Costas Gavras is a Greek filmmaker born in 1933, in Arcadia, Peloponnese. In childhood, Gavras was affected by his father`s participation in the Greek Resistance during the WW II. After graduating high school, he was marked by his father`s political beliefs, which resulted in Gavras` ban from Greek Universities as well as U.S. soil. In 1951 he went to the Sorbonne University in France where he began his studies in law. Five years later he leaves university in order to attend the Institute for Advanced Cinematographic Studies. After film school he apprenticed for Yves Allegret, and became an assistant director for Jean Giono and Rene Clair. In 1965 he directed his first feature film, The Sleeping Car Murder. Costa Gavras made his reputation as a preeminent director developing the political thrillers from the late 1960s through the 80s. His master-piece Z won the Jury and Best Actor Prizes at Cannes as well as the Oscar for Best Foreign film in 1969. Costa Gavras was president of the Cinematheque Francaise from 1982 to 1987, and again from 2007 to the present. |