LOS ANGELES — This year, the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF – www.lagff.org) is taking place online, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, between October 1-15, the General Secretariat for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad said in an announcement on Saturday.

The Secretary General for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, John Chrysoulakis, opened this year's Festival with a message to all the contributors and viewers of this emblematic artistic event.

The Secretary General stressed, among other things, that: "The General Secretariat for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad embraces this hallmark festival that showcases and promotes Greek culture, artistic expression and Greek film production to the city of Los Angeles, the heart of world cinema, as well as to wider international audiences. This is because the General Secretariat supports cultural initiatives promoting Greece in every aspect of artistic creation, and is proud to have an active presence for yet another year, via the Consulate General of Greece in Los Angeles and the support it provides to the Greek Film Festival ".

LAGFF presents new films from Greece and Cyprus and also features works by international filmmakers of Greek origin. "With over 50 features, shorts, docs and animated films, LAGFF 2020 is one of the largest on-line Greek Film Festivals in the world. And many films are making their North American, U.S. and West Coast premieres,” Artistic and Festival Director Aristotle Katopodis stated.

The Festival promotes Greek cinema, cultural exchange and helps to bridge the gap between filmmakers and Hollywood.

In addition to films, documentaries and animations, the LAGFF programme features Masterclass webinars held by entertainment industry leaders such as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures Jim Gianopulos, Emmy Award-winning director Greg Yaitanes, and famous actress-producer Nia Vardalos.