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

Sunday, June 10 | 12:00 PM | RIGLER THE GREAT FIRE OF SALONICA: BIRTH OF A CITY (Thessaloniki 1917: H fotia pou gennise mia poli) Greece, 2017, 62 min, North American Premiere, Documentary Director/Producer: Gregory Vardarinos Writer: Anastasia Bartzoulianou, Filippos Mandilaras, Gregory Vardarinos Cinematographer: Dimitris Stambolis Editor: John Karabelas Music: Dimitra Sideridou Cast: Dimitris Tsilinikos

An archive-based documentary narrating the experiences of Thessalonikians during the biggest and most destructive fire in the history of their city. It reveals the philosophy and the backdrop of the unprecedented urban change that followed, altering the city forever.
*2018 IDPF Kalamata-Audience Award
*2018 TDF Thessaloniki
*2017 DocFest Xalkida- Special Distinction

ELEFTHEROMANIA
Canada, 2018, 20 min, LA Premiere

Director: David Antoniuk Writer: Joanna Tsanis Producer: Gregory C. Pappas, Joanna Tsanis, Chuck Scott Cast: Olympia Dukakis

Eleftheromania follows an Auschwitz survivor as she recites a true story about a group from the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The Nazis enlisted a section of Greek-Jewish prisoners to the horrific task of leading the Hungarian prisoners into gas chambers. They had a night to debate the morality of their situation and vote on whether they would fulfill the task or willfully be killed.
* 2018 Toronto Shorts International Film Festival- Winner ‘Best Drama’
* 2018 Yorkton Film Festival – Nominee ‘Golden Sheaf Award’
* 2018 Montreal Greek Film Festival – Official Selection
 

Sunday, June 10 | 2:00 PM | RIGLER

THE PROMISE OF TOMORROW 1940-1960
USA, 2009, 58 min, Documentary

Director/Writer: Anna Gianniotis Producer: Antonia Lianos Editor: Rich Uber Cinematographer: Philip Georgious

Part Two of the award-winning series, The Greeks of Southern California Through the Century. The documentary series is the universal story of the Greek American experience as seen through the eyes of those who settled in Southern California. “The Promise of Tomorrow” chronicles the Greek American journey of the First Generation Greek Americans who were raised in Southern California, changing the face of our community.
* 2009 Film Advisory Board – Award of Excellence
* 2010 Boston International Film Festival – Indie Special Recognition Award
* 2010 Beverly Hills Film, TV & New Media Festival – Best Feature Documentary
* 2010 Rhode Island International Film Festival
* 2011 San Francisco Greek Film Festival
* 2011 Greek Film Fest, Chicago
* 2011 New York City Greek Film Festival
 

Sunday, June 10 | 2:30 PM | SPIELBERG

Presented by Getty Villa

FRAGMENTS (Thravsmata)
Greece, 2018, 48 min, North American Premiere, Documentary

Director/Writer/Cinematographer: Marianna Economou Producer: Theodora Valenti Editor: Athanasios Dovas

Wanderings through the art and life of sculptress, Alexandra Athanasiadi: Fragments of thoughts, memories and scrap materials are reconstituted and acquire new forms. The pursuit of meaning is shown through a play of words and an old friendship.
* 2018 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival

MARBLE HOMELAND (Patrida apo Marmaro)
Greece, 2018, 57 min, North American Premiere, Documentary

Director/Writer/Producer/Cinematographer: Menios Carayannis Editor: Dimitris Giannakopoulos Music: George Katsanos

A story about the island of Naxos, marble, and the thread that connects us to Cycladic art. German sculptor Ingbert Brunk talks about the light, the pain, and the love entailed in creation. He explores the concept of the outlander, the migrant, and the relation between loss and existence.
*2018 TDFF – FIPRESCI Award
 

Sunday, June 10 | 6:00 PM | RIGLER

Presented by C.Dean & Marianne Metropoulos in association with Aegean Entertainment

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

Director/Writer: Thodoris Atheridis Producer: George Kyriakos, Costas Labropoulos Cinematographer: Giorgos Argiroiliopoulos Editor: Labis Charalabidis Music: Panayiotis Tsevas Production Designer: Eva Nathena Cast: Thodoris Atheridis, Smaragda Karydi, Maria Nafplioti, Alkis Kourkoulos, Makis Papadimitriou, Evaggelia Syriopoulou, Giannos Perlegas

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

Followed by ORPHEUS AWARDS CEREMONY – 8:00 PM, RIGLER

http://lagff.org/festival/schedule/sun-june-10/