Los Angeles Greek Film Festival Closing Night & Orpheus Awards Costa-Gavras Presented Lifetime Achievement Award
LOS ANGELES. The 19th edition of Los Angeles Greek Film Festival concluded on June 1, 2025 with the Closing Night Film and Orpheus Awards Ceremony and sold-out Harmony Gold Theatre.
The mystery-drama ARCADIA directed by Yorgos Zois was featured, followed by Q+A with Zois and LAGFF Festival Director Aristotle Katopodis. Renowned Standup Comedian and longtime friend of LAGFF Angelo Tsarouchas kicked off the Orpheus Awards Ceremony and KNX Radio’s Vivianne Linou served as Host.
From the Opening Night at The Egyptian Theatre and Lifetime Tribute for acclaimed director Costa-Gavras (Lifetime Achievement Orpheus Award presented to Costa-Gavras by John Landis and Prof.
Deborah Nadoolman Landis) to the conversation between two masters, Oliver Stone and Costa-Gavras, co-hosted by UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture,
multiple screenings and events, LAGFF 2025 was an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Many of this year’s films are available on the virtual program (June 2-8), presented by the Greek National Tourism Organization. Virtual Pass available
Photography by Urbanite LA
LAGFF red carpet Closing Night was presented by the longtime LAGFF Benefactor, the Kolovos Family and the reception was catered by PETROS Restaurant; wines by AVRA; drinks by Kastra Elion, soft drinks & snacks by LAGMA and water by SMARTWATER.
Orpheus Presenters Aliki Theofilopoulos, Spiro Skentzos, Mercedes Chavez, Fotini Baxevani, Melina Kanakaredes.
Orpheus Ceremony Speakers Ersi Danou, Kary Antholis, Aris Katopodis, Katerina Hoyo-Frederickson, Karina Logothetis.
LAGFF Jury Panel: Mia Calderone, Julian Cautherley, Chantal Chauzy, Mercedes Chavez, Maria Cominis, Hugh O’Gorman, Harrison James, Malin Kan, Mischa Livingstone, Abby Sun, Nassos Vakalis, Rechna Varma.
The 2025 Orpheus Winners Are…
ANIMATION
Best Animation – ‘The Three Sisters’ – Timur Kognov Special Jury Recognition – ‘Underground’ – Yiannis Christoforou.
SHORTS
Best Short Film – ‘11:01’ – Jimi Drosinos
Audience Award
Ultimately Cleansed by Andrew Tippie
DOCUMENTARIES
Best Documentary – Panellinion – Spyros Mantazavinos, Kostas Antarachas. Special Jury Recognition – The Last Nomad – Filippos Ferentinos.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Best Performance – Riviera – Dir. Orfeas Peretzis – Eva Samioti as Alkistis.
BEST DIRECTOR
Best Direction – Wishbone – Penny Panayiotopoulou.
BEST FILM
Best Film Award – Giannis in the Cities – Eleni Alexandrakis.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award for DOCUMENTARY
Audience Award – Super Paradise by Steve Krikris
Audience Award for FEATURE FILM
Audience Award – Giannis in the Cities – Eleni Alexandrakis
11th Discovery Days Awards 2025
The awards were presented by Discovery Days Director Karina Logothetis while last year’s participant Tilbe Cana Inan gave the award. “We were deeply moved by the work and discipline of the participants. Over the course of four days we witnessed their stories take form, their visions grow sharper, and a real sense of creative unity emerge – with filmmakers inspiring and lifting each other up throughout the process. Discovery Days 2025 is supported by EKKOMED.
The jury was comprised of Gareth Ellis-Unwin, Alesia Weston, Danielle Wolff and Yorgos Zois “We the Discovery Days Jury were extremely impressed with all the projects.”
The winner was ANCHORED, presented by writer/ director Katerina Mavrogeorgi. “We were transported by the poetic gaze of this story about loss and grief that ultimately takes us to a place of peace. It explores a personal emotional journey on the shores of the Greek island of Ikaria, an island buffeted by treacherous storms and an existential wind”.
ANCHORED by Katerina Mavrogeorgi
Honorable Mention went to the project THE SON by director / writer Yorgos Athanasiou and writer George Zafeiropoulos. “For its original and evocative world and an interesting rural Greek take on sci-fi”.
THE SON by Yorgos Anthanasiou and writer George Zafeiropoulo.
This year’s invited experts were Gareth Ellis-Unwin, Joel Garber, Ki Jin Kim, Rosita Lama Muvdi, Araceli Lemos, Patrick Picard, Orly Ravid, Daniel Ragussis, Theo Salter, John Stephens, Barbara Stepansky, Jeff Stockwell, Elia Urquiza, Alesia Weston, Jonathan Wysocki, Danielle Wolff, Ersi Danou, Yorgos Zois.
Discovery Days 2025 participants: Katerina Mavrogeorgi (ANCHORED), Rinio Dragasaki (SUMMER SPELL), Artemis Anastasiadou (THE CASE OF M.K), Emma Doxiadi (THE DISAPPEARANCE), Yorgos Athanasiou and writer George Zafeiropoulos (THE SON) and Santiago Paladines (WAKRA).
LAGFF 2025 Key Sponsors and Grants
Presenting Sponsor – Aegean Entertainment
Festival Benefactor – G.P. Kolovos & Associates and The Kolovos Family
The Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles
The LA County Arts & Culture, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts & Culture The Egyptian
Petros Restaurant
The Godfrey Hotel
European Languages & Movies in America (ELMA)
AT & T
Additional Supporters
EKKOMED
Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)
ERTFLIX International
Aris Anagnos Charitable Trust
Gibson Dunn & Theane Evangelis
UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture
Dr. Stephen & Dr. Anna Yallourakis
Jim, Gianopulos
Alexander Payne
The Siafaris Family
The Antholis Family
ANTENNA Satellite
SKAI TV
West Coast Investors
GTG LAW
BEGREEK.COM
AVRA
About LAGFF Sponsors
Aegean Entertainment
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
Petros Restaurant — Petros’s belief in farm-to-table dining prompted him to open a farm in the Santa Ynez Valley where he grows top-quality vegetables for his restaurants.
Petros wine, OINOS, made right here in Santa Rita Hills and Central Coast vineyards, are some of the best found in California and can be purchased exclusively at Petros restaurants and at the Los Olivos tasting room. Petros stays true to his Greek heritage and imports the finest family-owned products of Greece, including feta cheese, olive oil, honey, olives, oregano and yogurt which he incorporates and shares with his restaurant family. www.petrosbrand.com
The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood (https://www.godfreyhotelhollywood.com) — 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
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. www.lagff.org
