A Conversation with Dr. Paula M. Krebs
2026-02-17 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library, Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library
Paula M. Krebs became executive director of the Modern Language Association in August 2017. She administers the programs, governance, and business affairs of the association and is general editor of the association’s publishing and research programs, as well as editor of two association publications. She serves as an ex officio member of all committees and commissions of the association, chairs the committee that oversees the planning of the association’s annual convention, works with the MLA’s trustees in evaluating and implementing investments of the MLA’s endowment funds, and chairs the staff Finance Committee.
Dr. Krebs earned a PhD in English from Indiana University, where she specialized in Victorian literature and culture, and a BA from La Salle College (now La Salle University).

El gesto y la razón: La teoría de los medios de Simón Rodríguez
2026-02-18 16:30 UTC | Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library, Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library
El pensador sudamericano Simón Rodríguez (1769-1854), recordado como maestro de Simón Bolívar, desarrolló en su obra un proyecto pedagógico y político para fundar las nuevas repúblicas sudamericanas. Para presentarla, utilizó singulares composiciones tipográficas que configuran un modo alternativo de escritura. Esta charla explora la imbricación entre educación, republicanismo y experimentación escritural, y sus implicaciones teóricas. Se muestra que la obra de Rodríguez contiene una reflexión sobre cómo los objetos, los cuerpos, las exteriorizaciones técnicas y sus propiedades mediales le dan forma al sujeto y la comunidad política, revelando así la manera en que una compleja teoría de los medios sustenta su proyecto republicano.
Juan Pablo Lupi es Associate Professor en el Departamento de Español y Portugués de la Universidad de California Santa Barbara. Es autor de Reading Anew: José Lezama Lima’s Rhetorical Investigations, y coeditor de los volúmenes Asedios a lo increado: Nuevas perspectivas sobre Lezama Lima (junto a Marta Hernández Salván y Jorge Marturano), y La futuridad del naufragio: Orígenes, estelas y derivas (junto a César A. Salgado).

“Giannis in the Cities” Screening and Q&A with Director Eleni Alexandrakis
2026-02-22 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Billy Wilder Theater, Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90024
Giannis in the Cities (2024) – Screening and Q&A with Director Eleni Alexandrakis
Presented by the UCLA SNF Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture
and the UCLA Film & Television Archive
February 22, 2026
7:00 P.M.
Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum
ADMISSION IS FREE
In 2025, Giannis in the Cities, which was screened at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, won both the Best Feature Film (Orpheus Award) and the Audience Award at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF).
Ticketing Information: Admission is free. No advance reservations are required. Seats will be assigned when tickets are picked up at the box office and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The box office opens one hour before the event.
During the Greek Civil War fought between 1946-1949, childhood itself became a frontline in the clash between government and rebel forces. Under the guise of offering protection and education, the Greek government enticed parents to surrender their children to a system of Childcare Cities that served as indoctrination mills that oftentimes alienated their wards from their own families. In her riveting, visually striking adaptation of the memoir of Greek writer Giannis Atzakas, writer-director Eleni Alexandrakis tells the searing story of Giannis and his experience growing up in these harsh institutions all the while unable to shake the memory of his rebel father and his longing for – and aversion to – a reunion.
DCP, b/w, in Greek with English subtitles, 90 min. Director: Eleni Alexandrakis. Screenwriters: Eleni Alexandrakis, Panagiotis Evangelidis. With: Filippos Milikas, Agni Stroubouli, Evi Saoulidou.
In the role of Giannis: Philippos Milikas, Marios-Konstantinos Gatetzas, Konstantinos Athanassakis, Aineias Tsamatis
With: Agni Stroumbouli, Evi Saoulidou, Katia Leclerc O’Wallis, Katia Goulioni, Themis Panou, Evdoxia Androulidaki
In person for the Q&A session: Filmmaker Eleni Alexandrakis and Laurie Hart, Chair of the UCLA Department of Anthropology & Co-Director of the UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies.
This event is made possible thanks to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
Watch the trailer here:

Additional information is available on the UCLA Film & Television Archive webpage here: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/giannis-cities-2026-02-22
Parking information can be found on the Billy Wilder Theater website here: https://cinema.ucla.edu/billy-wilder-theater/.

Neuroprotective Greek Herbs: Bridging Neuroscience and Cultural Heritage
2026-03-07 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Royce Hall, 314, 10745 Dickson Ct., Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Neuroprotective Greek Herbs: Bridging Neuroscience and Cultural Heritage
a seminar organized by
Anastasia Tsingotjidou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
March 7, 2026
9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
314 Royce Hall, UCLA
RSVP Here
Click here to watch the program live via livestream
This seminar brings together researchers from neuroscience, pharmacology, biology, veterinary medicine, nutrition, and plant biodiversity to explore the neuroprotective potential of traditional Greek herbs. Through a combination of in-person and online presentations, the program highlights translational research, from animal models and isolated bioactive compounds to nutritional approaches and cultural heritage. The seminar concludes with a culinary demonstration using Cycladic herbs, emphasizing the connection between Greek history, daily life, and brain health.
View the full schedule here
Speakers:

Dr. Korina Atsopardi, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras
Dimitra Efthymiopoulou, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics and Department of Sports Nutrition, Harokopio University (Zoom)
Irene Giannakopoulos, CEO, Aegialis Hotel and Spa, author of the culinary book, My Amorgos!
Professor Marigoula Margariti, Department of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras (Zoom)
Marita Papagianni, Plant Taxonomist & Biodiversity Research Associate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Zoom)
Professor Igor Spigelman, Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Section of Biosystems and Function, School of Dentistry, UCLA
Professor Anastasia Tsingotjidou, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Associate Professor Konstantinos Xanthopoulos, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Zoom)

This seminar is hosted by the UCLA SNF Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture, with generous support from Lee and Lilian Polydor, The Polydor Foundation, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Parking Information:

Parking for Royce Hall is available in Parking Structure 4.
Parking Structure 4 is located at: 221 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095. Parking Structure 4 is accessible from Sunset Blvd. onto Westwood Plaza which leads directly to the underground parking structure. To view the walking map from Parking Structure 4 to Royce Hall, click here.
No parking attendants will be on-site at the parking structure, and Pay-By-Space/Visitor Parking is extremely limited in this lot, so we highly encourage you to purchase a parking permit in advance:
Advance parking is available for Parking Structure 4.

To save time, you may purchase your parking permit for Parking Structure 4 for $17 in advance using Bruin ePermit: https://bruinepermit.t2hosted.com/pnw2/selectevent.aspx. Select “UCLA Royce Hall,” then “Neuroprotective Greek Herbs” With the advanced parking permit, you can park anywhere in Parking Structure 4 EXCEPT in the Pay-by-Space section. For instructions on how to use this portal, please click here.
To purchase a permit when you arrive at Parking Structure 4, please park ONLY in the Pay-By-Space/Visitor Parking area, and proceed to the Self-Service Pay Station machine to pay by credit card.
Guest drop/Ride-share drop off is closest at the turnaround at the front of Royce Hall located at: 10745 Dickson Court, Los Angeles, CA 90095.
Accessible parking: For individuals with accessibility needs, parking lot 4 is ADA accessibility and has elevators on all floors. The elevators in Lot 4 provide access to Wilson Plaza, with sidewalk access available. Upon reaching Janss Steps, turn left towards the Anderson School of Business and Fowler Museum. Proceed past the Fowler Museum before you enter Anderson School of Business; take a right to access the elevator leading to Royce Hall. Please visit our Campus Accessibility Map to view related information.
To view the ADA map from Parking Structure 4 to Royce Hall, click here.

For inquiries, please contact hellenic@humnet.ucla.edu

Counter-Pedagogies of Forgetting Tour
2026-03-11 - 2026-03-12 | Bunche Hall 10383 and Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library
Fostering public conversations about memory and justice, a reflection on Peru’s forced disappearances from 1980 to 2000.
Documentary Screening: Este fue nuestro castigo, by Luis Cintora
Wednesday March 11, 11:30 – 1:30 PM in Bunche Hall 10383
Guided Photo Exhibition: Percy Rojas (Ausencias Presentes)
Thursday March 12, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM in Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library
Book Reading: Karina Pacheco’s Niños del pájaro azul, with Gisela Ortiz
Thursday March 12, 4:00 PM in Rolfe Hall 4302, Lydeen Library

West Coast Hellenic Book Club: The Jasmine Isle by Ioanna Karystiani
2026-03-14 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Book cover design by: Emanuele Ragnisco
West Coast Hellenic Book Club:
The Jasmine Isle by Ioanna Karystiani, trans. Michael Eleftheriou
(Europa Editions, 2006)
Discussion led by Professor Sharon Gerstel, Director, UCLA SNF Hellenic Center and Dr. Eirini Kotsovili, Senior Lecturer, Global Humanities at Simon Fraser University
Saturday, March 14, 2026
10 A.M. Los Angeles / 8 P.M. Greece
Via Zoom
RSVP Here
From the Publisher:
Set on the Greek island of Andros during the first half of the 20th century, Karystiani’s first novel to be translated into English centers on Orsa Saltaferou, a jovial teenager who falls in love with charming and sensual fisherman Spyros Maltambes. But when the time comes to settle down, her imperious mother, Mina, decides that Spyros is not the man for her daughter and arranges a marriage to the richer Nikos Vatokouzis, also a fisherman. Without a word of protest, Orsa resigns herself to her fate-until she returns from her honeymoon to find her younger sister, Mosca, married to Spyros. Further intensifying emotions, the sisters and their respective husbands must live with just a staircase between them. And because both men are sailors (as is the sisters’ father), they often travel for long stretches and leave the sisters-along with Mina and many other women on the island-to look after the homes, raise their children and chat, trying to gather news about their husbands and, when it comes, the war. With a talent for crafting graceful narration and poignant dialogue, Karystiani presents a praiseworthy novel of a life caught between love and loss.
About the Author:
Ioanna Karystiani was born on the island of Crete, Greece, in the town of Chania and now lives in Athens. Her literary debut came with the collection of short stories, I kyria Kataki (Ms. Kataki). She has since written three novels, all of which have been translated into several languages. She wrote the screenplay for The Brides, directed by Pandelis Vulgaris and produced by Martin Scorsese, and Estrella mi vida, directed by Costa Gavras. She received the Greek state prize for literature and the Athenian Academy prize for her first novel, and the Diavaso literature prize for her second.
This program is made possible thanks to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
Available to borrow digitally for free on the Internet Archive at the link below:
https://archive.org/details/jasmineisle0000kary/mode/2up
If you need help sourcing a copy of the book, please email hellenic@humnet.ucla.edu.

Chamber Music at the Clark presents: Benjamin Appl, Baritone & James Baillieu, Piano
2026-03-15 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2520 Cimarron Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90018, United States
Baritone Benjamin Appl is celebrated for a voice that “belongs to the last of the old great masters of song” with “an almost infinite range of colours” (Suddeutsche Zeitung), and for performances “delivered with wit, intelligence and sophistication” (Gramophone). Appl was awarded Gramophone Award Young Artist of the Year (2016), and has since begun a multi-album deal with Alpha Classics, releasing his first album Winterreise with James Baillieu in February 2021 to enormous critical acclaim. Some of Appl’s recent recital debuts include Carnegie Hall, New York’s Park Avenue Armory, Sydney Opera House, and Mozarteum Salzburg.
Described by The Daily Telegraph as ”in a class of his own,” James Baillieu is one of the leading song and chamber music pianists of his generation. He has given solo and chamber recitals throughout the world and collaborates with a wide range of singers and instrumentalists. Baillieu is a frequent guest at many of the world’s most distinguished music centers including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, and Concertgebouw Amsterdam. His recording projects include Forbidden Fruit (Alpha Classics), Winterreise (Alpha Classics) and Heimat (Sony Classical) with Benjamin Appl.
Further details and the full program are on our website.

Tickets for the Benjamin Appl & James Baillieu concert will go on sale at 12 noon on Tuesday,
February 17, 2026.

Chamber Music at the Clark presents: Notos Quartett
2026-03-22 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2520 Cimarron Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90018, United States
Praised for its virtuoso brilliance, passion, sensitivity, and mature interpretive powers, the Notos Quartett is one of the most celebrated young chamber ensembles to emerge in recent years. Founded in 2007, the Berlin-based piano quartet first drew attention by winning first prize in six major international competitions. Since then it has established itself worldwide, performing at renowned European concert halls such as the Philharmonie Berlin, Konzerthaus Berlin, and London’s Wigmore Hall. The quartet made their American debut in 2022 with three concerts for Chamber Music San Francisco and returned in October 2023 for their first North American tour.
The Notos Quartett’s repertoire spans from the great classical masterpieces to contemporary music. They have a strong commitment to new music, as shown by numerous commissions and collaborations with such composers as Bryce Dessner, Garth Knox, and Bernhard Gander. They also search for important lost or forgotten works to bring to new audiences.
Further details and the full program are on our website.

Tickets for the Notos Quartett concert will go on sale at 12 noon on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

The Fumes of Mars: Book discussion with artist and writer Katerina Angelopoulou
2026-03-28 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | by Zoom
The Fumes of Mars: Book discussion with artist and writer Katerina Angelopoulou
Saturday, March 28, 2026
10:00 A.M. Los Angeles / 8:00 P.M. Greece
Via Zoom
RSVP Here
This discussion will be moderated by Professor Sharon Gerstel, Director, UCLA SNF Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture and Dr. Eirini Kotsovili, Senior Lecturer, Global Humanities, Simon Fraser University.
One of the deadliest wildfires ever recorded took place on July 23, 2018 in Mati, just 30 km from the historical center of Athens. Writer and artist Katerina Angelopoulou survived the fire, and her book, The Fumes of Mars, combines her photographs with personal testimonies from other survivors, timelines, maps, and reports. With these materials, Angelopoulou attempts to weave a collective narrative of the events to better understand the violent disconnect between her own experience and the “official” account of the disaster in which facts were concealed and victims held culpable.
The book opens with black and white photographs showing the aftermath of the fire alongside testimonies of the survivors. These are followed by Angelopoulou’s photographs, taken as the disaster unfolded,overlaid with her timeline of events. Collected evidence on the events follows, including aerial maps, topographical information, lists of the victims with location and cause of death, weather and aircraft reports, CCTV and news coverage images, information from the State Investigator report, and information on the ongoing trial. The final images of the book are of Angelopoulou’s personal artifacts after the fire, such as remnants of jewelry, books, and glasses. This assembled evidence is embedded with importance because after the fire, the truth of the victims and their families was questioned multiple times—in the public narrative, facts were concealed and re-produced with false arguments blaming residents and victims.
Katerina Angelopoulou is a writer and artist based in Athens. The Fumes of Mars won the Format Festival’s Reviewers’ Choice Award 2022, was selected for the COCA Project 2021, shortlisted for the Belfast Dummy Award and Photo Festival in 2022, and exhibited at LCC in London as part of the Common Ground Exhibition. Angelopoulou holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics & Theoretical Physics from Imperial College London, a B.A. in Design for Performance from Central Saint Martins, and an M.A. with Distinction in Photojournalism & Documentary Photography from London College of Communication.
This program is made possible thanks to support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

California Medieval Seminar (Spring 2026)
2026-04-11 09:30 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Royce 306, 10745 Dickson Ct, Los Angeles CA, 90095, United States
Participation in the Seminar consists of group discussion of pre-circulated papers, typically drafts of articles, book chapters, or dissertation chapters (with complete apparatus). Two of the papers are ordinarily by emerging scholars (including PhD students) and the other two are by established scholars. We allocate one hour per paper and presenters should anticipate substantial, and substantive, feedback. Calls for presenters are circulated via e-mail from the Center approximately two months prior to each meeting and papers are accepted on a first-come basis.
Faculty, postdocs, and grad students from across California are welcome to participate.

The papers will be discussed at the seminar in the following order:

“Threats and Violence in Carolingian Disputing,” Amos Bronner (The Catholic University of America)
“Apostolic Legends and Visions of Christian Globality in the Twelfth Century: An Indian Cleric Visits Rome,” John Eldevik (Hamilton College)
“Making Fairies in 14th-century Ireland,” Lisa Bitel (USC)
“Either all of them, or the older ones’: Henry VIII, Authenticity, and Medieval Manuscripts,” Matthew Fisher (UCLA)

Register to attend in Royce 306
Register to attend via ZOOM
More information can be found here.
