May 26, 2026
Dear Friends and Family:
A few years ago, I learned the word Filotimo, found
only in the Greek language. The concept, perhaps
impossible to express in words, embodies, among other
virtues, dignity, empathy, generosity, grace, honor,
and essential goodness.
I was so moved by it that I wrote a short film in the
hopes of sharing the concept with the world.
My father Emanuel "Manny" Pappas was a big supporter of
the project. Perhaps, because he embodied Filotimo as
much as anyone I have ever known.
The project was put aside due to COVID and then a
hundred other distractions, until Manny, ninety-one,
began to feel his age.
Determined to see the film made in his lifetime, I
collaborated with screenwriter Allison Burnett to bring
the script over the finish line.
With Manny's sight failing, I read the script aloud to
him. He believed in the project, he said, for two
reasons: because it honors values missing in our
modern world and because it pays homage not just to
our Greek heritage, but to his family, both immediate and
extended.
Just before his recent death, he donated $60,000 toward
the Filotimo -- almost half of the film's budget.
He said he invested because he wanted to convey to
today's lost generations a Greek cultural concept
that had guided his life and that he hoped might guide and
sustain theirs. The film would be his
footprints in the sand.
Filotimo will be shot for five days this September on
the island of Patmos.
It is a labor of love. No one will profit financially. Any funds the film generates will be used to
bring it to as wide an audience as possible.
Please consider a donation to help Manny's and our
dream come true. Attached to this letter are the
shooting script and a slideshow that will introduce you
to our creative team and help you imagine the
look and feel of the finished product.
Yours truly,
Jessica Pappas
Los Angeles
Donations can be made by check to:
FilotimoFilm, LLC.
1440 Warner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
90024
Or by Venmo:
FilotimoFilm, LLC
@jessicapappas-29
Click Here To Read The Script
About The Film
The Characters And Crew
The Budget
