Hellenic Film Society USA,
in association with EMBCA and AHEPA,
celebrates the films of legendary director John Cassavetes
on the 90th anniversary of his birth.

Panel discussion
THE LIFE, TIMES, AND WORKS OF JOHN CASSAVETES
Thursday, December 12 at 6pm
3 West Club, 3 W 51st St, New York, NY


A panel of film experts will reflect on the career of renowned Greek-American director, screenwriter, and actor John Cassavetes. A pioneer of independent film, the three-time Academy Award nominee used improvisation and a cinema verité style that left an indelible mark on American film in the 1960s through the ‘80s.

Moderator

George Stephanopoulos is an independent producer and media attorney based in New York. He currently serves as Special Counsel, Senior Advisor to Group Nine Media, Inc., a digital first media company that consists of four mission-driven, category-leading brands across food, drink & travel (Thrillist), news & entertainment (NowThis), animals & activism (The Dodo) and science, tech & exploration (Seeker). His film credits include Swing Away (2017), Bereave (2015), Second City’s Buzzkill (2012) and Golf in the Kingdom (2010).

Panelists

John Sayles:
Considered one of the godfathers of the American independent film movement, John Sayles is a storyteller of renown. Beloved among his 18 films are Eight Men Out, The Secret of Roan Inish, and Lonestar. Twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Sayles has been honored by organizations including the Writers Guild of America, the NAACP, and the American Historical Association (AHA) for his authentic depiction of history and community.
Foster Hirsch:
A Professor of Film at Brooklyn College, Foster Hirsch is a frequent host/moderator at many venues including the Film Forum, the National Arts Club, and the American Cinematheque. He is the author of numerous books on film and theater including The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir; A Method to their Madness: The History of the Actors Studio; and Love, Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life: The Films of Woody Allen. He is now at work on a history of Hollywood in the 1950s.
Nicholas Alexiou:
Nicholas Alexiou, Ph.D., is a Professor of Sociology at Queens College of the City University of New York, where he received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is also the director of research of the Hellenic American Project, an oral history project that promotes understanding of Greek-American communities in the New York metropolitan area and beyond.
George Zouvelos:
An award-winning Greek-American producer, filmmaker, and actor with a number of credits, George Zouvelos has appeared on network television as well as Showtime, Netflix, and Amazon Prime in shows including Quantico, Bull, and Billions. He is a producer of the documentary, Mount Olympus: The Creation, about the famed Greek mountain. Zouvelos has served as an Emmy Award Judge for the National Academy of Arts and Sciences.