LOS ANGELES, June 5, 2025 — The 19th annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) concluded on June 1 with a sold-out screening of Yorgos Zois’s mystery-drama Arcadia, followed by the Orpheus Awards Ceremony at the Harmony Gold Theatre. The festival, held from May 27 to June 1, showcased over 65 films, including 23 international and world premieres, and featured a diverse range of narratives, documentaries, shorts, and animations from Greece, Cyprus, and the Greek diaspora .
The festival opened on May 28 at the newly renovated Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood with a tribute to renowned Greek-French filmmaker Costa-Gavras, who received the 2025 Honorary Orpheus Lifetime Achievement Award. The event featured a screening of his classic film Z (1969), presented by director John Landis and costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis .
A highlight of the festival was the extended conversation between Costa-Gavras and Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone, held on May 31 at UCLA’s James Bridges Theater. The discussion followed the West Coast premiere of Gavras’s latest film, Last Breath (Le Dernier Souffle), and provided insights into their cinematic journeys and perspectives on political filmmaking .
The closing night featured the Los Angeles premiere of Arcadia, directed by Yorgos Zois and starring Vangelis Mourikis, Angeliki Papoulia, and Elena Topalidou. The film, which had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, follows neurologist Katerina and retired doctor Yannis as they unravel a haunting story of love, loss, and acceptance in a deserted seaside resort .
The Orpheus Awards Ceremony, hosted by KNX news writer-producer Vivianne Linou Gabriel and featuring a comedy set by renowned comedian Angelo Tsarouchas, honored outstanding achievements in filmmaking. Eleni Alexandrakis’s Giannis in the Cities won both the Best Feature Film Orpheus Award and the Audience Award. Penny Panayotopoulou received the Best Director Orpheus Award for Wishbone, while Eva Samioti earned the Best Performance Orpheus Award for her role in Riviera. Other winners included Panellinion by Spyros Mantazavinos and Kostas Antarachas for Best Documentary, 11:01 by Jimi Drosinos for Best Short Film, and The Three Sisters by Timur Kognov for Best Animation Film .
Special Jury Recognition Awards were presented to Kyuka – Before Summer’s End by Kostis Charamountanis (feature), The Last Nomad by Filippos Ferentinos (documentary), and Underground by Yiannis Christoforou (animation). Audience Awards went to Super Paradise by Steve Krikris (documentary) and Ultimately Cleansed by Andrew Tippie (short film) .
The festival’s success underscores the vibrant cultural scene in Los Angeles and the growing interest in international cinema. With its diverse programming and celebration of Greek heritage, LAGFF continues to serve as a significant platform for filmmakers and audiences alike.