On Sunday 17 June the 2012 Sydney Film Festival concluded and presented its awards for best film, best documentary, best short and best animation. Two of the awards were presented to Greek Film makers.

Acclaimed Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos' drama 'Alps' won the Official Competition prize and Greek-Australian director Christopher Kezelos' film 'The Maker' was awarded the Yoram Gross Animation Award.

Yorgos Lanthimos was born in 1973 in Athens. He studied direction for Film and Television at the Stavrakos Film School in Athens. He has been directing short films and theatre since 1995. He created his first feature film 'My Best Friend' in 2001 which he followed by the experimental film 'Kinetta' in 2005. In 2009 his film 'Dogtooth' received the Prix Un Certain Regard at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for best foreign film at the 83rd Academy Awards.

Lanthimos' new film 'Alps' follows a secret club whose members are paid to act as replacements for the recently deceased. Under the leadership of their coach Mont Blanc, the members of ALPS memorizes various phrases spoken by the dearly departed, perfects their distinctive mannerisms, and spends time with their grieving families until the acceptance of loss eventually sets in.