San Francisco Greek Film Festival

We love to see the community engage around our film festival! Members of the Greek American Professional Women's Society picked a film from our lineup, watched it on their own time and discussed it via Zoom at their last meeting. The movie? Una Ventana al Mar - Window to the Sea. Thanks for sharing the picture, GAPWS!

Melina Mercouri - (October 18, 1920 - March 6, 1994). Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the 100 Years of Melina Mercouri, earlier this month, at our special drive-in screening of TOPKAPI. Read more about the life and work of the indomitable actress, singer and politician on what would have been her 100th birthday: https://bit.ly/2T4DNTl

Maya Thompson of The Daily Californian interviews SFGFF directors Maria Katzakis-Nicolacakis and Kyveli Short. Read what they had to say!

A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to our 2020 sponsors! Even in this challenging and difficult year, you were right there behind us. Your contributions fueled our efforts as we embarked on a new online format, your enthusiasm energized us, and your belief in us and in our mission humbled us -- for this we remain eternally grateful! Elios Charitable Foundation, Faye Mellos, George & Sophia Fonti, Zakynthian's Brotherhood of California, Bill Ballas, Dimitri Carapanos/ GreekTV, Chris & Melinda Kanios, Costa & Angela Karantzas, Kahale Investments -- A N Kahale, Marcos Karnezos, Dr. Timothy Steck & Katerina Mavroudi-Steck, and Valerie Evans. We also extend our deep gratitude to ALL of the individuals who made donations via our online festival this year. We appreciate each and every one of you, from around the world!

And the Astron Audience Awards go to... My Name is Eftihia ( - ), directed by Angelos Frantzis, for Best Feature Film Confession (), directed by Andreas Sheittanis Films, for Best Short Film... Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who voted!

- ROUGE, San Fransisco Greek Film Festival- @https://grfilm.com/2020-virtual-film-festival/

Be sure not to miss DIGGER by Georgis Grigorakis! Watch it online, on-demand and for FREE: https://bit.ly/2SIVxn5 A contemporary Western, set against a majestic backdrop, tells a tale of rapprochement between two men. Greece, France, 2020, 101min.... Haos Film Faliro House The Match Factory *Berlinale 2020: World Premiere; CICAE Art Cinema Award *Sarajevo International Film Festival 2020: Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Actor

Our Festival's Executive Director, Kleon Stephen Skourtis, is interviewed by Alexandros Romanos Lizardos for ... Hear what he had to say about the longest-running Greek film festival in the US.

Watch the documentary MARKOS online, on-demand and for FREE: https://bit.ly/3iKD9os A group of musicians travels to Syros to participate in a tribute to Markos Vamvakaris, the iconic musician of the 20th century, pioneer and Rebetiko patriarch. At the same time, composers, musicologists and artists from all over the world, bring his important musical legacy into the 21st century. Greece, Serbia, Italy, 2020, 93min... Directed by Nikos Skarentzos Bad Crowd /

Be sure not to miss these short films! Watch them online, on-demand, and for FREE: https://bit.ly/3jqOFGM Available in the USA, except the state of New York, between October 3-10. * -In The Room a short film, directed by Yeorgia Sotirchou (Greece, 2019, 14min).... *Confession, directed by Andreas Sheittanis Films (Cyprus, 2019, 22min). * - ROUGE, directed by Kostis Theodosopoulos (Greece, 2019, 18min). *Last Stop, directed by Christos Zenios (Cyprus, 2019, 6min). *Hippo, directed by Theofylaktos Argyrou (Greece, 2018, 24min).

Here are some short films that will put a smile on your face. Watch them online, on-demand, and for FREE: https://bit.ly/3jqOFGM Available in the US (except NY) between October 3-10. *A Jar of Nuts, directed by Savvas Stavrou (Cyprus, 2019, 17min).... *The Dude, directed by Alexandros Kakaniaris (Greece, 2019, 17min). *It's a Greek Thing, directed by Arianna Papalexopoulos (USA, 2020, 5min). *he House in the Suburbs ( ), directed by Konstantinos Gerakis (Greece, 2018, 15min).

Watch Una Ventana al Mar - Window to the Sea online, on-demand and for FREE - https://bit.ly/34ts4mO "Spanish actress Emma Suárez gives one of the best, most introspective performances of the year as Maria, a mother and grandmother presented with the terrible diagnosis that she has colon cancer. Presented with stifling options such as living with her son and his family in her ensuing days, she continues on with plans for a Greek vacation with her gregarious girlfriends. B...ut the allure of the islands and a friendship with a emotionally wounded fisherman (Akilas Karazisis, also seen in Siege) lead her on a path of fulfillment. Madrid filmmaker Miguel Ángel Jiménez hands the film to Suárez, who is such an aware actress that the look on her face reveals more than words do." - Randy Myers, Local News Matters Spain, Greece, 2019, 105 minutes. Heretic Heretic Outreach *San Sebastian International Film Festival: World Premiere

Don't forget to vote after the credits roll! The Astron Audience Awards will be given to our program's best-rated Feature & Short Film. Pictured here are last year's winners Karina Logothetis ( / Vourvourou short film) & Marisha Triantafyllidou ( /Her Job).... To view a complete list of previous winners: https://grfilm.com/awards/

Thank you to everyone who attended our first ever drive-in event, held on the scenic Par 3 at Poplar Creek golf course in San Mateo! The event was a success and we appreciated the opportunity to come together (yet distanced) to enjoy one film in person. We were delighted to show the 1964 classic TOPKAPI in honor of admired Greek public figure Melina Mercouri - who would have turned 100 this month. Festival programming for the rest of the week is available onli...ne, on-demand and available for FREE. https://sfgff2020.eventive.org/welcome Cara Skourtis