Legendary director Costa-Gavras to appear at two local screenings

Oscar-winning writer-director Costa-Gavras, best known for his politically charged films such as 1969’s “Z” and 1982’s “Missing,” will be making appearances this week at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre and the New Beverly Cinema.

The 80-year-old filmmaker will appear Wednesday at the Aero in Santa Monica to introduce the screening of his 2002 film “Amen.,” based on Rolf Hochhuth’s play “The Deputy,” revolving around a German SS officer (Ulrich Tukur) who learns that a process he developed to end typhus is being used to murder Jews. Mathieu Kassovitz costars as a young priest to whom he turns for help.

The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, in conjunction with the French Film Office and the consulate general of Greece, is presenting “An Evening With Costa-Gavras” on Thursday at the New Beverly Cinema in L.A. (Costa-Gavras was born in Greece and is a naturalized French citizen.) The program features a screening of his 2005 film “The Axe,” based on a novel by Donald E. Westlake, about an executive who, after two years of unemployment, decides to eliminate his competition. The filmmaker will participate in a question-answer period after the screening.

Costa-Gavras’ latest film, “Capital,” opens Oct. 18

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