SAN FRANCISCO, CA– The San Francisco Greek Film Festival (SFGFF) celebrates its 15th year presenting 24 feature-length films and shorts by Greek and Cypriot filmmakers from around the world. From October 12 to 20, screenings run nightly at 7 PM at venues around San Francisco. All movies will have English subtitles.
Greek filmmaker Manoussos Manoussakis serves as this year’s artist-in-residence, facilitating Q&As, giving lectures, and providing context for the films throughout the week. The SFGFF is the longest-running film festival in the United States to feature contemporary Greek and Cypriot cinema.
On closing night, October 20 at Dolby Cinema, the Festival presents the first ever Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award to Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos. The award was created and sponsored by Tom Skouras, festival Advisory Board member and nephew of the late Skouras, to honor outstanding film industry professionals of Greek descent. The award’s namesake, Spyros Skouras, was a giant in the movie industry, an international cultural ambassador, and a humanitarian. At the helm of Twentieth Century Fox (1942-1962), he introduced widescreen movies with the CinemaScope lens, reinvigorating the movie-going experience in the advent of television. He also led the Greek War Relief Association during World War II, lifting a British naval blockade so that food and medicine could make it to a starving, war-torn nation.
Co-Director Katerina Mavroudi-Steck told The National Herald, “We are excited about this year’s film festival! We have two special venues for Opening and Closing Nights and a great potpourri of films with many award-winning ones in the categories of directing, script, and acting. Plus, the presence and participation of our visiting directors, producers, and cinematographers will all make for an unforgettable experience for our audience.”
Opening night will take place at Lucasfilm’s Premier Theater at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio. Pantelis Voulgaris will present his latest film, The Last Note, about the execution of Greek resistance fighters during the Nazi occupation of WWII. The festival will present Voulgaris with an award to honor his tremendous legacy in Greek cinema. Writer Ioanna Karystiani and producer Yiannis Iakovidis are also expected to attend this screening.
Read more at thenationalherald.com
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