Michael Cacoyannis
Michalis Kakogiannis, usually credited as Michael Cacoyannis or Michael Yannis, was a Greek Cypriot filmmaker, theatre director, and playwright. He is best known for writing, directing, producing, and editing Zorba the Greek, an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel of the same name. He also directed the 1983 Broadway revival of the musical based on the film in addition to writing, directing, designing, and translating dozens of stage play and opera productions.
Cacoyannis was nominated for five Academy Awards, more than any other any Cypriot: three of the nominations were for Zorba the Greek whilst the other two were Academy Award for Best [Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film] nominations for Electra and Iphigenia. He received many other accolades, including the Technical Grand Prize and six Palme d'Or nominations at the Cannes Film Festival.
Early life
Cacoyannis was born Michalis Kakogiannis in on 11 June 1922 in Limassol, which was then part of British Cyprus. His father, Panayotis Loizou Cacoyannis, had been knighted in King Edward VIII's 1936 Birthday Honours for public services in Cyprus. His sister, Stella Soulioti, became a politician.Career
In 1939, Cacoyannis was sent to London by his father to become a lawyer; however, after graduating from law school, he joined the BBC World Service and soon took charge of its new Cyprus Service. His deputy there was Beba Clerides, sister of Glafkos Clerides, a Royal Air Force fighter pilot who later became President of Cyprus. After producing Greek-language programmes for the World Service during World War II, he enjoyed a brief stage acting career under the name Michael Yannis at The Old Vic before he began pursuing a filmmaking career. After having trouble finding a directing job in the Cinema of [the United Kingdom|British film industry], he moved to Athens in 1952 to instead work in the Greek film industry, where he soon made his directorial debut with Windfall in Athens.Cacoyannis' film Electra received an Academy Award nomination Best Foreign Language Film. His most notable work came when he wrote, directed, produced, and edited the film Zorba the Greek, an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel of the same name, which earned him nominations for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. His film Iphigenia also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, bringing his Academy Award nominations to a total of five, more than any other Cypriot. His other accolades included the Technical Grand Prize and six Palme d'Or nominations at the Cannes Film Festival. He was offered the chance to direct Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando in the film Reflections in a [Golden Eye (film)|Reflections in a Golden Eye], but he declined and the job went to American filmmaker John Huston.
Cacoyannis translated some of William Shakespeare's plays such as Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, and Hamlet into Greek, and Euripides' play The Bacchae into English. He directed the 1983 Broadway revival of the musical based on the film in addition to writing, directing, designing, and translating dozens of stage play and opera productions.
Personal life
From 1959 to 1967, Cacoyannis was in a relationship with Israeli politician and author Yael Dayan, with whom he lived in Athens.Death
Cacoyannis died in Athens on 25 July 2011 at the age of 89.Filmography
- Windfall in Athens : director, screenwriter
- Stella : director, screenwriter, producer
- A Girl in Black : director, screenwriter
- A Matter of Dignity : director, screenwriter, producer
- Eroica : director, screenwriter, producer
- The Wastrel : director, screenwriter
- Electra : director, screenwriter, producer
- Zorba the Greek : director, screenwriter, producer
- The Day the Fish Came Out : director, screenwriter, producer
- The [Trojan Women (film)|The Trojan Women] : director, screenwriter, producer
- The Story of Jacob and Joseph, director
- Attilas '74 : director, producer
- Iphigenia : director, screenwriter
- Sweet Country : director, screenwriter, producer
- Up, Down and Sideways : director, screenwriter, producer
- The Cherry Orchard : director, screenwriter, producer
Awards and nominations
Cannes Film Festival- 1954 : Golden Palm for "Windfall in Athens" – nominated
- 1955 : Golden Palm for "Stella" – nominated
- 1956 : Golden Palm for "A Girl in Black" – nominated
- 1957 : Golden Palm for "A Matter of Dignity" – nominated
- 1961 : Golden Palm for "The Wastrel" – nominated
- 1962 : Golden Palm for "Elektra" – nominated
- 1962 : Grand Jury Prize for "Elektra" – won
- 1962 : Technical Award for "Elektra" – won
- 1977 : Golden Palm for "Iphigenia" – nominated
- 1960 : Golden Bear for "Our Last Spring" – nominated
- 1963 : David O. Selznick Award for "Elektra" – won
- 1963 : Best Foreign Language Film for "Elektra" – nominated
- 1964 : Best Picture for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1964 : Best Director for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1964 : Best Adapted Screenplay for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1977 : Best Foreign Language Film for "Iphigenia" – nominated
- 1956 : Best Foreign Language Film for "Stella" – won
- 1957 : Best Foreign Language Film for "A Girl in Black" – won
- 1965 : Best Director for "Zorba the Greek – nominated
- 1966 : Best Film for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1966 : UN Award for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1964 : Best Film for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1964 : Best Director for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1964 : Best Screenplay for "Zorba the Greek" – nominated
- 1964 : Special Plaque for "Zorba the Greek" – won
- 1960 : Special Contribution Award – won
- 1961 : Best Director for "Our Last Spring" – won
- 1962 : Best Film for "Elektra" – won
- 1962 : Best Director for "Elektra" – won
- 1977 : Best Film for "Iphigenia" – won
- 1999 : Union of Film and Television Technicians Award for "The Cherry Orchard" – won
- 1956 : Silver Medal for "A Girl in Black" – Won
- 1954 : Diploma of Merit for "Windfall in Athens" – won
- 1962 : Diploma of Merit for "Elektra" – won
- 1999 : Special Contribution Award – won
- 1999 : Lifetime Achievement Award – won
- 2001 : Lifetime Achievement Award – won