Jury Awards
The San Francisco Greek Film Festival is proud to present Jury Awards. A panel of industry professionals will decide one winner in each of three categories: narrative feature, documentary, and narrative short. These will be in addition to our Astron audience favorite awards.
A monetary award will be given to the winner of each category:
$1,000
Best Narrative Feature
2025 underwritten by Andrew Bridges and Villa Levánta at Costa Navarino
$1,000
Best Documentary
2025 underwritten by Dr. Alexi Exuzides
$500
Best Narrative Short
2025 underwritten by Kleon and Demetrios Skourtis in loving memory of their mother Katie
$1,000
Best Performance in a Narrative Feature (Male or Female)
2025 underwritten by Courtney and Alexander Germanacos Pythia Fund
$500
Best Performance in a Short (Male or Female)
2025 underwritten by Courtney and Alexander Germanacos Pythia Fund
THIS YEAR’S NARRATIVE FEATURES JURY
Nicholas Franghias
Niko Franghias
Paul Kmeic
Paul Kmiec
Philip E. Phillis
Philip Phillis
Rita Roti
Rita Roti
Rita has served as a juror for the SF Film Festival’s Golden Gate Awards, the Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema and others. She loves to stay involved and support the artists.
THIS YEAR’S DOCUMENTARIES JURY
babaLou
babaLou
A multimedia and special events pioneer, babaLou brings technology, music, and performance art to life through installations and events. Most recent roll out of artist Eric Staller’s Holy Roller was unveiled at SF’s Ocean Beach on New Year’s Day 2020. A long-time associate with the legendary Survival Research Laboratories, Babalou has collaborated with numerous large scale technology artists worldwide.
An avid film devotee and supporter of the film medium and its power to connect all of us around the globe, babaLou has worked extensively with many of the Bay Area film festivals including SF International Film Festival, SF Indie Fest, and Mill Valley Film Festivals. She has served as a juror for the SF Film Festival’s Golden Gate awards and is currently advisor and manager for the Television of Tomorrow Show (www.tvot.com). Always supporting and working with local film productions, she is an advisor for the upcoming documentary Ace In the Hole www.aceinthehole.com
Jerry Rosenblum
Jerry Rosenblum
Liza Xydis
Liza Xydis
THIS YEAR’S NARRATIVE SHORTS JURY
Eleanna Finokalioti
Eleanna Finokalioti
She has studied Theater (BA in Performing Arts with Distinction – Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh), Music and Piano (National Conservatoire of Athens). She won the 2nd Best Actress Award as Juliet for the play “Romeo & Juliet” by Shakespeare at the Olive Festival 2010, in Milan, during a pan European competition.
She made her 54 Below debut in the Broadway-bound “Goodbye New York: A New Musical”, written by Andrew Beall (music) and Evan McCormack (lyrics), and has also performed at 54 Below in “Let’s Be Bad: Celebrating Broadway Villains” and “54 Sings Céline Dion”.
Her Off-Broadway credits are “GBNY” at Theatre 555, “Anne Frank, a Musical” as Edith at Actors Temple Theatre, “Onassis” as Maria Callas at the American Theatre of Actors.
She played the lead role of S. Vembo in the musical production “Sophia Vembo, I Remember You”, directed by G. Stamou, which was presented at THESPIS theatre of the Hellenic Cultural Center NYC, as part of the GRis Festival 2024.
Other works include “A Chorus Line” at CDC theatre, and “The Miracle of Christmas” at Queens Theatre. She performed in “Requiem” (Mozart) and “LUX”, by Dan Forrest, both concerts at Carnegie Hall by Manhattan Concert Productions.
In Europe, among others, she performed in “Cabaret” by Joe Masteroff, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” by Alan Menken, “The Nightingale and The Rose” by Oscar Wilde, “Idomeneus” in Epidaurus etc.
She had one of the lead parts in the TV series “One August Night”, directed by Z. Sgourou as “Foteini”.
Laura Louden
Laura Louden
Laura fell in love with movies at the VItaphoneTheatre in Saratoga, CA. She has done development for New World Pictures, Divided Artists, Harmony Pictures, Roven-Cavallo, Gaylord Productions and others. She was the Director of Advertising for Landmark Theatres for nearly twenty years where she worked with Magnolia, Zeitgeist, Focus Features, A24, Abramorama and many other indie distributors on their films. She is currently writing and consulting.
Henry S. Rosenthal
Henry S. Rosenthal
Henry S. Rosenthal was recently declared by Michael Fox of KQED “the Bay Area’s preeminent independent film producer.” He has produced dozens of award-winning features, documentaries and shorts, and consulted on literally thousands more. He has lectured extensively at most Bay Area colleges and universities including University of San Francisco and University of California at Berkeley. He’s currently in production on The Ledge that reunites him with Jeff Feuerzeig after their successful collaborations on The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005) and Author: The JT Leroy Story (2016), and Bruce Conner and the Soul Stirrers.
From 1994 to 2005, he served on the board of directors (the last two as Chair) of the Film Arts Foundation, then the largest regional media arts organization in the country. He is also an Advisory Board member of the San Francisco Cinematheque, San Francisco Indiefest and serves on the board of San Francisco’s historic Roxie Theater. Through these media arts organizations Henry works as an advocate for the independent filmmaker.
Rosenthal works from behind a desk that once belonged to James Brown, and curates the world’s largest collection of two-headed calves.
Dale Sophiea
Dale Sophiea
Dale is a Berkeley musician, filmmaker, and writer.
His short film, “High Heels”, screened at SF Independent (“Best of the Fest”), Berkeley Film and Video Festival, and Seattle’s Bumbershoot .
His film festival experience includes juror and screener for San Francisco, Mill Valley, and Palm Springs Film Festivals (since 1990), and show runner/house manager for the SF Silent Film Festival (since 2011).
He’s managed and projected film at most East Bay theaters, including Berkeley’s California Theatre for 18 years.
He studied music and film at Indiana University. His band, MX-80 Sound, and its offshoots, have recorded for Island, Ralph, Superior Viaduct, Family Vineyard, and a slew of other record companies.
MX-80 just finished mixing its 17th album, “Better Than Life”, with Steve Albini.
The Astron Award
AWARDED ANNUALLY TO THE AUDIENCE’S FAVORITE FEATURE AND SHORT FILMS
The San Francisco Greek Film Festival introduced the Astron Award in 2012 to honor and encourage achievements in Greek filmmaking and to enhance the movie experience of the film festival’s moviegoers. Inspired by the ancient Greek word “astir” which means scattered or spread in the sky, astron carries more than its celestial meaning of star. It is used to describe an individual distinguished for his/her talent, abilities, and personality in the field of arts, politics and professional arenas. Our audience votes for their favorite movie in the feature length films and shorts categories.
Past Astron Feature Film Winners
OLYMPIA
2019
PANTELIS VOULGARIS
2018
THANASIS VEGGOS
2012
2019
FEATURE FILM
HER JOB
Writer-Director Nikos Labôt
90 Minutes
SHORT FILM
VOURVOUROU
Directed by Karina Logothetis
22 minutes, 14 seconds
2018
FEATURE FILM
THE LAST NOTE
Directed by Pantelis Voulgaris
117 Minutes
SHORT FILM
GOLDFISH
Directed by Yorgos Angelopoulos
14 minutes, 21 seconds
2017
FEATURE FILM
ROZA OF SMYRNA
Directed by George Kordellas
97 minutes
SHORT FILM
MEMORIES OF A DOLL
Directed by Michail Charalampidis
9 minutes, 7 seconds
2016
FEATURE FILM
CLOUDY SUNDAY – OUZERI TSITSANIS
Directed by Manousos Manousakis
116 minutes
SHORT
BREAD & OLIVES
Directed by Alexander Jaschik and Iordanis Orfanidis
30 minutes
2015
FEATURE
XENIA
Written by Panos Koutras
2 hours, 14 minutes
SHORT
FOREVER YOUNG
Directed by Spiros Charalambous
20 minutes
2014
FEATURE
A PLACE CALLED HOME
(The Tree and The Swing)
Written/Directed by Maria Douza
105 minutes
SHORT
NICOLETA
Directed by Sonia Liza Kenterman
Written by Tracy Sunderland
19 minutes
2013
FEATURE
J.A.C.E.
Directed by Menelaos Karamaghiolis
145 min
SHORT
THE FOREIGNER (Φόρεϊνερ)
Written and Directed by Alethea Avramis
16 min
Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award
SPONSORED BY TOM SKOURAS
Created in 2018, The Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award honors outstanding film industry professionals of Greek descent. The award is sponsored by Tom Skouras, festival Advisory Board member and nephew of the late Skouras.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Jim N. Gianopulos
2018
Jim N. Gianopulos
Jim Gianopulos is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures Corporation, a role he assumed in April 2017. In this position, he oversees the studio’s film and television operations worldwide, including production, marketing, distribution and all other facets.
Prior to joining Paramount, he served for 16 years as Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, overseeing all feature film production, marketing, and global distribution of film and television content in all media for Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios.
During his time as Chairman and CEO of Twentieth Century Fox, the studio had its most profitable years ever, stemming from a broad range of successful films, including Hidden Figures, Deadpool,The Martian, The Revenant, Kingsman: The Secret Service, SPY, theX-Men and Planet of the Apes films, Life of Pi, The Fault in Our Stars, The Descendants, Black Swan, the Night at the Museum pictures, the Taken series, The Simpsons Movie,Borat, The DayAfter Tomorrow,Walk the Line, Star Wars Episodes 1-3,Minority Report,andMoulin Rouge, among many others. Under his leadership, the studio released the Academy Award-wining Best Pictures Titanic, Braveheart, Birdman, 12 Years a Slave andSlumdog Millionaire.
Mr. Gianopulos also has the unique distinction of having championed two of the biggest gambles, and the two highest grossing films of all time: Avatarand Titanic.
Additionally, from 2009-2012 Mr. Gianopulos oversaw Twentieth Century Fox Television Studios, producers of The Simpsons, 24and many other successful shows.
Previously, Mr. Gianopulos served as President of Twentieth Century Fox International. Before joining Fox, Mr. Gianopulos held senior management positions at Paramount and Columbia Pictures.
Mr. Gianopulos is a Governor and the Treasurer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, a member of the Board of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, as well as a Trustee of the American Film Institute. He is involved in a number of civic and philanthropic activities including serving as Chairman of the Motion Picture & Television Fund, on the National Entertainment Advisory Council for the Anti-Defamation League and on the Board of the X-Prize Foundation.
Kary Antholis
2019
Kary Antholis
Kary Antholis is the Founding Publisher and CEO of Crime Story Media LLC.
In June 2019, he retired as President of HBO Miniseries and Cinemax Programming after over 25 years with the company.
While he served as an HBO executive, Kary oversaw Academy Award, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning projects, both dramatic and documentary including Chernobyl, Angels in America, Olive Kitteridge, John Adams, The Pacific, The Night Of, Generation Kill, The Corner, Elizabeth I, The Gathering Storm, Wit, Show Me a Hero and Educating Peter.
As head of Cinemax Programming, he led the channel’s branding strategy, commissioning breakthrough series including Strike Back, Banshee, The Knick, Warrior, Jett and Tales from the Tour Bus.
And as a filmmaker he won the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject and the Emmy for Outstanding Informational Special for his film One Survivor Remembers, about Holocaust survivor, Gerda Weissmann Klein. One Survivor Remembers was the first HBO program added by the Librarian of Congress to the National Film Registry, an honor given to “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant American films.
Kary serves on the Board of Visitors at Georgetown Law and as an adjunct professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.
ABOUT SPYROS P. SKOURAS
Spyros Skouras made Marilyn Monroe a star.
Spyros Skouras with President Eisenhower and Archbishop Iakovos.
About Spyros P. Skouras
Spyros Skouras was a giant in the movie industry, an international cultural ambassador, and a humanitarian.
Mr. Skouras was born in 1893 in the village of Skourochori in the Peloponnese. He came from a family of farmers and herders, and life was harsh. When the family’s crops were destroyed in 1907, the young Skouras and two brothers left for better opportunities elsewhere. They ended up in St. Louis, where they worked long hours at several hotels. The Skouras brothers eventually saved up enough money to buy their first movie theater, which they called “Olympia.” Their empire expanded as they bought up more theaters, becoming the top theater operator in St. Louis by 1923. Mr. Skouras continued to move up in the ranks, becoming the general manager of Warner Brother’s 500+ theaters, and later National Theatres.
In 1935, he was a major force in the merger of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century. He would eventually be elected president of the new Twentieth Century Fox (1942-1962) turning into a global film leader. At the helm of TCF, he introduced widescreen movies with the CinemaScope lens, reinvigorating the movie-going experience in the advent of television. “Don’t Bother to Knock,” “The Seven Year Itch,” “The Hustler,” “The King and I,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “The Robe” are some of the classics he oversaw during his two-decade reign. Films like “It Happened in Athens” and “The 300 Spartans” were instrumental in positioning Greece as a tourist destination. Mr. Skouras is famous for signing an unknown model to Twentieth Century Fox making Marilyn Monroe a household name as well as the creation of Century City in Los Angeles.
He also led the Greek War Relief Association during WWII, aimed at supporting Axis-occupied Greece. Mr. Skouras successfully lobbied to lift the British naval blockade so that food and medicine could make it to the starving, war-torn nation. Under his leadership, the GWRA was one of the largest humanitarian relief efforts in American history.
As a respected businessmen, Mr. Skouras served on several presidential committees and had relations with the White House under six different administrations. He was a personal friend of President Eisenhower. With his presidential connections, he lobbied for Greece’s interests, solving the Cyprus problem, and keeping stability in the region.
After retiring from Twentieth Century Fox he concentrated his efforts on his long-term shipping interests (Prudential Lines) and in 1969 completed the acquisition of The Grace Lines, establishing Prudential-Grace as a major U.S. flag carrier.
Mr. Skouras passed away from a heart attack in 1971, leaving a magnificent legacy as one of the most prominent Americans of Greek descent.