ASTORIA – Hellenic Film Society USA, in association with EMBCA and AHEPA, celebrates the work of legendary Greek-American director, screenwriter, and actor John Cassavetes on the 90th anniversary of his birth in December. They will host a panel discussion on his contributions to American independent film and a screening of his film, Gloria. A three-time Academy Award nominee, Cassavetes was renowned for using improvisation and a cinema verite style.

The panel discussion, “The Life, Times, and Works of John Cassavetes,” will be held at the 3 West Club, 3 West 51st Street, in Manhattan on Thursday, Dec. 12, 6 PM. Panelists include independent filmmaker John Sayles; film historian Foster Hirsch; Nicholas Alexiou, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Hellenic American Project at Queens College; and actor, producer, filmmaker George Zouvelos. The panel will be moderated by George Stephanopoulos, independent film producer and media attorney.

On Sunday, Dec. 15, 4 PM, the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) will show Gloria, one of Cassavetes’ most popular films. The film stars Gena Rowlands, Cassavetes’ wife and longtime collaborator, as a former gangster moll who reluctantly agrees to protect a 6-year-old boy being hunted by the mob. She summons all her street smarts and tough talk to save the boy and herself in a cat-and-mouse chase that takes them all across New York City. Rowlands earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, and the film won the Golden Lion Award, the highest honor given at the 1980 Venice Film Festival.

“John Cassavetes left an indelible mark on American film in the 1960s through the ‘80s,” says Jimmy DeMetro, President of the Hellenic Film Society (HFS). “It is an honor for us to celebrate his contributions to cinema and to introduce his work to a new generation of audiences.”

For further information or to purchase tickets to either the panel discussion or the film screening, please visit www.hellenicfilmusa.org or call 646-844-1488 and follow on Facebook and Instagram. The Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, is conveniently located near public transportation. When purchasing film tickets, please use discount code SUNDAY20.

The Hellenic Film Society USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization rooted in the belief that Greek cinema can and should be part of the American cultural landscape. The organization promotes feature films, documentaries, and film shorts made by Greek filmmakers and those of Greek descent, as well as films that promote the cultures of Greece and Cyprus.

In addition to collaborating with the Museum of the Moving Image for its series of monthly Greek film screenings, HFS presents the annual New York Greek Film Expo film festival every spring. This fall, HFS presented film festivals in Philadelphia and Atlanta.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is the lead supporter of the Hellenic Film Society USA. Additional support is provided by Onassis Foundation USA and the Kallinikeion Foundation. For additional information, please visit www.hellenicfilmusa.org or call 646-844-1488.