops from April 30 – May 7. The festival will showcase over 50 movies from the culturally rich area of East and South-East Europe.

Opening the festival on April 30th with a red carpet gala at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills (135 S. Doheny Dr, in Beverly Hills) will be the Los Angeles premiere of Bogdan Mureșanu’s Romanian tour-de-force, “THE NEW YEAR THAT NEVER CAME,” which won both the FIPRESCI Award and the award for Best Film in the Orizzonti program in Venice last Fall - a tragicomedy that climaxes with the bang of a firecracker in a highly unlikely pair of hands, effectively kicking off the revolution.

Under the patronage of the honorary chair, Bulgarian-American actress and entertainer Irina Maleeva, the festival highlights stories of resilience and hope, adding a touch of Eastern European flair and humor. Among the competition titles are also: this year's Sundance winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision and Audience Award, North Macedonia's DJ Ahmet directed by newcomer Georgi M. Unkovski steals our hearts with a tale of a young shepherd boy's love of music and his first experience with love; Ukrainian Olga Chernykh's layered album of a family life and fractured memories in the borderlands, A Picture to Remember; Serbian-Canadian co-production Cat's Cry, director Sanja Živković's assured sophomore feature about an ordinary man quietly but persistently fighting bureaucratic social services; Bulgarian director Niki Iliev's Wingless, underdog tale of a disabled young man overcoming the odds to triumph in Paralympic competitions; and a powerful documentary examining parenthood, Our Children from Croatian director/cinematographer Silvestar Kolbas, a riveting journey through both sides of adolescence. Also showing is the most-awarded Eastern European film of the season, from Croatian director Nebojša Slijepčević: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, which 'does in 13 minutes what many movies fail to do in two hours, creating an authentic sense of dread and moral complexity in a story set entirely on a train that’s been stopped by armed militants in the countryside.' (The Hollywood Reporter). The film won Palme d’Or in Cannes last year, EFA Best European Short in December, French César Award, and Oscar nomination this Spring – in addition to more awards at festivals around the world.

Festival passes and tickets to the Opening Gala are available at SEEfest 2025

Accelerator, industry platform of the festival, is structured as a series of sessions and workshops with visiting and local filmmakers, and Hollywood professionals as mentors. It has become a go-to platform for the independent filmmakers from Eastern Europe and those who live and work in Los Angeles. Two weeks of workshops and sessions with Hollywood industry experts provide insights and feedback, practical tips and a testing ground for pitching and shopping the projects. One of the films in this year’s festival lineup, Bosnian feature When Santa Was A Communist began as a project at the SEEfest Accelerator.

This year 9 projects have been selected for the Accelerator, taking place from April 14 – April 27. All workshops and meetings are provided to filmmakers free of charge.

About the South East European Film Festival (SEEfest): SEEfest presents cinematic and cultural diversity of South and Eastern Europe to American audiences and creates cultural connections through films, artistic and social events. It was founded in 2006 by Vera Mijojlić, long-time film critic and cultural entrepreneur. The films in competition come from 20 countries of South and Eastern Europe.

PROGRAM LINE-UP
FEATURE FILMS 2025

The New Year That Never Came - Romania, Serbia

Director: Bogdan Mureșanu

Winner of the Venice Horizons Prize at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, THE NEW YEAR THAT NEVER CAME re-examines, with inimitable humor, the pivotal events that shook Romania in the last days of December 1989. This is a debut feature for director Bogdan Mureșanu, whose previous shorts films, Half Shaved and The Christmas Gift (European Best Short Film 2018), delighted SEEfest audiences with the same combo of sly humor and empathy, making us laugh and root for his cast of characters as they go through the last days of the dictatorship. Great ensemble piece, with Ravel's Bolero used as the soundtrack to a thrilling effect!

Supermarket - Montenegro

Director: Nemanja Bečanović

A homeless man has been living undisturbed in a supermarket for a year. During the day he is hidden in the ventilation system where he sleeps so that in the evening when the supermarket is closed and everyone has left, he comes out to enjoy benefits of the offer. His peace was disturbed by Robert, a former supermarket security employee who, after being fired, also decided to “move in” in the store: since he worked in the surveillance sector, he knew how to bypass the alarm and surveillance cameras. The homeless man cautiously accepts new acquaintances and solves the problem of loneliness.

Wingless - Bulgaria

Director: Niki Iliev

The movie is inspired by the true life story of Bulgarian paralympic ‘Long jump’ triple world champion Mihail Hristov. The film follows Mihail from the moment he loses both his arms in an electric current incident and makes the life-changing decision of becoming a professional athlete as he goes through the catharsis of deciding to start a new life without arms. As we follow Mihail's personal struggle on screen (both psychological and physical), we witness how he adapts to the situation and how he searches for his true calling, which he eventually finds in sports. He goes through a number of difficulties, both on the sports field and in his personal relationships with his parents, his coach, the girl he falls in love with but most of all, the difficulty of accepting what has happened to him. The script traces Mihail's difficult fate from the accident that left him without arms to becoming a triple long jump world champion, inventor of a new type of prosthetics and a motivational speaker.

Waterdrop - Albania

Director: Robert Budina

In a picturesque Albanian town on the shores of Lake Ohrid, Aida reigns as a tough, successful businesswoman. As city planner, she manages the allocation of lucrative EU subsidies, navigating a corrupt system where her boss pockets large portions of the funds. To maintain her position in this ultra-masculine, patriarchal world, Aida isn't above accepting the occasional bribe herself. Her carefully constructed life crumbles when her teenage son Mark is accused of sexual assault by a classmate. Convinced of his innocence, Aida launches her own investigation, defying both her husband's wishes and police authority. As she delves deeper, Aida encounters a suffocating wall of silence, envy, and deep-seated prejudice. Her relentless pursuit of the truth unearths a tangled web of lies that threatens to unravel everything she's built. Aida soon realizes she must confront the very monster she helped create – a corrupt system she's long been complicit in. Her journey not only challenges her beliefs about her son but forces her to reckon with her own moral compromises. With her family's future and her own redemption at stake, Aida must decide how far she's willing to go and what she's prepared to sacrifice in her quest for justice.

Cat's Cry - Canada, Serbia, Croatia

Director: Sanja Zivković

In a small Serbian town, Milena dreams of fame and independence amidst the allure of a Serbian music channel. Her aspirations and plans for the future are challenged when she gives birth to a baby with a rare genetic condition called “Cat’s Cry”. While her partner Igor and his family refuse to take responsibility for the baby, her father, Stamen, a retired factory worker, urges Milena to leave Igor and return home, offering to raise the child together. Overwhelmed and fearful of her future, Milena disappears. Now Stamen and his new wife, Vera, must fight a flawed Serbian social system for custody of their granddaughter, while Milena struggles to find her own way forward.

Mother Mara - Serbia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro

Director: Mirjana Karanović

Mara, a successful businesswoman and single mother, suddenly loses her son Nemanja to an untimely death. She clamps up and refuses to show emotions being repulsive and unavailable for any communication on the subject with her friends and family. With buried trauma deep inside of her, she meets Milan, Nemanja’s friend. Milan is someone she intends to use to find out about her son’s life. Emotions they both share toward Nemanja and his sudden death brings them together and initiate physical relationship. Although she wants to keep him at a distance and keep their relationship purely physical, she starts to open up to him. Not knowing what she wants she realizes she enjoys his company. While spending a day together at a floating house on the river when Mara recounts how she found her son dead. Milan starts to see Mara for what she really is, and for the first time, they feel real closeness and tenderness as two human beings. Mirjana Karanović shines as both creator and star of this nuanced drama about a middle-aged woman navigating loss, adapted from elements of a Tanja Šljivar play.' (Film Verdict)

DJ AHMET

DJ Ahmet - North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia

Director: Georgi M. Unkovski

Ahmet, a 15-year-old boy from a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations, a conservative community, and his first experience with love — a girl already promised to someone else.

DJ AHMET world premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2025 and won both the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision and the Audience Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition.

When Santa Was a Communist - Bosnia and Herzegovina/Croatia/Serbia

Director: Emir Kapetanovic

December 2023. An acting troupe is going on tour with a play about Santa Claus to spread holiday cheer in the small towns of post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the children are delighted, the appearance of Santa Claus reignites old conflicts between the adults. The film was first developed and workshopped at SEEfest Accelerator. It world premiered at Sarajevo Film Festival in August 2024.

DOCUMENTARIES

Nasty - Romania

Directors: Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu, Tudor D Popescu

1972 was a turning point in Ilie Nastase’s career: he won his first US Open, while reaching both Wimbledon and Davis Cup finals. Moving back and forth in time and featuring amazing archive footage and exclusive interviews with top athletes, the documentary explores Nastase’s highs and lows, the controversies that surrounded him and the enduring impact he has had on the world of tennis. Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene. Mr. Nice’n’Nasty disrupted the old-fashioned etiquette of the sport in the 70s thus becoming its first rebel rockstar.

Grand Prize - Croatia

Director: Anja Koprivšek

In conservative Croatia, ballroom offers a sanctuary for LGBTQIA+ performers. Valentina (29) is a talented voguer and trailblazer of the scene, while young trans man Teo (21) searches for community and acceptance. He finds both in Valentina, who supports him through his transition, while he opens her heart to emotions she has long kept at bay. As their relationship deepens, the young couple begins dreaming of a shared future.

Fakir - Slovakia

Director: Roman Ďuriš

The psychological journey of Dalibor, a young Romani man from a dysfunctional family, is set against the backdrop of a Slovak slum. This gripping, immersive, and cinematic experience delves into the captivating life at the edge of society, unfolding a modern-day Oedipus story. With a stolen childhood, Dalibor yearns for a father figure in a world that brings a constant struggle for one‘s place. „Fakir“ vividly explores the raw pain that arises from abuse and trauma. This pain resides both internally within the family‘s walls and externally, where the circus‘s agonizing nailbed becomes his haven

The Sky Above Zenica - Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Director: Nanna Frank Møller, Zlatko Pranjić

In Zenica, a medium-sized Bosnian town, frequent occurrences of cancers, childhood diabetes, and respiratory disease have become the norm. Air pollution, in general, is high in Bosnia, but the citizens look with suspicion towards a giant steel and coking plant which occupies a quarter of the city and is the largest employer in the area. They want the factory’s emissions to be monitored, as the environmental permit requires, but nothing happens. In the hardest hit neighborhood, the citizens do not feel heard at all and instead join forces in the citizens organisation Eko Forum to demand change. But like a Greek tragedy, the conflict of interests is bigger than everyone involved. Citizens worry about their health and their livelihood, politicians need to deliver jobs and attract foreign investments to get re-elected, while EBRD (The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development) provides a loan to a new power plant running on the emissions from the coking plant, as well as bicycle lanes that are to help brand Zenica a Green City project. Over 7 years (2017-2024), the film follows Eko Forum’s fight for data and accountability. Through the eyes of the citizens who suffer the consequences, the film gives voice to the voiceless and uncovers the complex mechanisms that stand in the way of common-sense measures and sustainability in the town, like in so many other places around the world.

Another Day - Albania

Director: Eneos Çarka

After many years of performing together in the streets of Italy, the lives of two artists begin to take separate paths. Brought together by their difficult past, Rafael and Besmir have come together in pursuit of their shared dreams to become professional performers. As they enter their thirties, dreams change and conflicts arise. The end of a chapter in their lives is approaching and it threatens their friendship.

Our Children - Croatia

Director: Silvestar Kolbas

Silvestar has three children: Jakov, from his first marriage; Eva, from his second marriage, conceived in vitro; and Ante, adopted from an orphanage when he was 8. Some of the questions the director asks in this film are: How the children affect the feelings and opinions, as well as the relationship between himself and his wife? How does he affect each child? What is his relationship with a particular child, and does he give them all equal amounts of love? Do children change him? Does each of them do it differently? How do the children see him and his wife and how do they see their attitude towards themselves?

Soil and Wings - Serbia

Director: Stefan Malešević

A warm portrait of a Bektashi Muslim matriarch and her hard-working family shows gender equality blooming where least expected – in a rural community of pious Muslims devoted to family and tradition in a muddy tobacco-growing village in the Balkans.

At the Door of the House Who Will Come Knocking - Serbia

Director: Maja Novaković

In the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Emin, in his twilight years, toils alongside his faithful horse. Through bitter cold and harsh conditions, he seeks solace and warmth in nature’s embrace and finds fleeting comfort in sharing his burdens with his only true confidant. A story about man and grief as a universal human experience that can be both isolating and unifying. The film premiered at the Sheffield Festival where the jury awarded DocFest Grand Jury prize to this poignant tale of loneliness exquisitely photographed in winter landscapes of rural Bosnia.

A Picture to Remember - Ukraine

Director: Olga Chernykh

Director Olga Chernykh treats us to an essayistic account of a family's long journey through the war. It chronicles the search for a way to handle terrible and recurring losses experienced by three generations of Ukrainian women - those of the director, her mother, and her grandmother. It's a moving exploration of identity, heritage, and the power of storytelling to connect us in times of upheaval.