In Part 3 of this series with Award-winning Filmmaker Nicholas Franghias, learn about the founding of his company, Ember Frames, inspiration, new \u201cAmerican\u201d projects, and more.<\/p>\n On the one-year anniversary of the launch of the motion picture company Ember Frames, I had the opportunity to chat with its founder, Award-winning Filmmaker Nicholas Franghias<\/a>. In Part 1, we revealed his journey to storytelling, with all its twists and turns.\u00a0 Part 2 shared his early works and awards, and what brought him to the US. In this final installment of the series, he reveals the story behind the founding of Ember Frames, new projects, and what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n After several years in Chicago, Nicholas relocated to the Los Angeles area, which is widely considered the mecca of American filmmaking. During this time, he became a naturalized citizen. Now with two distinct homelands, he melds both. As an American filmmaker, he approaches story through an immigrant-inspired lens while remaining true to his calling of crafting stories that are deeply humane.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Nicholas\u2019 approach to story and filmmaking attracted Canadian entrepreneur James Pappas, who had been active in the local Winnipeg arts community. Ember Frames was born in July 2021, however with Pappas\u2019 sudden passing, all plans were on hold. Losing his dear friend came with another blow. \u201cWithout him, there was no investment planned for the development of our first project,\u201d Nicholas explained. Other setbacks contributed to a delay in the company\u2019s start. But characters and stories swirl in their creator\u2019s head. Many are so persistent, they do not allow you to stop until their stories are told. Like embers that refuse to be extinguished, that was not the end of this story. It was simple time to recalibrate.<\/p>\n Ember Frames officially launched on October 8, 2025 with a development slate of three projects over the next five years. \u201cWhat remained constant throughout is the commitment to the work grounded in history, music, and the human themes that connect us. The name itself gestures toward warmth\u2014frames on embers\u2014a quiet nod to the glow that stories can carry.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicholas and Ember Frames gravitate to stories that are humane, that can be viewed through an unforced lens. \u201cStories that remind us of the common threads we share\u2014stories that reveal something essential about being human, with room to reach audiences broadly and meaningfully.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While working through the nationalization process, he said that Immigration recommended that his application would be stronger with a \u201ctrue American project\u201d. This meant one, that when developed, would require an American crew and filming location in the US rather than in Greece. And he had to come up with something in two weeks. As he sought a new \u201cAmerican\u201d story that stayed true to his work and goals, one resonated. It carried both American and Greek elements. And excited him.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While living in Chicago, Nicholas had lunch at the popular Billy Goat Tavern<\/a>. There, he met the late owner Sam Sianis, who shared the history of the establishment. And its original owner, Sianis\u2019 uncle, the man behind the legendary goat curse. As the story goes, during Game 4 of the 1945 World Series, William Sianis brought his pet goat, Murphy, into Wrigley Field. Due to complaints about the smell, both William and Murphy were ejected from the stadium. William cursed the baseball team, and declared they\u2019d never win a World Series again. They did not. The curse<\/a> has since been lifted. Tales of William\u2019s life as an immigrant and business owner, stirred something inside Nicholas.<\/p>\n \u201cHis whole life, he embraced struggle and the precious values Lady Liberty stands for: the pursuit of belonging, liberty, and happiness, with a sense of humor included.\u201d The story, with its international flare and empowering themes is precisely the type that draws Nicholas.<\/p>\n It follows a series of events from 1934-1945, that led William \u201cBilly Goat\u201d Sianis to defend his goat by cursing the Cubs. Nicholas said that it reimagines William\u2019s origin story as an upbeat musical about belonging, humor, and immigrant resilience. The production touches on many topics: the era\u2019s xenophobia, the Great Depression, Chicago Mob attacks, and more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just a comedy,\u201d Nicholas added. He called it \u201can underdog\u2019s biography.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While living in Chicago, Nicholas stumbled upon an essay entitled, \u201cIt\u2019s the Goddess of America\u201d, written by Maria A. Karamitsos. The piece shared the story of her father\u2019s arrival in the US in 1960, in which he and his friends dubbed the Statue of Liberty, \u2018Goddess of America\u2019, plus their offering to the goddess for prosperity in America. \u201cThe title, emotional truth behind it, the humor,\u201d stayed with me.\u201d<\/p>\n The story inspired Nicholas to celebrate American immigrant stories from diverse cultural backgrounds. Ember Frames acquired the rights to a short film\/pilot, with the long-term vision as an anthology series with each 30-minute episode introducing new characters and situations. The pilot episode is set against at 1966 New York City blizzard, as a diverse group of legal immigrants\u2014divided, newly arrived, and penniless\u2014rally around a shared dream: finding an offering for Lady Liberty by the next morning, despite having nothing to give. Nicholas added that as they overcome their differences, they ignite the first chapter in the series, that dramatizes the pursuit of inclusion and belonging. \u201cIt\u2019s their story, and America\u2019s story\u201d.<\/p>\n Each episode will spotlight different characters and cultures. And for authenticity, Nicholas plans for them to be written by storytellers who represent each culture. The project is in early development, but has gained visibility this summer, when Goddess of America <\/em>was chosen as an Official Selection at the 2026 Burbank International Film Festival.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This project, near and dear to Nicholas\u2019 heart, has been brewing for several years. It began as his first narrative feature. Lone Meals of Grace<\/em> follows Theo, an obese arrogant New York bestselling cookbook author and TV food critic, whose near fatal stroke during his European promotional tour leads to an unexpected hospital bond with Prodromos, a humble Greek monk. Under the guise or recipe research, Theo trails him to his strict 14th<\/sup> century monastery. There, this unlikely friendship compels him to confront his inner demons, uncover ancient culinary tradition, and undergo a profound reckoning with spirituality and friendship.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a faith-based story,\u201d Nicholas said. \u201cIt\u2019s a divine drama exploring the terrain where a hubris-driven, materialistic business-class ideology can be brought back into balance.\u201d<\/p>\n As Nicholas\u2019 first narrative feature, years ago, \u201cGrace\u201d received a script-development award from the Greek Film Center. It later became a beneficiary of the EU\u2019s MEDIA Program for production development. Due to the limitation of the Greek funding landscape at the time, he signed with a British company. Though enthusiastic, they wanted to take the story in an entirely different direction. \u201cI couldn\u2019t agree to altering the story and uprooting it from its cultural setting. Both were fundamental to its identity and resolution.\u201d He stood his ground and pulled it back, \u201cto protect it and keep open the possibility of returning to it in the future.\u201d It\u2019s one of those stores that stayed with him and is determined to be told.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n As he reflected on his journey thus far, Nicholas noted the people who shaped his life and work, \u201cand a steady gratitude\u201d for it all. He credited his early family experiences and his friends from different sides of the political spectrum. They taught him to be more interested in people than ideology. \u201cTheir presence has challenged me. It has steadied me, and expanded my sense of what it means to live alongside others with conviction and healing.\u201d This is precisely the ethos we want in a filmmaker, someone who can see the human side, which is the tie that binds. And where the heart of stories exists.<\/p>\n A prolific storyteller, Nicholas has already completed two additional short-film scripts and has begun work on another feature. The ideas continue to flow as Nicholas and Ember Frames work toward the production of projects already announced and in varying stages of development. And we hope to see them all on a stage and screen very soon.<\/p>\n To learn more about Ember Frames projects in development, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Part 1: Award-winning Filmmaker Nicholas Franghias\u2019 Unorthodox Journey to Storytelling<\/p>\n Part 2:\u00a0Filmmaker Nicholas Franghias: Early Works, Awards, and a New World<\/p>\n Author Kathryn Gauci Reveals \u2018Odyssey\u2019 that Changed Her Life<\/p>\n Travel Mazi Mou Invites Travelers to \u201cLive Like a Local\u201d in Greece<\/p>\nGoodbye Chicago, Hello Hollywood<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/NicholasFranghias_AlternateHeadshot_CrossedArms_Warm-scaled.webp)
<\/source><\/picture>Founding Ember Frames<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"POster](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/The-Billy-Goat-Curse_Nicholas-Frangias_Ember-Frames.jpg\")
New projects with American connections<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Billy Goat Curse<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Development](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05.-GODDESS-OF-AMERICA-DEVELOPMENT-POSTER300-Nicholas-Franghias_Ember-Frames-802x1024.webp)
<\/source><\/picture>Goddess of America<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Development](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Lone-MEals-of-Grace_Nicholas-Franghias_Ember-Frames.jpg\")
Lone Meals of Grace<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
One year and into the future<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Read more:<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n
Also by Maria A. Karamitsos<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n