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| Marianne & Dean Metropoulos, sponsors of the Project Discovery Forum |
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) 2013
Project Discovery Forum – Participants
Sunday, June 9, 11 am – 3 pm
The purpose of the Project Discovery Forum is to enhance development
and production possibilities for filmmakers of Greek and Balkan descent,
as well as international filmmakers who wish to make a film in Greece
or with a Greek theme. The participants present their projects to a
panel of six professionals who are active in the world of film
development and production. The participants also have the opportunity
to participate in pitch practice sessions as well as receive one-on-one
screenplay feedback prior to the panel. The Aegean Award winner will be
announced at the Orpheus Awards ceremony.
Panelists
As Co-Founder, Senior Partner and Producer of the newly established ON GLOBAL PICTURES,
Manos Gavras
is currently in pre- production on two Hollywood films. He was a
Co-Producer of the film STRANGER IN PARADISE (2011), and he and his
business partner, Adonis Hadjiantonas, were Associate/Executive
Producers of the upcoming film THE BUTLER, distributed by the Weinstein
Company.
J. Todd Harris is President of Branded Pictures
Entertainment. Of the nearly 40 movies he’s produced, highlights include
Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
(2010), BOTTLE SHOCK (2009), CROOKED ARROWS (2012), JEEPERS CREEPERS
(2001), and PIRANHA 3D (2010). Five of his films have premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival, including DIGGING TO CHINA (1997), URBANIA
(2000), and LEWIS & CLARK & GEORGE (1997).
Alexia Melocchi is one of the partners of Little Studio
Films and has a 20-year experience in the international marketplace,
including packaging projects, handling US and international
distribution, co-productions and development consulting. She recently
produced STEALING ROSES (2012) and ICE SCREAM (2013) with Laura Harring.
Crystal Powell is Vice President of Production and
Development at Electric City Entertainment, and previously at Silverwood
Films. She associate produced TERRI and ON THE ICE, both of which
premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and SHARK NIGHT 3D
(2011). She also co-produced TWENTY-EIGHT HOTEL ROOMS, which premiered
at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Most recently, Powell associate
produced THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES, starring Ryan Gosling and Bradley
Cooper.
Matthew Takata is Manager for the Feature Film
Program’s international work at Sundance Institute. His focus is on
international outreach and selection for the Institute’s Screenwriters
and Directors Labs in Utah, FFP’s labs in India, Turkey, Jordan and
Japan, and the annual Sundance Institute | Mahindra Global Filmmaking
Award.
Alexis Varouxakis started his career in London as a
film and commercials producer, and is currently the Chief Operating
Officer of 1821 Media Group. He served as a co-producer on EL GRECO
(2007), for which he set up the financing structure between Spain and
Greece, OPA! (2009) and DARK HEARTS (2012), starring Sonja Kinski.
Pitch-training
Jim Uhls, WGA, co-wrote FIGHT CLUB (1999), directed
by David Fincher; JUMPER (2008), directed by Doug Limon; and the NBC
television film, SEMPER FI (2001), produced by Steven Spielberg. His
plays have been produced in New York and Los Angeles.
Adam Sigel, WGA, is a writer, producer and content
strategist working across multiple platforms. He has been hired as a
speaker and film mentor by international organizations such as Nordisk
Film and TV, Torino Film Lab, Power to the Pixel, Independent Filmmaker
Project, Berlinale Talent Campus, Forum Brazil, and more.
One-on-One Feedback
Christos Gage, WGA,
is an acclaimed
writer of comic books, television, films, and video games. He has
co-written episodes of television shows such as
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and
Numb3rs.
Spiro Skentos, WGA, is a story editor on NBC’s
Grimm. He has served as a writer for
The Drew Carey Show and
The George Lopez Show. He is a graduate of NBC’s Writers on the Verge Program, and has completed the NHMC writing program.
Bill Taub is a screenwriter and a WGA and WGC member. He has written and produced pilots for Relic Hunter,
Friday the 13th:The Series,
Mission Genesis, The Odyssey, and
Dark Shadows. He has also written pilots for NBC and Paramount. He teaches at UCLA Extension’s Writer’s Program.
Selected Projects
THE ARK
Filmmaker: Aristotelis Maragkos
AND THE SNOW LAY AROUND
Filmmaker: Fay Efrosini Lellios
CARIOCA OLYMPICS
Filmmaker: Paolo Marinou-Blanco, WGA
ET IN ATHENA EGO
Filmmaker: Georgis Grigorakis
A EUROPEAN LOVE STORY
Filmmakers: Thouly Dosios, Maeve McQuillan
HUNGRY MOUTH
Filmmaker: Argyris Papadimitropoulos
Jury of Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) 2013
Tassos Boulmetis (Chairman) was born in Constantinople
and moved to Greece at an early age in the 60s. He earned a degree in
physics from the University of Athens and film directing/production from
the University of California Los Angeles. He started his career as a
director/producer for national television networks. He wrote, directed
and co-produced the award-winning film DREAM FACTORY (1990) and A TOUCH
OF SPICE (2003), a story inspired by true events drawn from his life.
SPICE was Greece’s official entry for the 2005 Academy Awards and was
presented at several international festivals. The film became the
biggest box office hit in Greece and has been distributed in 45
countries all over the world. Boulmetis was the first president of the
newly established Hellenic Film Academy. He is currently working on his
next feature project while teaching advanced directing courses at the
AKMI Institute of Audiovisual Studies in Athens.
Leanna Bonamici produces the TV show
Shorts Showcase,
which features short films from all over the world
(www.shortsshowcase.com). Shorts Showcase is currently airing in 18
million homes throughout Southern California on PBS station KVCR.
Earlier the Bonamici family built Casablanca Studios which, at the time,
was the only independent film and television sound stage and production
facility in the Coachella Valley. Bonamici was Head of Operations the
entire 10 years of Casablanca’s operation. In 2001, she founded the Palm
Springs chapter of Women in Film and Television. In 2007 she received
the Women of Distinction in the Arts Award from the National League of
American Pen Women and, in 2009, the City of Indian Wells named her
their Athena Award winner for Professional Excellence.
John Butkovich is a veteran film marketer with more
than 1000 feature films to his credit. Before joining Arenas, an
entertainment and media marketing company, in 2000, he was Senior
Vice-President of Media at Sony Pictures Entertainment where, for 15
years, he spearheaded domestic media efforts. Prior to joining Sony,
Butkovich served five years as Vice-President of Media at Universal
Pictures. As a member the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,
he regularly sits on the annual screening committees to nominate the
candidates for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2012 he reviewed more than
300 short narrative films as a member of the Slamdance Film Festival’s
nominating committee.
Robert Koehler is a film critic and programmer. His film reviews can be read at
Film Comment,
Cinema Scope,
Cineaste,
Indie Wire,
Sight & Sound and
Filmjourney.org. Koehler’s blog column analyzing film festivals can be read at
Filmlinc.com,
the website of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, where he recently
served as Director of Cinematheque Programming. His film reviews have
previously appeared in
Variety,
The Christian Science Monitor,
Cahiers du Cinema (France and Spain) and
Die Tageszeitung.
He served as an instructor and programmer for UCLA Extension’s Sneak
Preview program from 2003 to 2007. In 2003 Koehler developed the
successful and innovative program, “The Films That Got Away,” an ongoing
series presenting significant recent work that has previously not
screened in Los Angeles. Institutions with which the series has
collaborated include UCLA Film Archive, the American Cinematheque and
the Los Angeles Film Festival. In 2009, he was appointed director of
programming at AFI Fest Los Angeles, where he helped create a new and
focused competition section titled “New Lights,” as part of AFI Fest’s
programming concept as a festival-of-festivals.
Anthony Skordi was born and raised in London, UK, to
Greek Cypriot parents and trained at the Drama Centre London. Skordi’s
prolific theatre career includes becoming a member of both
The Royal Shakespeare Company (1990-92) and of Vanessa Redgrave’s
Moving Theater Company,
performing worldwide. Skordi crossed over to the screen, where he was a
series regular for six television shows, including both dramas and
comedies. His more recent work includes guest star spots on
Men of a Certain Age, Detroit 187, and many video games including
Mass Effect 3. Skordi recently worked opposite Kevin Spacey in the short ENVELOPE, and collaborated on the soon-to-be-released LUCKY STIFF.
Consul General of Greece Elisabeth Fotiadou has been lending her unique
vision and hospitality to LAGFF since she took office in Los Angeles in
2010. Honoring the 'birthplace' of many recent international and local
films, such as Kimon Tsakiris' MITSIGAN - HARDSHIPS & BEAUTIES,
the Consul General will host a Messenia-themed party at her private
residence on Sunday evening. Messenia-style, rare delicacies from this
beautiful region will complete the LAGFF experience: Pork garnished
with orange peel, chicken tenders with Messenian noodles, rustic-style
lamb with artichokes and potatoes, a meatless monastic recipe served
with pearl onions, chestnuts, mushrooms in spiced vinegar and olive oil,
octopus with arugula, marinated tilapia in oregano, olive oil, lemon,
and collard greens - and more. 
We welcome American Hellenic Council's support for the second time
since 2010. The two organizations have often joined forces in the
promotion of cultural affairs. This year AHC will present Dimitris
Athiridis' documentary, ONE STEP AHEAD, about Thessaloniki's maverick
mayor, Yiannis Boutaris.
