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Costa-Gavras Biography

Birth Name:Konstantinos Gavras

Birth Place:Greece

Profession Director, Writer, Assistant director, Producer, Actor, Soundtrack, Editor, Camera department

Fast Facts

Won Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 1995 Human Rights Watch International Film Festival, the 2005 Copenhagen International Film Festival and the 2008 Zurich Film Festival
After his father was blacklisted for fighting in Greece's leftwing resistance movement, he was not allowed to attend film school in the US, so he worked odd jobs and danced in a Greek ballet company, saving money to move to France
Is famous for making films that combine the suspense of a thriller with the intellectualism, and often controversy, of a political critique
Was influenced by both the old masters of French cinema and new-wave artists like Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard
Believes that all films are politically, even if they aren't overtly so
Doesn't believe in utopias because he feels that societies are in a constant fight to change themselves

Awards

1967Edgar-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1969Jury Prize-: winner
1969Palme d'Or-: nominated
1969NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1970Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1970Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
1970BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1970DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1970Edgar-Best Motion Picture: winner
1970Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1970NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
1970NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1971Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
1971Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1972Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
1972Prix Louis Delluc-: winner
1973NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1975Palme d'Or-: nominated
1975Best Director-: winner
1979Golden Lion-Best Film: nominated
1980César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
1980César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
1982Palme d'Or-: winner
1982NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1983ASECAN Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1983Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: winner
1983BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: nominated
1983BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1983David-Best Foreign Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura Straniera): nominated
1983David-Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regista Straniero): nominated
1983David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1983Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
1983Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
1983Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1983ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: winner
1983ALFS Award-Director of the Year: winner
1983Golden Lion-: nominated
1983WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium: winner
1986Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1990Golden Berlin Bear-: winner
1993Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2002Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2002Golden Globe-Best European Film (Miglior Film Europeo): winner
2003César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
2003César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
2003César-Best Screenplay, Original or Adaptation (Meilleur scénario, original ou adaptation): winner
2003Lumiere Award-Best Film (Meilleur film): winner
2005Film and Literature Award-: winner
2006César-Best Adapted Screenplay (Meilleure adaptation): nominated
2007Gopo Award-Best European Film: nominated
2012Guipuzcoan Blood-Donors' Association Corresponding to the Solidarity Award-: winner
2012Golden Seashell-Best Film: nominated
2013ARRI/OSRAM Award-Best International Film: nominated
2019World Frames-: nominated
2020CinEuphoria-Freedom of Expression - Honorary Award: winner
2020César-Best Adapted Screenplay (Meilleure adaptation): nominated
2020European Film Award-European Screenwriter: nominated
2020Festival Prize-Best International Film: nominated