The San Francisco Greek Film Festival (SFGFF), the first and longest-running Greek film festival in the United States, proudly announces its return for its 22nd year, taking place March 15-22, 2025 at the Delancey Screening Room in San Francisco.
Since its founding in 2004, the SFGFF has provided a platform for Greek and Cypriot filmmakers to showcase their work while fostering cultural appreciation in the Bay Area and beyond. This year, SFGFF will showcase a total of 29 films, including 8 narrative features, 9 short narrative films, and 12 documentaries. The festival will feature eight days of in-person screenings as well as an expanded online selection available to viewers throughout the U.S. and Canada. SFGFF screenings will also be complemented by various events in the area that aim to inspire, engage, and entertain the festival’s diverse audience.
All the films taking part in the 2025 SFGFF will be entered in competition for audience awards, as well as jury awards judged by a panel of industry professionals, with monetary prizes underwritten by sponsors.
A major highlight of this year’s festival is the return of the Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to Sid Ganis on Closing Night, March 22. Born in New York City in 1940 to a Greek immigrant family, Ganis is a renowned film executive with leadership roles at Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures (Sony), Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and Seven Arts. He was instrumental in marketing The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and the first two Indiana Jones films. As President of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, he helped launch Top Gun (1986), Fatal Attraction (1987), Ghost (1990), and Forrest Gump (1994). After serving as Vice Chairman at Columbia Pictures (Sony), Ganis founded Out of the Blue Entertainment with his wife, Nancy Hult Ganis. He has also served on the boards of Marvel Entertainment, SFFILM, Film Independent, and the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive. A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1968, Ganis served four consecutive terms as its President (2005-2009). He later chaired the Academy’s Museum Committee (2018-2021) and is now a lifetime trustee. Sid and Nancy Hult Ganis are currently collaborating with Hellenic American University in Athens to establish The Greek Film Institute, a center for cinematic education and research
For movie details, to buy in-person/online tickets, and the full 2025 festival program, visit grfilm.com.
The Modern Greek Studies Foundation supports the study of modern Greek language and culture in academic settings and presents public programs reflecting and celebrating the importance and beauty of Hellenic culture. The Foundation sponsors the San Francisco Greek Film Festival and all its initiatives.
