Giorgos Panousopoulos, the acclaimed 84-year-old Greek filmmaker, cinematographer, and screenwriter, passed away in the early hours of Monday, 9 March 2026. Born in Athens in 1942, Panousopoulos dedicated his life to cinema, cultivating a distinctive visual and narrative style marked by intense eroticism, urban sensibility, wry humour, and profound psychological insight into his characters.
A Multifaceted Cinematic Voice
Panousopoulos studied film and photography abroad before launching his career as a cinematographer. He worked extensively on documentaries, commercials, and television productions before fully embracing directing. Known for assuming multiple roles on his projects — writing, directing, shooting, and producing — he was often described as a ‘complete cinematic mechanism’ in himself.
Recognition and Legacy
In 1977, he received a Special Achievement Award for cinematography for Manousos Manousakis’ Archontes tou Manousou (Lords of Manousos). A major tribute took place in 2005 at the 46th Thessaloniki Film Festival, where his films — including Honey Trip, The Opposite Sex, Mania, Do You Love Me?, and Free Dive — were screened alongside key television works such as Cemeteries, Ancestors’ Feast, Millennium 2000, and The Last Sunset of the Millennium.
In Memoriam
Panousopoulos was married to actress Betty Livano and was the father of Aura Panousopoulou, creator of the band Yam. In tribute to his enduring contribution to Greek documentary and cinematic culture, today’s programme at the 28th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival is dedicated to his memory.