January 17, 2017
On January 17, DGA Associate Executive Director, Government & International Affairs, Kathy Garmezy was honored with the medal of Arts and Letters (l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) by the government of France. The award, bestowed in honor of Garmezy’s work in bringing together the worlds of American and French cinema, was presented by the Consul General of France in Los Angeles, Christophe Lemoine, during a ceremony at DGA headquarters.
DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth welcomed the audience and spoke about the history and founding of the Franco-American Cultural Fund (FACF), which aims to foster a professional and cultural exchange between French and American filmmakers. He shared how Garmezy’s work aided the FACF’s signature event, the annual COLCOA (formerly City of Lights, City of Angels) film festival which bring nine days of French cinema offerings to the DGA in Los Angeles. Created in 1997, COLCOA is now the largest French film festival outside of France.