JIM GIANOPULOS, LAGFF'S HONORARY AWARD RECIPIENT AT LAST YEAR'S ORPHEUS AWARDS

LAGFF: CONGRATULATIONS JIM GIANOPULOS

Viacom has announced that Jim Gianopulos has been appointed the new Chairman and CEO of its Paramount Pictures, effective April 3, 2017. 

Gianopulos has been a leading figure in the global entertainment industry for more than 30 years. For 16 years, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment, overseeing Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios. During his tenure, he championed numerous box office hits, ranging from "Avatar" and the "X-Men" series, to "The Descendants" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," and most recently "Deadpool" and "Hidden Figures."

LAGFF congratulates our Advisory Board member and friend, Jim Gianopulos, and wishes him continued success at Paramount Pictures!

Los Angeles Greek Film Festival

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Special thanks go to ELMA, an organization dedicated to the promotion of European Cinema in America. We are grateful to Consul General of Cyprus Andreas Kyprianides for his continued support and tireless efforts to promote Hellenism. We wish to express our gratitude to Consul General of Greece Gregory Karahalios for his support.

HELP US REACH 7000 ON FACEBOOK! SHARE WITH FRIENDS! Follow Us       SEE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE  10TH LOS ANGELES GREEK FILM FESTIVAL Looking back fondly, and looking forward to LAGFF 2017! Thank you for supporting LAGFF on Facebook. Do you follow our official LAGFF Facebook page? For festival updates, news stories, photos and more, visit https://www.facebook.com/lagff/   Share our page and invite friends to like LAGFF! http://www.lagff.org

LAGFF'S ELENI ARVANITI AND THESPINA PATRONAS

LAGFF: MEET OUR DEVELOPMENT 

& SPONSORSHIP TEAM

LAGFF welcomes Eleni Arvaniti and Thespina Patronas to its Development Team! Together, they lead the festival's sponsorship efforts for they 11th edition of the festival. 

Eleni Arvaniti joined LAGFF nine years ago and has been an integral part of the team ever since. As Filmmaker Liaison, her fluency in both English and Greek, professional acumen in Event Planning and Project Management, and hospitable nature allowed filmmakers and special guests under her care to feel at home. Eleni has always acted as a bridge for the film festival - first to filmmakers and guests coming from Greece and other countries; and now to sponsors. Outside of the festival, Eleni is very active in the Greek Community. She also volunteers and supports a number of organizations that resonate her love of her culture and passion for the arts. These skills have lent very well to her quadruple role as Filmmaker Liaison, Hospitality Coordinator, Festival Producer and now Development Executive. Eleni can be reached at eleni@lagreekfilmfestival.org.

Campaigning to raise money for the arts is nothing new for LAGFF's most recent addition, Development Coordinator, Thespina Patronas. She was born in Athens, Greece and raised in Redondo Beach, California where she developed into a passionate recording artist and a creative storyteller. Thespina studied Theology in Europe and continued her education by studying Music Performance Vocals in California. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education with minors in Christian Counseling and Biblical Studies at Liberty University, Virginia. As a songwriter, singer and composer, she has participated in numerous musicals, concerts and conducted children's choirs. She now resides in California with her two sons and is currently working on her debut album after the release of her two singles and short films, "Breath of Heaven" (2014) and "Melpomene" (2015) while also serving as the Development Coordinator for LAGFF. Thespina can be contacted for sponsorship 

opportunities at thespina@lagreekfilmfestival.org.

Thank you Eleni and Thespina for representing artists and helping to make the festival a success!

http://www.lagff.org

LOS ANGELES GREEK FILM FESTIVAL TO HONOR ALEXANDER PAYNE ON JUNE 11TH

Alexander Payne in LA Greek Film Festival honour

Alexander Payne will receive the 2017 Orpheus Award at the 11th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival in June. The award will be presented as part of the Orpheus Awards ceremony following the closing night film on June 11 in Hollywood. 

"Alexander Payne was selected by the committee to receive this year's honor because of his worldwide contributions to movies and his dedication to the preservation of its history," festival director Aris Katopodis said. 

“We are delighted to be among those who recognize his brilliance as a filmmaker and his dedication not only to the craft but the people that work with him. His ability to entertain and intrigue audiences worldwide is surpassed by none.”

Payne, the grandson of Greek immigrants and a native of Omaha, Nebraska, launched into directing with Citizen Ruth in 1996, and followed that up with Reese Witherspoon break-out Election.

His other films are About Schmidt, which earned Oscar nominations for Jack Nicholson and Kathy Bates, Sidewaysfor which Payne won the best adapted screenplay Oscar,The Descendants starring George Clooney and breakout Shailene Woodley, and Nebraska, which earned six Oscar nodsincluding best directing and best lead actor for Bruce Dern.

Sci-fi dramedy Downsizing starring Matt Damon, Kristin Wiig, Christoph Waltz and Hong Chau, is scheduled to open through Paramount on December 22.

Prior Orpheus Award honorees include new Paramount chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos, Nick Cassavetes,Oympia Dukakis, Gena Rowlands, J.K. Simmons, and Penelope Spheeris.

The 11th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival runs from June 7-11.

 By Jeremy Kay

http://www.screendaily.com