LAGFF ANNOUNCES ORPHEUS AWARD WINNERS

 

The Seventh Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival concluded its most successful festival yet on Sunday, June 9 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, with the closing night U.S Premiere of Kimon Tsakiris' documentary, MITSIGAN-HARDSHIP & BEAUTIES.

The screening was preceded by a reception and the Orpheus Awards ceremony, hosted by E!'s Fashion Police and fellow Greek-American, George Kotsiopoulos. First honors of the evening were introduced by the 2013 Jury Chairman, filmmaker Tassos Boulmetis, and fellow jury members: Shorts Showcase's Leanna Bonamici, veteran film marketer John Butkovich, film critic and programmer Robert Koehler, and stage and screen star Anthony Skordi. The jury announced Sotiris Goritsas' bittersweet medical drama, WELCOME TO ALL SAINTS, as winner of the Orpheus Award for Best Feature , with Dimitris Athiridis' look at the mayor of Thessaloniki Yiannis Boutaris, ONE STEP AHEAD, taking top Documentary prize. Racking up another Best Short win was Neritan Zinxhiria's CHAMOMILE, the story of a strong-willed old woman and her stubborn mule facing the elements together.

 

 

ONE STEP AHEAD

  Best Documentary

 CHAMOMILE
Best Short

 

WELCOME TO ALL SAINTS
Best Feature

Comedian Angelo Tsarouchas and Australian pop singing sensation Vassy presented the Audience Choice Award to Chris Emmanouilides' short documentary, ARCHIVE, which was inspired by a family trip to Greece and reflected on the end of traditional photography and the birth of the digital universe.

 

ARCHIVE  

Audience Choice Award

Recording artist and daughter of the late Telly Savalas, Ariana Savalas, took the stage next to award the special jury prize, which went to the ensemble cast of the short JOEY, from Australian director/writer John Evagora. Skordi returned to the stage and elaborated on the jury's choice of the short's best casting ensemble.

 

JOEY

Special Jury Award

"Banshee" producer/director Greg Yaitanes presented the final awards of the evening - the Inaugural Aegean Award from the Project Discovery Forum to Georgis Grigorakis for his project, ET IN ATHENA EGO, and a Mediterranean Film Institute scholarship to Paolo Marinou Blanco for his project, CARIOCA OLYMPICS.

ET IN ATHENA EGO

Project Discovery Forum, Aegean Award

CARIOCA OLYMPICS

Project Discovery Forum, MFI Scholarship

The Orpheus Awards and Closing Night event concluded the four-day festival, which welcomed record audiences to its over 30 screenings, Q&As and Industry Panels.

Read more at Greek Hollywood Reporter

2013 PHOTO ALBUMS AVAILABLE ON LAGFF FACEBOOK PAGE   Project Discovery Forum participants on the red carpet on Closing Night. In case you missed LAGFF 2013, enjoy these Facebook photos by Maria Martin and Conrad Allan. Photos from Opening Night, Closing Night, and the Orpheus Awards feature such guests as E!'s George Kotsiopoulos, Emmy Award-winning producer Greg Yaitanes, Academy Award-winner George Chakiris, and actors Simon Kassianides, Patricia Kara and Sofia Milos. 2013 Highlights Gallery coming soon!

AN EVENING HONORING DIRECTOR TASSOS BOULMETIS On Saturday, June 15, 2013, the Hellenic Society of Constantinople with the support of the Consulate General of Greece and LA Greek Film Festival invites you to an unforgettable evening honoring the director Tassos Boulmetis of the All-Time #1 Greek box office hit POLITIKI KOUZINA. The evening includes a dinner featuring the film's unique cuisine and a screening of the film at the Gianopulos Family Theater, Huffington Center at St. Sophia Cathedral. For more information, click here.

LAGFF AUCTION! THANK YOU BIDDERS....

Thank you to those bidders who participated in this year's LAGFF online auction. Visit the Bidding For Good LAGFF auction homepage to view which items were sold and to see which items will go on the auction block again very soon!