The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) concluded earlier this month for the 12th consecutive year, this time giving its most prestigious honor to Oscar winner George Chakiris, who in 1961 won “Best Supporting Actor” for a stellar performance in the iconic American musical West Side Story.
While the festival focused on recognizing Greek cinema’s newest talent, it also emphasized stars of the past during the star-studded Orpheus Awards Ceremony with “The Academy of Greeks” theme, which paid tribute to Greek artists who have received an Academy Award or Oscar Nomination since 1935.
Presenting Chakiris’ with his golden trophy was close friend and fellow actress Rita Moreno, a member in the elite group of just 12 living performers who have made a grand slam in each of the entertainment industry’s most famed awards: The Oscar, The Emmy, The Tony and The Grammy.
The LAGFF celebrates the best new films from Greek cinema worldwide, promoting cultural exchange and striving to bridge the gap between Greece’s filmmakers and Hollywood.
This year’s festival marked a record number of submissions — more than 175 — and celebrated Greek filmmakers’ outstanding new work ranging in topics from immigration and economy collapse to documentaries about the beauty and history of Greece.
Click here to see the list of films that were shown this year.
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