Thursday, July 17, 2008

Los Angeles Greek Film Festival


Just in time to the approaching film musical, "Mama Mia, and as one of the main locations in girl powered, "The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants 2," the Los Angeles Film Festival is here to celebrate Greece's role in films.

Luminaries from Greece and America descend on the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, celebrating the contribution of Greeks and Greek-Americans to entertainment, film and television at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival.

Molly Ringwald's husband, Panio Gianopoulos, jokes she's more Greek than he is. For her, Greece will always hold a special place in her heart. Her first feature film, Tempest, was filmed there in 1982.

She returns to the teen turf but as a mother of a teenager in ABC's Family Channel's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager."


"Days of Our Lives'" Thaao Penghlis mentions how Greece gave birth to the theater; and entertainment as we know it wouldn't be here if it weren't for the Greek heritage of dramas and mythology. For him, the film festival showcasing Greek-American influence in film is coming full circle, drama returning to it's roots.

Thaao Penghlis and writer/actor Alex Lyras
Alex Lyras

Sakis Rouvas, Greece's biggest pop star

Greek All-Stars
Prominent Greek-Americans and Greeks in entertainment display their pride and heritage on Opening Night.
To kick off the festival, the uber-Greek film that pretty much solidified the Greek image, for better or for worse, is the all-time classic, Zorba The Greek, starring the odd couple of the exorbitant jubilant Greek sailor, Zorba, and a repressed English writer, affectionally played by Alan Bates.
This refurnished edition premieres on the first night of the four days event.
There was a heart-felt tribute to John Cassavetes among the historical documentaries and new movies showcasing current-day Greece.
Ooompha!












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