Red Carpet Opening Night featured ANIMAL – the 2023 Golden Alexander, Thessaloniki International Film Festival’s top prize.
LOS ANGELES, CA – (June 4, 2024) – Several hundred guests celebrated the festive red carpet kick off of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival 2024 on Saturday, June 1 at Harmony Gold Theatre. ANIMAL, the multi-awarded film by acclaimed Greek film director-screenwriter Sofia Exarchou opened the Festival.
Following the screening, LAGFF Artistic & Festival Director Aristotle Katopodis moderated a Q & A with Exarchou and the film’s star Flomaria Papadaki.
Opening Night Reception was presented by European Languages & Movies in America (ELMA) and catered by NICK THE GREEK, wines by AVRA, liquor and craft cocktails by DULCE VIDA TEQUILA and EMPRESS GIN, water by SMARTWATER, and non-alcoholic beverages by OPTIMA FOODS.
Dignitaries, VIPs and filmmakers attending included actress-producer Maria Korinthiou, George and Tina Kolovos, Pascal Ladreyt (ELMA), Stephanie Katherine Grant, Jim Gianopulos, Cinematographer Akis Konstantakopoulos, Costas Christides, Alexis Grapsas, Peter Chakos, Alexis Varouxakis, Tobias Jelinek, George Satsidis, Michael Selditch, Sam Paul, Amber Martinez, Joanna Topetzes, David Derks, Christo Dimassis, Theo Pagones, Patricia Kara, Ersi Danou, Alex Kalognomos, Lia Bozonelis, Honorable Consul
General of Greece in Los Angeles, Ms. Christina Valassopoulou; and Honorary Consul General of Cyprus Mr. Kyprianides.
LAGFF 2024 will showcase 80+ films over 9 days in theatres and one week online, including feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation, and retrospectives, all highlighting the depth of the Greek Film Industry today.
LAGFF 2024 Jury Panelists: Spiro Skentzos, Colin Campbell, Andrew Wagner, Jaswant Shrestha, María Elena de las Carreras, Eugene Brancolini, Cheng Guo, Portlynn Tagavi, Chris Tsirgiotis, Hugh O’Gorman, Lisa Ogdie, and Jourdain Searles.
Upcoming Event Highlights
• June 6 – HOLLYWOOD SCENE & BE SEEN BASH – Co-produced by L.A. Greek Film Festival, Global Greek Film Initiative and The Hellenic Initiative. Entertainment provided by Greek American singer Angelina Alexon and DJ Peter Loukatos. Lite bites by NICK THE GREEK, mastiha drinks by KLEOS, sweet bites by Sweet Greek. Rooftop of The Godfrey Hotel (An LAGFF Sponsor).
• June 8 – GREEK TELEVISION PRODUCTION ROUNDTABLE sponsored by ERTFLIX International and includes a Presentation by ERTFLIX Head of Distribution John Grigoras. The roundtable discussion will bring Greek and American television producers and creatives together for an informative dialogue. Roundtable Panel: Charles Parlapanides, Glenn Lund, Lia Bozonelis, Mando Stathi, Peter Chakos and Victoria Bousis. ERTFLIX International is a streaming platform created by Greek public television ERT. At Regal LA LIVE.
• June 9 – RED CARPET CLOSING NIGHT, ORPHEUS AWARDS & RECEPTION featuring MURDERESS directed by Eva Nathena and starring renowned Greek Actress Karyofyllia Karabeti. The 2024 Orpheus Awards will be hosted by Arianna Papalexopoulos and honor Karyofyllia Karabeti. Orpheus Award Presenters are Angelo Hatgistavrou: Best Animation, Maria Korinthiou: Best Short Film, Jaswant Shrestha: Best Documentary, Eliza Gerontakis: Honoree Award Tobias Jelinek: Best Performance+Best Director, Marie Avgeropoulos: Best Film. Reception presented by The Kolovos Family, catered by NICK THE GREEK and wines by AVRA. Pacific Design Center, Silver Screen Theater.
Purchase LAGFF Gold & Platinum Pass – https://lagff24.eventive.org/passes/buy
Purchase Individual tickets – www.lagff.org
LAGFF 2024 Sponsors – https://www.lagff.org/support/sponsors/
Other sponsors supporting LAGFF: AT&T, Gibson Dunn, Theane Evangelis, Dr. Stephen & Dr. Anna Yallourakis, Greek Film Centre, Greek National Tourism Organization, Elios Charitable Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts & Culture, Dept. of Cultural Affairs-City of LA. (Ersi can double check if there is anyone else missing from her grants), West Coast Investors, Jim Gianopulos, UCLA, Aegialis, Simpson Travel, and Delphi Greek, and Aris Anagnos Charitable Trust.
LAGFF is held under the auspices of General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We wish to express our gratitude to Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, Prof. John Chrysoulakis, for his continued effort to unite the Hellenes abroad and support all efforts for culture, arts, and issues that Hellenes face away from the homeland.
LAGFF expresses gratitude to Honorable Christina Valassopoulou, Consul General of Greece in Los Angeles, for her commitment to serving the Greek-American community and supporting initiatives that promote Greece.
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 17 years, LAGFF has screened over 520 films and hosted over 500 filmmakers supporting their films. For Ticket info and details please visit: https://www.lagff.org
About: Global Greek Film Initiative is strategically designed to establish an array of new annual programs to promote cultural exchange between Greece, the US and the Hellenic Diaspora, service opportunities for employment and economic growth within Greece and be the North American hub and global one-stop collective for Greek film programs and initiatives.
SOURCE; LAGFF
