NEW YORK – This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of Finos Film, the famed studio that dominated the Golden Age of Greek cinema.

The Hellenic Film Society USA is marking the occasion by presenting My Friend Lefterakis, a classic Finos comedy from 1963, on Sunday, January 29, 3 PM, at the Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Avenue at 37 Street in Astoria, NY. The film will be shown in a restored print in Greek with English subtitles.

Written and directed by Finos stalwart Alekos Sakellarios, My Friend Lefterakis stars the inimitable Dinos Iliopoulos, Kostas Voutsas and Maro Kontou. The story involves a wife who devises a devilish plot to outwit her unfaithful husband.

Filopimin Finos founded the studio during World War II. The first film to bear the Finos Film name was released in 1943; the last in 1977. During that 34 year span, Finos Film turned out 187 films, employing some 1,200 actors. The roster of Finos performers represents a virtual who’s who of Greek film luminaries, including Mimis Fotopoulos, Georgia Vasileiadou, Rena Vlahopoulou, Jenny Karezi, and Aliki Vouyouklaki.  Voutsas made 30 films for Finos, a company record for lead players.

Today, Finos Film is active as a production company.  It has digitized its entire catalogue, making its films available to audiences worldwide. Its vibrant Facebook presence draws hundreds of thousands of followers.

Advance tickets to the New York screening of My Friend Lefterakis are available at www.hellenicfilmusa.org.

Remaining tickets will be sold at the museum box office on the day of the screening.

The film will also be shown in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, under the auspices of the Hellenic Culture Foundation of South Florida, at Savor Cinema (503 East 6 St.) on Saturday, February 18, 3 PM.