LMU Classics & Archaeology × LAGFF: A Partnership Celebrating Greek Cinema
Loyola Marymount University’s Department of Classics & Archaeology is a proud partner of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. Under the direction of Prof. Katerina Zacharia, LAGFF Director of Education, this partnership has grown into LAGFF’s deepest academic collaboration — connecting Greek cinema with rigorous scholarly inquiry and hands-on student experience.
Since 2014, LMU’s Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, Department of Classics and Archaeology has funded, administered, and supervised a formal internship program in partnership with LAGFF, engaging over 240 students to date. Prof. Zacharia’s course “Representations of Greece: Ancient and Modern” transforms the festival into a living classroom, with students contributing to programming, award selection, and research-driven film blogs.
In January–February 2026, LMU Classics & Archaeology co-hosted the inaugural LAGFF-doc, the most significant new initiative in LAGFF’s 20-year history, with the financial and academic support of BCLA Dean Richard Fox and Prof. Zacharia. BCLA-Classics & Archaeology also administers the LMU Prize for Social Justice, awarded annually at both LAGFF-doc and the LAGFF closing ceremony. Prof. Zacharia’s remarks at the launch of LAGFF-doc and the
inaugural LMU Prize for Social Justice can be read here.
2026 LMU-LAGFF INTERNS
We are happy to be collaborating with the LMU student-interns as part of our long LMU-LAGFF community partnership with Prof. Katerina Zacharia’s course on Representations of Greece: Ancient and Modern.
Sadie Balling is a senior undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University (’26), majoring in Animation, with minors in Computer Science, and Interactive, Gaming, and Immersive Media. Her passion for storytelling drives her to aspire to a career as a storyboard artist and director in the animation industry. Beyond her academic pursuits, she has a passion for performance. She is a singer in the LMU choirs and Opera program, takes piano lessons, and serves as the president of her improv troupe, The Laughing Stock.
Max Elmore is a sophomore (28’) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in Screenwriting with ambitions to write and potentially direct feature films and television programs. He is from Georgetown, Texas, a small city about thirty miles north of Austin. When not writing screenplays, Max plays music with the bass guitar as his primary instrument.
Carmen Gherardi is a senior (’26) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University majoring in Screenwriting. She has a strong passion for filmmaking, with a particular interest in horror and mystery storytelling. Carmen has volunteered at the NALIP Latino Film Festival, has hands-on set experience being a script supervisor and production assistant, and she is currently interning at Daniel L. Paulson Productions while continuing to develop her voice as a writer.
Maxwell Granoski is a graduating senior (’26) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University majoring in Screenwriting, with a minor in classics and archaeology. Originally from San Mateo, he hopes to work in emergency medical services after graduation, having become an EMT and rescue diver in 2024. During his free time, he enjoys riding his motorcycle, scuba diving, and flying planes.
Ariadne Lozano is a sophomore (’28) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University majoring in Finance. She grew up playing video games with two older brothers and after graduation aims to pursue a financial career at a gaming corporation. As a first-generation student, she hopes to achieve a level of success that will allow her to help others as well as make her family proud. She hopes to use her experience with LAGFF to expand her skillsets as well as her knowledge in cross-culturalism.
Sara Ibarra Martinez is a sophomore (’28) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in International Relations. Born in Mexico City and raised in Tijuana/San Diego, she enjoys learning about current political events around the world and the history of any country. She hopes to give more of her time to service organizations and help people in need.
Zachariah Michelena is a sophomore (’28) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University majoring in both Political Science and in Classics & Archaeology, with minors in both Asian and Pacific Studies and in History. With a strong sense of justice for workers, he hopes to pursue a career in law and become an employment attorney. In his free time, you might find him having lunch with friends, sitting in a coffee shop, or exploring LA.
Miranda Elizabeth is a transfer senior (’26) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University majoring in Art history. Miranda aspires to apply her prior experience in the fine arts and collecting industries to establish a career in art dealing.  She has recently been using her embroidery skills to create works which advocate for human rights.Â
Julia Pinto Ribeiro Sereno is a senior (’26) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in Screenwriting, with a minor in Classics & Archaeology. Born and raised in Brazil, she has always loved reading, viewing, and writing stories. She has worked on various LMU sets, finding an unexpected passion for continuity work. She hopes to work in the film industry in LA.Â
Carolina Rodriguez is a sophomore (’28) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in Finance. With a strong passion for business and finance, Carolina hopes to start her own business after working as a financial analyst. In addition to her passion for business, Carolina enjoys reading about history, being outdoors, and cooking.
Elle Sheppard is a sophomore (‘28) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University majoring in Film and Television Production. With a passion for storytelling and a goal of becoming a director, she continues to explore all aspects of film and media by working on student films at LMU as well as working in video editing and social media fields.
Emma Evers is a sophomore (’28) undergraduate student majoring in Film and Television Production, and minoring in Business Administration, International Documentary and Screenwriting. Emma is the on-campus coordinator of the Entertainment Business Society, outgoing Networking Chair and active member of Delta Kappa Alpha (Cinematic Society), and an employee at SFTV’s Student Production Office. When she is not volunteering on student film sets, she loves to read and write, travel, and spend time with friends and family.
Anna Vassily is a graduating senior (‘26) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in English. With a strong affinity for literary arts and arts-driven community engagement, she is excited to work with LAGFF and learn more about the transformative power of film.Â
Jingwen Wei is a junior (’27) undergraduate student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in Psychology. She is passionate about film and photography, and is particularly interested in observing and capturing emotions and interpersonal interactions through art. Originally from China, she enjoys traveling and drawing inspiration from different cities and cultures.
Katerina Zacharia is a Professor of Classics at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Her research explores classical antiquity in visual and performance culture, Greek ethnic identity formation, and cultural politics. Prof. Zacharia is an experienced dramaturge and award-winning educator with expertise in inclusive pedagogy and cross-cultural exchange in local and global partnerships. She produced theatrical performances and workshops for the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens (2006–present) and the Stanford Repertory Theatre (2012–18). She wrote, directed, and produced the short documentary Blessings and Vows (2018), screened at 36 film festivals and garnering 9 international awards. She co-created Enthralled, a conversation game for higher education drawing on classical drama. She is the creator and host of Voices from the Margins, a podcast and vidcast series on contemporary Greek culture, supported by an MGSA Innovation Grant and an LMU MAJS fellowship. Prof. Zacharia is the recipient of the 2018 LMU President’s Fritz B. Burns Distinguished Teaching Award, the 2019 LAX Chamber of Commerce Eddy Award, the 2023 Society of Classical Studies Excellence in Teaching award, and the LMU inaugural 2024 BCLA Excellence in Teaching award. Her collaboration with LAGFF began in 2012 with a memorial lecture on Theo Angelopoulos; she has served as jury member (2014), programmer (2015–18, 2025–26), and since 2014 as Director of Education and internship supervisor. She curated LMU Greek Cinema Week (2024, 2025) and co-hosted the inaugural LAGFF-doc in 2026.