Co-Presented with Uni-France, The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs and The French Film And Television Department of The Consulate General in Los Angeles.

Constantino Gavras – better known simply as Costa-Gavras – was born in Greece in 1933, the son of a Greek government employee who proved a heroic component of the resistance movement against the Nazis during WWII. Reportedly outspoken, his father was tarred as a communist in post-war times. Consequently, the young Costa-Gavras, originally hoping to learn about American filmmaking at the source, was refused entry to the United States. As a result, he moved to Paris to study literature at the Sorbonne. He also studied the techniques of various French directors, soon acting as an assistant for such top filmmakers as Rene Clement (on JOY HOUSE and THE DAY AND THE HOUR) and Jacques Demy (on BAY OF THE ANGELS). His debut film as a director came in 1966 with THE SLEEPNG CAR MURDERS, a crackerjack suspense mystery devoid of the crusade-against-political-oppression themes to be found in his later works. In 1969, with only his third film Z, a taut, uncompromising thriller chronicling the repression by the then-current Greek military junta, he garnered an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. More politically-commited works such as THE CONFESSION (1970), STATE OF SEIGE (1973) and SPECIAL SECTION (1975) followed, all starring the lead actor from Z, famed French movie icon, Yves Montand. 1982 saw the release of MISSING, perhaps Costa-Gavras’ most well known picture and one of his most-honored (he shared an Oscar with writer Donald Stewart for Best Adapted Screenplay). Controversial works continued to issue forth in its wake, including HANNA K (1983) and MUSIC BOX (1989), co-winner of The Golden Bear Award at The Berlin Film Festival. His latest are MAD CITY (1997), AMEN (2002) and LE COUPERET (aka THE AX, 2005). We’re very pleased to welcome this esteemed filmmaker for this In-Person Tribute at The Egyptian.

Friday, January 26 – 7:30 PM

Costa-Gavras In-Person Tribute – Double Feature:

MISSING, 1982, Universal, 122 min. Director Costa-Gavras follows Jack Lemmon as a conservative father, traveling to a South American country after a recent coup in search of his missing journalist son. Although fundamentally opposed to his daughter-in-law’s (Sissy Spacek) left-leaning views, he joins with her in navigating the treacherous, often nightmarish landscape of the new government’s wholesale murder in the streets. After seeking help from the U.S. Consulate, Lemmon and Spacek come to realize that not only are their own country’s representatives lying to them, they are also actively supporting the brutally fascist repression by the military junta. Based on a real American family’s harrowing true story in the wake of Chilean President Allende’s assassination. "…Mr. Costa-Gavras' most beautifully achieved political melodrama to date, a suspense-thriller of real cinematic style, acted with immense authority by Jack Lemmon…and Sissy Spacek." - Vincent Canby, New York Times

Z, 1969, Cinema V, 127 min. In an unnamed state (obviously Greece), a left leaning candidate (Yves Montand) with a significant following is assassinated by fascist thugs employed by the ultra-right military government. A prosecutor (Jean-Louis Trintignant) whom the politicians expect to whitewash the crime is assigned to investigate. However, they have made a mistake – right-leaning Trintignant is an honest man who soon uncovers a conspiracy that goes straight to the top. But once he calls his witnesses, they start disappearing or dying in mysterious ways. Enormously controversial worldwide when first released, director Costa-Gavras’ first internationaly-recognized masterpiece won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and fearlessly exposed the machinations of the then still ruling powers in Greece, a repressive regime propped-up by the USA. With Irene Papas. Discussion in between films with director Costa-Gavras.

Saturday, January 27 – 7:30 PM

Costa-Gavras Tribute – Double Feature:

MUSIC BOX, 1989, Sony Repertory, 124 min. Dir. Costa-Gavras. Criminal lawyer Jessica Lange receives the shock of her life when her Hungarian immigrant father (Armin Mueler-Stahl) is accused of complicity in Nazi war crimes. Lange takes on the difficult task of defending someone who she may not know as well as she thinks. Is dad, Mueller-Stahl, being victimized and framed by the Hungarians for his aggressive anti-Communism, as he claims? Or is it possible that there is some shred of truth in the cumulative evidence organized by Budapest authorities? Lange (who received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress) is put through an emotional wringer as she tries to uncover the truth. Co-starring Frederic Forrest, Michael Rooker, Lukas Haas.

Sunday, January 28 – 7:30 PM

Elio Petri Double Feature: