EFP Director of Special Events, Vivian Panou, and Executive Vice President, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, walked the ‘green’ carpet together with Greek-American actor Billy Zane.

Kicking off the biggest week in entertainment, Global Green USA hosted its can’t miss pre-Oscar bash on Wednesday, February 26 at the Avalon Hollywood. Marking the organization’s 20th Anniversary, the zero-waste party brought together Hollywood’s elite activists and eco-conscious celebrities to enjoy a night of plant-based dining, rare performances and an exclusive auction, all to raise funds and awareness for Global Green USA’s ongoing initiatives.

Over 1,000 guests, including celebrities, eco-luminaries, and entertainment press from around the world, gathered to celebrate green solutions and hear the latest green messages from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Earth Friendly Products, the largest green cleaning products manufacturer in the world, was represented  by Vice President Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks and Director of Special Events Vivian Panou, who walked the Green carpet together with fellow Greek-American actor Billy Zane.

The evening  featured a live performance by Award-winning musician and environmentalist Moby and a DJ Set by The Crystal Method.

“After attending multiple Global Green events over the years and supporting them in their mission, it’s really nice to be able to play their legendary pre-Oscar party,” Moby said on the green carpet.

To achieve Global Green’s goal of making this a zero-waste event, the organization’s own Coalition for Resource Recovery program, in collaboration with CoRR member Athens Services and the staff of Avalon Hollywood, worked to ensure that at least 90 percent of all refuse, including food scraps and packaging, is diverted from landfill through three key measures: reusing, recycling, and composting.

The event also also featured the all-new 2014 Cadillac ELR plug-in electric vehicle, which was on display in the Cadillac ELR Lounge and on the green carpet.

Born in New York but of Greek and Mexican descent, Melissa Jiménez has become one of The Voice Season Six favorites.

Melissa grew up in a home filled with music. Her father Horacio “Mr. J.” Jiménez came from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico arrived in the New York music scene in 1982 and her mother Maria, came from Greece when she was just three years old.

On March 3, Melissa took The Voice stage to belt out “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. Taking the stage with an acapella opening, Melissa caught Usher’s and Shakira’s attention. And to add a little flare, Melissa even sang part of the song in Spanish and later spoke Greek to Shakira!

When it was time to make a choice, Melissa chose to go with the coach she wanted all along, which was Usher.

Born in New York, Jiménez was raised by her Greek mother Maria and her Mexican father Horacio. Her musical experience started early on, going to studio sessions and rehearsals with her father since she was a baby.

At age 14 she joined her father’s Big band and orchestra as a vocalist. Shortly thereafter, Melissa began writing songs and learned to accompany herself with the piano. Dancing was a natural skill, and to enhance it she took ballet, jazz, modern dance, African dance, mambo, and hip-hop. Her official biography states that “before she was even old enough to be eligible, she received a standing ovation for performing on an amateur night at the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem.”

Watch the interview: Legendary production designer and filmmaker Patrick Tatopoulos talks about working on the set of 300 Sequel, his love for Greece and his upcoming wedding with McKenzie Westmore!

Tatopoulos is one of the most popular production designers in Hollywood and has worked in numerous motion pictures, including Pitch Black, Underworld, I, Robot, The Chronicles of Riddick, Independence Day, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Stargate, Spawn, Godzilla, Stuart Little, I Am Legend, 10,000 BC, and Live Free or Die Hard.

Although Tatopoulos was born in France and lives in the United States, Greece is his first love as he states in our interview.

Tatopoulos was born and raised in Paris, France, to an immigrant father from Macedonia, Greece, and a French mother. His parents had a clothing store in Paris. He raced motorcycles, worked in 2-D advertising and drew comic book covers. Tatopoulos lived in Greece for ten years before coming to the United States in 1989.

In Greece, while working as a designer artist in the production of commercials, he was continually fascinated by creatures and special effects. He studied at the École d’Art Décoratif de Paris, the École des Arts Appliqués de Paris, and the École des Beaux-Arts. From Paris he moved to Rome and Greece where he began selling his illustrations. Eventually, his passion for the entertainment business drew him to the United States and within a short time became a designer for commercials, music video and motion pictures. He collaborates often with directors Roland Emmerich, Alex Proyas, and Len Wiseman.

The character of Niko Tatopoulos in Godzilla was named after his youngest daughter. Besides designing some of the most fascinating movie sets, Tatopoulos is also a director. He made his directorial debut with the 2009 film, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and as he told us he is working on some new scripts to film soon.

Maria Menounos talks about her new reality TV show “Chasing Maria Menounos” and admits that her dad will be the TV show’s favorite.

“Wait and see, he will bigger than all of us,” says the Extra TV host about her father Costa Menounos when asked who she believes will be the audience’s favorite.

With this series, Maria has opened the doors of her home to cameras for the first time, allowing viewers to see her modern family lifestyle, the chaos that keeps her so busy, and the fuel that keeps her running. We see Maria confront the obstacles that surround her eclectic career and home life head-on.

Menounos came from very humble beginnings but never stopped chasing her dreams. Now she lives with her boyfriend of 15 years, Keven, and traditional Greek immigrant parents, Costas and Litsa, who are demanding she at last get married and have children. Though she respects her devoted family and boyfriend’s opinions, she tends to make decisions with or without their approval.

Watch our interview with Maria talking about her new show:

As Maria turns 35, she contemplates whether she can support her parents and the friends who depend on her, while building a family with Keven and having some fun along the way.

On the season premiere, no one celebrates their birthday as hard as Maria when she goes all out with a luau-themed party that includes a star-studded roster of friends such as “Dancing With the Stars” dancer Derek Hough, blogger and television personality Perez Hilton, and Khloe Kardashian from “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” This year Maria’s birthday takes on a big significance; what starts out as a party becomes about facing down the realities of getting older and leads Maria to rethink the way she wants to live her life. Luckily for her, she can do it with comedic flair.

‘Chasing Maria Menounos’ is an emotional, comedic journey that will introduce Oxygen viewers to a modern young woman who is at a crossroad in her life and trying to decide what’s next,” said Rod Aissa, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and Development, Oxygen Media. “Maria is ambitious, unconventional and incredibly funny, you just can’t help but fall in love with her.”

Watch the trailer below:

Meet Maria’s Father
Costas is a 69-year-old Greek immigrant who feels nothing short of 25! He is the father of “Extra” host Maria Menounos and husband to Litsa. Retired for more than a decade, Costas still works 14-hour days doing handiwork around Maria and Keven’s home and studios. Described by Keven as a “wild man from the mountains,” he will loudly and proudly tell you that the Greeks invented work, partying, and dancing, along with pretty much everything else. He is a type one diabetic of almost 50 years, yet between his diet and attitude one would never guess. He is strongly opinionated and wants nothing more than for Maria to get married and have children; he will stop at nothing to make sure that happens. Costas and Maria will either stand united as partners in crime or clash over his unwavering opinions. He may literally be the only person in this world to stand in Maria’s way!

“Chasing Maria Menounos” is produced by Left/Right with Ken Druckerman, Banks Tarver, and Angie Day serving as Executive Producers along with Maria Menounos and Keven Undergaro.

The Series premieres on March 18th at 10:00 PM ET/PT on Oxygen. New episodes will air through end of May 2014.

The new Greek feature film “The Final Payoff” directed by Alexander Leontaritis will make its USA Premiere on April 6th at 9PM screening at AMC Studio 30 Dunvale. The movie is an official selection at the upcoming Worldfest Houston International Film Festival where it is also nominated for the Remi Award.

The Final Payoff has already won two Audience Awards at Cyprus International Film Festival and at the Peloponnesian International Film Festival. Also it is about to be theatrically released in Greece this April from the distribution company Filmboy Pictures.

The movie tells the story of an ex-boxer, Greg, who works for a strong loan Shark in Athens, Markos. He and his partner are assigned the difficult task of collecting money and interest from borrowers. They both come across everyday people who have been affected by the financial crisis, receiving loans which have to be paid off by certain deadlines.

Watch the trailer below:

The movie is produced by Desmida.
Starring: Greg Terzakis, Yiannis Bostantzoglou, Eleni Filini, Giorgos Giannopoulos, Christos Theofilatos, Argyris Thanasoulas, Marina Tsigonaki, Vangelis Mourikis, Avraam Papadopoulos, Haris Georgiadis, Theofylaktos Argyrou, Christina Noland, Olga Kanly, Ivan Voulits, Maria Kavadda, Anastasis Kolovos and others.

Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, has joined the Advisory Board of Los Angeles Greek Film Festival.

With more than 20 years’ experience in home entertainment, Sarandos is recognized in the industry as an innovator in film acquisition and distribution. He has led content acquisition for the company since 2000.

Before Netflix, Ted was an executive at video distributor ETD and Video City/West Coast Video. He is a film producer of several prolific documentaries and serves on the Film Advisory Board for Tribeca Film Festival, as well as the retail advisory board for the Digital Entertainment Group. Ted is married to U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant who became the 13th U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas in 2009, appointed to the post by President Barack Obama.

LAGFF Announces Mixer before The Festival

Join LAGFF on Thursday, May 1 to kick off the countdown to the 8th LA Greek Film Festival. Meet fellow professionals working in entertainment and support Greek filmmakers from around the world.

The event will take place at Bar Marmont in West Hollywood and will be a great opportunity to mingle, win tickets to the festival, and make new friends and contacts. For tickets, click here or to learn more visit the LAGFF website.

Related Video: Watch interviews from the 2013 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival

 “The Enemy Within,” directed by Yorgos Tsemberopoulos

This year’s Los Angeles Greek Film Festival welcomes 29 features, documentaries and short films to the program including 2 world premieres, 14 US premieres and 11 films presented to Los Angeles audiences for the first time. A third of the programming is by women filmmakers.

“As Greece is still grappling with the aftermath of an unprecedented crisis, the upheaval of Greek society is represented in much of the current Greek Cinema, leading its artists beyond the known and the safe. This year’s films reflect the continued search for answers and solutions”, states Fest topper Aristotle Katopodis. “What makes this year even more special is the fact that we had a record number of submissions from female and first time filmmakers whose works we are proud to have represented in this year’s program.”

Nick Cassavetes’ romantic comedy “The Other Woman” starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Kinney and Don Johnson will ring in the red carpet Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, June 4. The Opening Night event also includes a performance by Billboard chart topper and Australian singing sensation Vassy, a dinner reception and music and dancing outside under the stars.

Hot off its Best Director win at the 2014 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, Yorgos Tsemberopoulos’ gripping revenge thriller “The Enemy Within” (O ehthros mou) will cap the Closing Night Gala on Sunday, June 8. “Enemy” tells the story of Kostas whose quiet life is shattered after a violent home invasion takes place. The days following the vicious attack shake the very core of their family existence as they struggle to make sense of what has happened.

Closing night fun includes the festival Orpheus Awards with special honors as well as Jury and Audience Awards, dinner reception and performances by Tripping Souls.

The Pabst Brewing Company and Hostess Brands present Closing Night galas, Earth Friendly Products and G.P. Kolovos and Associates co-present Opening Night gala, with festival artist-in-residence Gus Sverkos and Goodtime Events providing the music on both nights.

World Premieres include Yiannis V. Lapatas’ documentary” Passage Into History.” Passage follows as people from all over the world gather in Nemea, Greece, for the revival of the Nemean Games. They come to take a leap into the past, run in the Stadium, and be crowned with wild celery; and Konstantinos Mousoulis’ short romantic thriller “Birthday Surprise” about a wealthy criminal who returns home drunk on his birthday only to find an attractive young woman waiting for him as his present, or is she?…

Still from the short “Birthday Surprise” directed by Konstantinos Mousoulis, starring Christos Vassilopoulos and Tetty Kalafatis

Female filmmakers are well represented with several first feature bows including the Los Angeles premieres of Elina Psikou’s drama, winner 2014 first time director nod at 2014 Hellenic Film Academy, “The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas” (“I aionia epistrofi tou Antoni Paraskeva”); Greek filmmaker Christina Koutsospyrou and English filmmaker Aran Hughes first feature documentary hybrid “To The Wolf” (“Sto Lyko”) that shadows the life of two impoverished shepherd families in western Greece and their struggle to survive; and the US premiere of Alexandra Anthony’s emotionally intriguing documentary “Lost In the Bewilderness”, a twenty year journey following the abduction of her cousin at age five by his mother from Greece and the family’s odyssey to reconnect after he is found.

Other festival highlights include the US premieres of the documentaries “Crossed Lives” directed by Spyros Teskos which analyzes the current economic and humanitarian crisis in Greece in juxtaposition with the economic policies of the Third Reich during WW II; and Elias Yannakakis’ award-winning “People and Shadows” (“Kalavryta: Anthropoi kai skies”) – a studied look at the German occupation of the Greek city of Kalavryta.

Los Angeles premieres include the suspense thriller “Wild Duck” helmed by Yiannis Sakaridis where a hunt for online hackers turns deadly; Kyriacos Tofarides’ social satire “Block 12” about a house, a family, a government and oil with a little bit of magic thrown in; and the highly anticipated screening of Alexandros Avranas’ feature “Miss Violence,” which exposes a hidden and hellish world after the tragic and unexpected suicide of an 11year-old girl. “Miss Violence” took home Best Euro-Mediterranean Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Film honors in the ‘Young Cinema Award’ section last year at the Venice Film Festival.

For a complete list of films and schedule visit http://lagff.org

Watch TV personality Debbie Matenopoulos describing how she almost got arrested in Greece, while shooting in Acropolis for her book “It’s All Greek to Me: Transform Your Health the Mediterranean Way with My Family’s Century-Old Recipes”

During a Los Angeles signing for her book, Debbie shared the story of how she and her crew pretended to be “stupid Americans” in order to save their work from being confiscated by Greek guards.

Watch the video filmed by Philip Georgious:

L-R: Jonathan Williams-Margaritakis and Antonis Karayannakis at “Go Greek” in Beverly Hills

While people are still deciding on the most authentic Greek yogurt available in the U.S., and who can actually claim that title, a small establishment in Beverly Hills, Calif. is quietly building a brand: Go Greek!

Avoiding the billion dollar war in American supermarkets between Chobani, Fage, Dannon and many others who are all trying to prove how Greek their yogurt is, Go Greek has been importing yogurt from Greece to their sole flagship store in Los Angeles because, as the website says, it “just comes out better this way.”

Jonathan Williams-Margaritakis, a first-generation Greek from Crete, alongside David and Tanja Subotic, came up with the concept for Go Greek about a year ago. The company lives by the idea that the Greek diet has become a recent area of study among nutritionists eager to understand the low mortality index of the Mediterranean. It’s also believed that Greek longevity is in a simple diet that fully utilizes the culture’s agricultural tradition, eating only what can be naturally and easily farmed. Unlike the way yogurts are made in the U.S., the Greek process removes most of the sugar and leaves the yogurt thick, creamy, and full of protein and probiotics.

Offering fresh and frozen Greek yogurt with toppings such as farm fresh produce, honey, grapes and sour cherries in addition to numerous superfoods like flaxseed, chia seeds, and more, Go Greek has been catering to local California residents, including celebrities like Sofia Vergara, Michelle Rodriguez and Lionel Richie.

“[Celebrities] just walk in; they like the product,” Margaritakis told Greek Reporter in an interview. “When they come in, I recognize the older ones and especially the big stars. The new ones, I don’t really know, so there are others [in the store] who recognize them.”

In addition to handling numerous events, this year Go Greek will be catering the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. With the success of Go Greek Yogurt, the company is now in the midst of working on expanding the brand by franchising to offer their product across locations in the U.S.

For more on Go Greek Yogurt:
Facebook: facebook.com/gogreek
Twitter: @gogreekyogurt
Instagram: instagram.com/gogreekyogurt

The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (June 4-8, 2014, Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood) has announced five free industry roundtables and programs which will be open to the public throughout the Festival! These events will offer expert advice from some of the Entertainment Industry’s key talent.

The following five programs are free and are open to the public:

Industry Roundtable – Feature Film Development: Speakers include San Francisco Film Society’s Athena Kalkopoulou, Kelly Tomas (VP of JuntoBox Films’ Incubator Initiative), Slamdance Festival Director Anna Germanidi, and Sundance International Director, Paul Federbush.

Industry Roundtable – TV/Web series: With professionals from the industry. Serial content production models are constantly changing, always exploring new media platforms as well as creating exciting content and viewing experiences.

Special Focus – Audience Engagement & Crowd Funding: A discussion on what makes a successful crowd funding film campaign and how to engage your audience through different platforms. Speakers: Joseph Beyer (Digital Initiatives, Director, Sundance Institute), Missy Laney (ArtistServices, Sundance Institute).

Case Study – Microbudget Filmmaking: Stelana Kliris introduces in this case study her film “Committed,” that will be presented at the Eighth Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. Kliris is a South African Cypriot writer/director with a background in editing and production on international films and commercial productions. “Committed” (2014) is her first feature film.

A Conversation with Casting Director Valorie Massalas: The festival will also present the seminar “A Conversation with Casting Director Valorie Massalas” (“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Gods and Monsters.”) The seminar is an open forum for actors, filmmakers, and those interested in the cinematic arts to discuss the process of casting selection in film and TV with the award-winning Casting Director on Sun, May 18, 2014

For dates and times of these special events please visit lagff.org

Like anyone else who is Greek American, some peoples’ names don’t immediately give them away as being of Greek heritage. There are many prominent Greek American celebrities who you might not have guessed are Greek. They are talented, philanthropic, visionary, and best of all, fellow Greeks!

1. Tina Fey: The 30 Rock actress was actually born Elizabeth Stamatina Fey to a Greek American mother and a Scottish father. She is a widely successful comedic actress and writer.

2. Hank Azaria: This popular actor’s grandparents on both his mother and father’s sides came from Greece. He has portrayed Italian and Spanish characters, as well as done extensive voice acting for The Simpsons.

3. Jennifer Aniston: Most people know that Jennifer Aniston is Greek, thanks to her father being a famous actor on the soap Days of Our Lives, but still- that’s a pretty powerful Greek American actress to add to our list!

4. Zach Galifianakis: This Greek American actor got a great deal of attention for his role in The Hangover films. His comedy show, Between Two Ferns, has become a hit, interviewing people of all kinds, including President Obama. Zach was baptized in the Greek Orthodox church and his grandparents came to the US from Crete.

5. Betty White: The Golden Girls alum (and only living Golden Girl) is ¼ Greek. Her recent popularity has sky-rocketed, and she stars on Hot in Cleveland on TV Land, making countless appearances in films and on television.

6. Billy Zane: Probably best known for playing Cal, Rose’s fiancé, in James Cameron’s Titanic, Billy Zane was born of two Greek American parents.

7. Criss Angel: Arguably the most popular and well-known magician in the US, Criss Angel was born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos and with that last name, quite clearly a Greek American from his father’s side. He currently has a residency in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Luxor Hotel & Casino.

8. Alexander Payne: This Greek American director was born to two parents who both have Greek ancestry, and has directed many successful, award-winning films. Originally from Nebraska, Alexander Payne won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his films Sideways (which also won best picture in 2005) and the same award for his film The Descendants (which also won best picture in 2011), starring George Clooney. He was nominated for Best Director for his 2013 film, Nebraska, starring Bruce Dern.

9. Tommy Lee: Best known for being the drummer of the band Motley Crue, Tommy Lee was actually born in Athens. Born Thomas Lee Bass, Tommy grew up in California, and went on to play drums on all of Motley Crue’s multi-platinum albums and have a successful solo career as well.

10. David Sedaris: This New York Times Best-Selling writer, most recently noted for his book Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, David Sedaris is Greek from his father’s side. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award for reading his books, and has written about his experiences growing up as a Greek American.

It’s always exciting to see Greek Americans doing great things, especially when they turn out to be some of our favorite celebrities and we didn’t even know the heritage we share with them!

Bringing together the brightest Greeks in the entertainment industry, the 2014 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) will showcase the best new films produced by Greek talent, together with a variety of special events, June 4-8, at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA.

When did the fest start and what is its mission
Now in its eighth year, the annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival showcases new films from Greek filmmakers worldwide. Its mission is to promote Greek Cinema and cultural exchange while bridging the gap between Greek filmmakers and Hollywood. LAGFF is witnessing a new wave of Greek Cinema emerging from an irreverent generation of young filmmakers who insist on breaking ties with past trends and seeing things in their own unique way. The festival functions as a center for Greek filmmakers from around the world not only in reflecting the blossoming of Greek Cinema but also in promoting modern Greek culture by highlighting its hidden treasures and roots.

What films are to be shown this year
This year’s Los Angeles Greek Film Festival welcomes 29 features, documentaries and short films to the programme, including 2 world premieres, 14 US premieres and 11 films presented in the world’s entertainment capital for the first time. A third of the programming is by women filmmakers.

• Nick Cassavetes’ romantic comedy “The Other Woman” starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Kinney and Don Johnson will ring in the red carpet Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, June 4.
• Hot off its Best Director win at the 2014 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, Yorgos Tsemberopoulos’ gripping revenge thriller “The Enemy Within” (O ehthros mou) will cap the Closing Night Gala on Sunday, June 8. See the full list here or click on the graphic below:

Celebrities rumored to attend
Some of Hollywoods biggest celebrities do have Greek roots and support the festival. This year the following VIPs are rumored to hit the red carpet:
Actors Billy Zane, Adoni Maropis, Costas Mandylor, Louis Mandylor, Sofia Milos, Thaao Penghlis George Chakiris and Simon Kassianides; FilmOn owner Alki David, singer Ariana Savalas, screenwriters Charles and Vlas Parlpanides, stylist Christos Garkinos, TV Host Patricia Kara, and legendary Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.

Programmes to Attend

[L-R] Actor Ed O’Ross, Earth Friendly Products Founder Van Vlahakis, actress Shannon Elizabeth, and Earth Friendly Products CEO Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks at a special programme dedicated to the 2012 opening film ‘A Green Story’. The film tells the story of the late Van Vlahakis who came to the USA as an immigrant with only 22 dollars in his pocket to create the green giant known today as Earth Friendly Products. Photo by Conrad Allan

• Industry Roundtable – Feature Film Development: Speakers include San Francisco Film Society’s Athena Kalkopoulou, Kelly Tomas (VP of JuntoBox Films’ Incubator Initiative), Slamdance Festival Director Anna Germanidi, and Sundance International Director, Paul Federbush.
• Industry Roundtable – TV/Web series: With professionals from the industry. Serial content production models are constantly changing, always exploring new media platforms as well as creating exciting content and viewing experiences.
• Special Focus – Audience Engagement & Crowd Funding: A discussion on what makes a successful crowd funding film campaign and how to engage your audience through different platforms. Speakers: Joseph Beyer (Digital Initiatives, Director, Sundance Institute), Missy Laney (ArtistServices, Sundance Institute).
• Case Study – Microbudget Filmmaking: Stelana Kliris introduces in this case study her film “Committed,” that will be presented at the Eighth Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. Kliris is a South African Cypriot writer/director with a background in editing and production on international films and commercial productions. “Committed” (2014) is her first feature film.
• A Conversation with Casting Director Valorie Massalas: The festival will also present the seminar “A Conversation with Casting Director Valorie Massalas” (“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Gods and Monsters.”) The seminar is an open forum for actors, filmmakers, and those interested in the cinematic arts to discuss the process of casting selection in film and TV with the award-winning Casting Director on Sun, May 18, 2014

The Parties

LAGFF is also known for its great after parties following the opening and closing nights. This year, attendees will enjoy Greek cuisine and a live performance by Billboard chart topper and Australian singing sensation Vassy. Dj Gus Sverkos will also be playing some of the latest Greek & international hits.

Orpeus Awards
The big prize at LAGFF is the Orpheus Award—named for the legendary Greek poet and “father of songs”—an annual prize to honor the best in Greek and Greek-inspired cinema. Orpheus Awards are given to the most outstanding new films in the dramatic, documentary and short film categories. The 2014 LAGFF jury includes: Variety editor Peter Caranicas, producer/writer Larry Karaszewski, producer Christopher Kikis, International Sales and Acquisitions Coordinator at Arclight Films Athena Nash, and Professor of Classics at Loyola Marymount University Katerina Zacharia. Special honorees to receive lifetime Awards in 2014 are acclaimed producers Anthony Katagas (“12 Years a Slave”) and Steve Nicolaides (“When Harry Met Sally”).

Three special Greeks, Chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox Jim Gianopulos, Tracy Spiridakos who starred on the NBC series REVOLUTION, and actor/comedian Angelo Tsarouchas will present the awards to the winners. The closing night ceremony and awards will be hosted by actor Christos Vasilopoulos (“Banshee”) and newcomer actress Chrissa Loukas. Christos is also starring in Konstantinos Mousoulis’ short film “Birthday Surprise”, joining the screening of Block 12, Thursday 5, 5:30 pm.

Major Supporters

Photo by Conrad Allan

The 8th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival has gained attention from esteemed brands, including the world’s leader in the development and production of environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, Earth Friendly Products, Real Estate Firm G.P. Kolovos & Associates, and Pabst Brewing Company. See full list here.

Want to go?
Visit lagff.org to get your gold pass that covers access to all festival activities, screenings and special events. Individual screening tickets are also available.

L-R: Joanna Topetzes, Vassy, Ariana Savalas, Sofia Milos, Patricia Kara. Photo Credit: Alex Vacca

The 8th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival opened its doors on Wednesday June 4th at the Egyptian theater in Hollywood, CA.

Many important Greeks and Greek-Americans of the enteratinament industry walked the red carpet among them actors: Billy Zane, Christos Vasilopoulos, Costas Mandylor, Sofia Milos, Thaao Penghlis and George Chakiris; singers Vassy and Ariana Savalas; filmmakers Konstantinos Mousoulis, Charles and Vlas Parlpanides; stylist Christos Garkinos and TV Host Patricia Kara.

Watch our red carpet interviews:

Nick Cassavetes’ romantic comedy “The Other Woman” starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nicky Minaj, Taylor Kinney and Don Johnson premiered on the festival’s opening night. Following the screening, Greek-Australian singer Vassy sang her top hit BAD at the festival’s after-party.

The LA Greek Film Festival runs through the weekend and will screen 29 features, documentaries and short films to the programme, including 2 world premieres, 14 US premieres and 11 films presented in the world’s entertainment capital for the first time. A third of the programming is by women filmmakers.

Revenge thriller “The Enemy Within” (O ehthros mou) will cap the Closing Night Gala on Sunday, June 8. After the screening the Orpheus Awards ceremony hosted by Christos Vasilopoulos and produced by Dorothea Paschalidou and George Karamichos will reveal the festival’s winners.

The 8th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival has gained attention from esteemed brands, including the world’s leader in the development and production of environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, Earth Friendly Products, Real Estate Firm G.P. Kolovos & Associates, and Pabst Brewing Company.

See the festival’s full lineup and schedule here.

Greek American rock/pop artist Electra Barakos released her 2nd single “Tomorrow’s Not There” Tuesday June 10th, on ITUNES.

Electra just finished recording her new album “These Times” with producer Mike Plotnikoff (Halestorm, Buckcherry, Kelly Clarkson). “These Times” was funded by a very successful Kickstarter campaign, raising over $22,000. Fellow Greek musician Phil X (Bon Jovi, Powder) played bouzouki on one of the tracks called “I Can’t Breathe”.

ELECTRA once again teamed up with Chipotle Film productions for her second music video following their very successful music video “Problem Child”. The fun, party themed official music video for the single”Tomorrow’s Not There” will be released on the week of June 16, 2014, just in time for it to be a summer hit!

Leaving Athens to head to Hollywood and fulfill her dream of becoming a musician, Electra’s parents left everything behind in Greece to join her in the States. Forming a band “ELECTRA” described as “pop/rock with a classic twist,” the singer’s father, Yanni, joined as bass player. Other members are Dan Welby on drums, Hyland Church on guitar and Ezequiel Dobrovsky on keys.

The band will release the music video of their new single “Tomorrow’s not there” during a live-event at The Park Bar & Grill in Burbank, CA this Friday, June 13.

Click here to get the single “Tomorrow’s Not There”

Greek-American singer and songwriter Electra Barakos released her highly-anticipated official Music Video for her latest single “Tomorrow’s Not There”.

It was produced by Mike Plotnikoff (Halestorm, Buckcherry, Kelly Clarkson) and is the first single off her new album, “These Times,” scheduled to be released by the end of summer 2014.

The song is nothing but a very fun, high energy anthem and the music video has successfully delivered that vibe.

Directed and co-produced by Chipotle Film productions, who also did Electra’s first music video “Problem Child”, the music video for “Tomorrow’s Not There”, features a very sexy and revealing Electra!

Just in time for summer, the video takes place at a crazy pool party… you better watch it today, in case tomorrow’s not there…

The single is now available on itunes.

The stars of the upcoming “Hercules” epic walked the black carpet for the film’s Hollywood premiere on Wednesday, July 23. We caught up with the cast and crew to talk about the making of the film and their love for Greek mythology.

The action-adventure, which hits U.S. theaters on July 25, centers on Hercules as he travels ancient Greece with five faithful companions, selling his services for gold and using his legendary reputation to intimidate enemies. When the benevolent ruler of Thrace and his daughter seek Hercules’ help to defeat a savage and terrifying warlord, Hercules finds that in order for good to triumph and justice to prevail, he must again become the hero he once was. 

On the carpet, Hercules himself, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, told us about how he really wanted to have the film’s premiere in Athens,and why it ultimately ended up in Hollywood. Supermodel-turned-actress Irina Shayk also talked about her frequent vacations in Mykonos.

Watch our interviews with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Irina Shayk, Ian Mcshane, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and the Greek screenwriter of “Hercules,” Evan Spiliotopoulos.

By Yannis Pappas

As a fellow comedian, the death of Robin Williams hits hard. But it’s as an actor that he often made me feel the most — in particular, his role in “Dead Poets Society.” That story is all about breaking from conformity, and seizing today and living. I will never forget that great speech he gives in the movie, where he quotes Walt Whitman, and then asks his students of their lives’ poem, “What will your verse be?”

Comedians, we’re always the outsiders. Born comedians, the ones who are class clowns from birth, usually come from some kind of unfortunate background, and/or have this ability from a very early age to see all of life’s pain, to feel all of life’s pain, to see the inevitable tragedy that we all are going to face. We just feel it all. “Dead Poets Society” and Robin Williams’ role in it was all about that — embracing that, diving into that, being yourself.

As a comedian, Williams influenced me or touched me in the same way he did everybody else, just as a fan who saw just how unbelievably energetic and gifted he was. But with those gifts come burdens. There’s always a yin and a yang with being so talented; there’s always a dark side to the bright gift.

Obviously Williams was well beyond working the road, and the loneliness of the road and some of those things that can get really dark. But all of that had to still have been in his soul.

I’m sure the days when he wasn’t performing comedy or being funny got tough. Once you’re addicted to those laughs, and being the center of attention, and spreading joy to cheer yourself up — because you are a sensitive person who feels so much — it gets low. You get low.

It’s quite strange. Every time a comedian dies, as a fellow comedian, even if you didn’t know the person at all, you just feel extremely sad. It’s like losing a fellow soldier. Comedians feel everything; they’re the most sensitive people. It’s a burden to bear, and a lot of comedians battle with depression and at times substance abuse because they’re such sensitive creatures. Sometimes they lose that battle and give in.

At the same time, these same qualities make comedians the most nonjudgmental people, and we bond on that, on dealing with the pain and just trying to be ourselves. If you see the oddest pairing in the world of people hanging out, they’re probably comedians. If you see a housewife, a skateboarder, and a Christian conservative together, there’s a good chance they’re comedians.

This all brings me back to Williams in “Dead Poets Society.” I’m sure all of this is why he gave it that extra something, playing that role of the teacher and urging everyone to follow their own individual path. It’s a message that’s stuck with me, and something for which I’ll always be grateful to Robin Williams.

*Yannis Pappas is a Greek-American comedian, best known in the Greek community for his youtube character, Mr. Panos. He is also a co-anchor on Fusion Live. Follow Yannis Pappas on twitter.

Jennifer Aniston underwent a drastic transformation for her role in the upcoming drama “Cake” and a new one-and-a-half minute clip showcases her acting chops in the film.

The Greek-American plays Claire, a woman in a pain support group who becomes interested in the suicide of another member and then develops a relationship with the deceased woman’s husband.

In the recently released clip, Claire and her housekeeper (Adriana Barraza) attempt to obtain drugs from Mexico. Check it out below:

Aniston is also executive producing. Directed by Daniel Barnz, the film’s cast includes Anna Kendrick, Sam Worthington and William H. Macy.

“Cake” premiered at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month and is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2015.

A Hollywood-based journalist has spent a year working on the movie-like story of Greek bandit Vassilis Paleokostas, the Greek Reporter can reveal today.

Paleokostas, 46, famously escaped from Korydallos prison in a helicopter for the second time in 2009, following an equally cinematic escape in 2006. The bank robber and industrial kidnapper is famous not only for eluding the police for decades, but for reportedly giving stolen cash to the poor.

Jeff Maysh, a British writer based in Los Angeles, spent time in Athens, Trikala, and the mountain regions of Greece where the super-criminal is rumored to be hiding, for an investigative story out today on the BBC News Magazine website.

“This is a remarkable story, and an incredibly difficult one to research,” Maysh told the Greek Reporter, “Paleokostas remains on the run, and those closest to him were careful not to give away his position. That said, I was able to get unrivaled access to his family, friends, and inmates of Korydallos prison.”

The journalist spent time in Greece between February and March of this year, interviewing Paleokostas family members and associates. Maysh was detained by police in Kalambaka, while taking photographs of the scene of the 260 million Drachma robbery which became the largest in Greek history, in 1992. He is the first journalist to go inside Korydallos.

In the article, Maysh speaks directly to Costas Samaras, Paleokostas’ mentor, who is locked up in Korydallos’ psychiatric ward. In his first face-to-face interview in years, Samaras told the BBC about committing the largest cash bank robbery in Greek history, with Paleokostas:
“As we were driving the getaway car [from the bank], we heard on the radio that we left 90 million [Drachma] behind,” Samaras told the BBC. “Paleokostas joked, ‘Shall we go back?’ Samaras revealed that cash from that robbery was given to immigrants on the street.

The BBC story, which features a movie-style poster with explosions, car chases, and of the course the two helicopters used in Paleokostas’ two prison escapes, was released today. The more interesting revelations include the claim that Paleokostas and his sidekick Alket Rizai used walkie-talkie cell-phones to plan their escapes, and that Paleokostas may have had plastic surgery to escape the law.

“Wigs and makeup found in one hideout suggest Vassilis could even transform himself into a woman, at a pinch,” the story reports.

To read more, see the longform BBC Magazine News story, ‘The Uncatchable’, here.

(Photo Credit: BBC)

Electra’s very successful Kickstarter campaign last year, raising over 22k, funded the recording of her upcoming full length album, “These Times” which was engineered, produced and mixed by Mike Plotnikoff (Halestorm, BuckCherry, Kelly Clarkson). The album is a mix of rock/pop catchy hooks and a bit of classical thrown in the mix! On one of the tracks called “I Can’t Breathe”, fellow Greek musician Phil X (Bon Jovi, Powder) played bouzouki and guitar.

Electra is no stranger in the Hollywood club scene. With a consistently growing fan base and an upcoming tour, she continues to own every stage she plays. The CD “These Times” will be released in November.

The new single that has already been released is the title track “These Times” and it features a very commercial sound, with a rock edge to it. The single is now available on iTunes.

The newly released music video for “These Times”, produced and directed by Chipotle Films Productions, was filmed at a loft in Downtown LA, and showcases a side of Electra that we have never seen before. The singer’s real personal life is being exposed, as the video reveals that Electra is in a relationship with her drummer Dan Welby. Following the plot of the song, the music video highlights moments of happiness and romance, and flips to moments of arguments and aggravation. Like any normal healthy relationship these days, right?

Electra admits that this song was written about boyfriend/drummer Dan Welby after one of their worst arguments to date. Nevertheless, they got through it, they’re happier than ever, and a great song came out of it!!! Watch it below: