# Costa-Gavras

> Greek-French film director (born 1933)

**Wikidata**: [Q296698](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q296698)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa-Gavras)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/costa-gavras

## Summary
Costa-Gavras is a Greek-French film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor born on February 12, 1933. He is best known for his politically charged dramatic films, such as the 2002 feature *Amen.*, and has received top international cinematic honors, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.

## Biography
- **Born:** February 12, 1933
- **Nationality:** Greek, French
- **Education:** Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC)
- **Known for:** Directing, producing, and writing politically and socially engaged feature films
- **Employer(s):** Not specified
- **Field(s):** Film, Screenwriting

## Contributions
Costa-Gavras has built a prolific career in cinema, with a documented work period commencing around 1968. Operating as a director, producer, screenwriter, and actor, he has contributed to multiple facets of dramatic and comic production. His notable creative outputs include the 2002 film *Amen.*. Through his cinematic works, he has achieved vast critical acclaim, securing top-tier prizes at major global film festivals, prestigious Hollywood screenwriting awards, and high-ranking state honors from the French government. His cultural and academic impact is further demonstrated by his receipt of honorary doctorates from the University of Madrid Complutense and Aix-Marseille University.

## FAQs
**What is Costa-Gavras's educational background?**
He was educated at the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC), a former film school located in Paris, France, which was founded in 1943.

**What are Costa-Gavras's professions in the film industry?**
He works across the industry as a film director, film producer, screenwriter, actor, and general director of creative works.

**Which citizenships does Costa-Gavras hold?**
He holds dual citizenship, being recognized as a national of both Greece and France.

**What are some of the highest honors Costa-Gavras has received in France?**
In France, he has been awarded the Commander of the Legion of Honour (the third rank of the order) and the Officer of the Legion of Honour (the second rank). Additionally, he has received the Honorary César from the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema.

## Why They Matter
Costa-Gavras matters deeply to the global cinematic landscape due to his interdisciplinary contributions as a director, producer, and writer. His storytelling has earned him the absolute highest recognitions in international cinema, including the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Beyond popular success, the narrative depth of his work has penetrated literary spheres, earning him an Edgar Award for excellence within the crime genre. His role as an influential cultural figure is further solidified by international honors like the Catalonia International Prize, making him an artist whose impact extends beyond the screen into global cultural and academic discourse.

## Notable For
- Winning the Palme d'Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival.
- Receiving the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.
- Winning the Golden Bear for best film at the Berlin International Film Festival.
- Being named a Commander of the French Legion of Honour.
- Being awarded the Honorary César by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema.
- Winning the Edgar Awards, a literary award for work in the crime genre.
- Receiving the Catalonia International Prize, a cultural prize given by the state of Catalonia.
- Being awarded the Chilean Orden al Mérito Docente y Cultural Gabriela Mistral.
- Winning the Writers Guild of America Award.
- Directing the 2002 film *Amen.*.
- Earning the National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
- Winning the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director.
- Receiving the London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year.
- Being awarded the Louis Delluc Prize, a French film award.
- Winning the Cannes Best Director Award.
- Receiving the United Nations Awards.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Costa-Gavras was born on February 12, 1933. He possesses dual nationality, holding citizenship in both Greece and France. Standing 1.76 meters tall, he pursued formal training in the cinematic arts by attending the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC). Founded in 1943, this former film school in Paris, France, equipped him with the foundational skills for his future endeavors in film production and screenwriting.

### Career and Professional Roles
Costa-Gavras's professional work period began around 1968. Throughout his career, he has occupied several critical roles in the creation of dramatic and comic productions. He functions as a film director, controlling the artistic and dramatic aspects of film creation, and as a film producer who supervises the making of movies. Simultaneously, he has worked as a screenwriter writing for films and as an actor performing in productions for film, television, theatre, or radio. One of his recognized directed creations is the 2002 film *Amen.*.

### Major Film Festival and Cinematic Awards
Costa-Gavras has been widely recognized by major international film festivals and cinematic institutions:
- **Cannes Film Festival:** He has won the festival's highest honor, the Palme d'Or (incepted in 1955), alongside the Cannes Best Director Award (incepted in 1947) and the Jury Prize, which stands as the festival's third most prestigious prize.
- **Berlin International Film Festival:** He is a recipient of the Golden Bear, the prize awarded for the best film at the festival, an award incepted in 1951.
- **French Film Awards:** Domestically, he has won the Louis Delluc Prize (incepted in 1937) and the former César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation. Furthermore, he has received the Honorary César, a prestigious accolade incepted in 1976 and presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema.
- **United States Film Awards:** In the United States, he has won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (incepted in 1929), the National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director.

### Literary, Guild, and Cultural Honors
Beyond standard cinema awards, his achievements in writing and broader cultural impact have been recognized globally:
- **Literary and Guild Awards:** He is a recipient of the Writers Guild of America Award (incepted in 1949) and the Edgar Awards (incepted in 1946), which specifically honors literary work in the crime genre.
- **International Cultural Prizes:** His cultural influence is highlighted by his receipt of the Catalonia International Prize, a cultural prize given by the state of Catalonia (incepted in 1989).
- **Governmental Honors:** He has received the Orden al Mérito Docente y Cultural Gabriela Mistral, a Chilean order of merit (incepted in 1977).
- **Other Awards:** His extensive accolades also include the London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year and the United Nations Awards.

### State Decorations and Academic Recognition
Costa-Gavras has been highly decorated by the French state and honored by academic institutions. He has achieved two distinct ranks within the French Legion of Honour: Officer (the second rank) and Commander (the third rank). In academia, he has been awarded honorary doctorates from both the University of Madrid Complutense and Aix-Marseille University.

### Identifiers and Legacy
As a prominent public figure, Costa-Gavras is indexed across numerous global databases, libraries, and national archives. His biographical and professional data spans an extensive list of identifiers, including ISNI (0000000081532674), VIAF (73823623), GND ID (118971158), Library of Congress authority ID (n82161723), and IMDb identifier (nm0002020). He also holds catalog and authority records across major systems, including BNF (12404531r), BNE (XX1234280), and the MovieLabs Identifier (250604). His biography is extensively documented, as evidenced by 51 sitelinks referencing his career and achievements.

## References

1. Museum of Modern Art online collection
2. Integrated Authority File
3. [Source](https://www.lepoint.fr/culture/tahar-ben-jelloun-costa-gavras-une-vie-pleine-sans-ellipse-04-04-2018-2207926_3.php)
4. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/1973/04/22/archives/costagavras-im-not-antiamerican-movies-to-criticize-a-certain.html)
5. IMDb
6. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
7. The Fine Art Archive
8. [HOLLIS](https://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/99158327027003941/catalog)
9. [Source](http://video.xbox.com/en-us/movie/spies-like-us/616a5d5f-3611-4761-a1ef-ac1cdfa10a05)
10. [Source](http://frenchfilmsite.com/review/1967-U/Un_homme_de_trop.html)
11. www.acmi.net.au
12. [Journal officiel de la République française. 2013](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000027248227)
13. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1983)
14. [Source](https://edgarawards.com/category-list-best-motion-picture/)
15. [Source](http://www.elpuntavui.cat/cultura/article/19-cultura/1186847-el-cineasta-costa-gavras-es-el-guanyador-del-xxix-premi-internacional-catalunya.html)
16. [Journal officiel de la République française. 2019](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000038759132)
17. [Journal officiel de la République française. 2000](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000216795)
18. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/Winners-2018.832.0.html)
19. [tweet](https://x.com/JLouisDeveze/status/1574449626425528321)
20. International Standard Name Identifier
21. filmportal.de
22. Virtual International Authority File
23. CiNii Research
24. [Source](http://www.cineressources.net/repertoires/archives/fonds.php?id=kg)
25. [Source](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/apr/04/costa-gavras)
26. SNAC
27. Discogs
28. Proleksis Encyclopedia
29. Munzinger Personen
30. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
31. [Source](https://mpineiolibrary.espivblogs.net/files/2014/11/%CE%99%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BE%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85-%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B3%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%8D-%CE%BA%CE%B9%CE%BD%CE%AE%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%82.pdf)
32. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1970)
33. [Nominations for the European Film Awards 2020. 2020](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/News-detail.155.0.html)
34. CONOR.SI
35. Autoritats UB
36. LIBRIS. 2014
37. Virtual Study of Theatre Institute
38. Cinemathèque québécoise Linked Open Data
39. The Movie Database
40. Catalogo of the National Library of India