Los Angeles, CA – February 2, 2026
Mankind’s Folly, directed by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, received two major awards at LAGFF-doc, the new autonomous documentary section of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, which was held for the first time from January 30 to February 1 in Los Angeles.
The film was honored with the Greek Cinema Award for Social Justice, presented with the support of Loyola Marymount University (LMU), in recognition of its strong social and political perspective. It also received the Audience Orpheus Award, confirming its powerful resonance with festival audiences.
This double distinction places Mankind’s Folly among the most outstanding films of this year’s LAGFF-doc edition, highlighting both the strength of its subject matter and its emotional impact on viewers.
The film follows two people on opposite sides of the Bering Strait — Martha in Alaska and Nikita in Siberia — documenting the dramatic consequences of the climate crisis at the “top of the world”: permafrost thaw, ecosystem collapse, and the rapid expansion of the fossil fuel industry. Through their personal stories, Mankind’s Folly unfolds as a deeply human and political documentary, raising the question of whether humanity has already crossed a critical point of no return.
“These distinctions help amplify the film’s message and bring back to the center of public debate the most critical issue of our time — the climate crisis,” said Yorgos Avgeropoulos while accepting the awards, which he dedicated to younger generations, emphasizing that “they deserve to live on a sustainable planet and will be called upon to fight their own battles for it.”
Mankind’s Folly has already received a Special Commendation from the Juryat Prix Europa 2025 in Berlin, and has been screening in Greek cinemas since January 15, now entering its fourth week of theatrical release.
With the launch of LAGFF-doc, the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival — celebrating 20 years of continuous presence and having showcased more than 800 films and 700 filmmakers — inaugurates a new, dynamic platform for documentary cinema from Greece and Cyprus, strengthening its international visibility and contributing to the global dialogue on the most pressing issues of our time.
🎬 Mankind’s Folly — 83’ (Greece, France, 2026)
The new film by Yorgos Avgeropoulos
🏆 Greek Cinema Award for Social Justice – LAGFF-doc 2026, Los Angeles
🏆 Audience Orpheus Award – LAGFF-doc 2026, Los Angeles
🏆 Special Commendation of the Jury – Prix Europa 2025, Berlin
