Michael Cacoyannis

Michael Cacoyannis (born June 11, 1922 in Limassol, Cyprus, under the name Mikhalis Kakogiannis) is a filmmaker. His credits include:

• The Cherry Orchard (1999) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Pano kato ke plagios ("Up, Down and Sideways") (1993) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Glykeia Patrida ("Sweet Country") (1986) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Iphigenia (1977) - director, screenwriter
• Attilas '74 (1975) - director, producer
• The Trojan Women (1971) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Otan ta psaria vgikan sti steria ("The Day the Fish Came Out") (1967) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Alexis Zorbas ("Zorba the Greek") (1964) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Elektra (1962) - director, screenwriter, producer
• Il Relitto ("The Wastrel") (1961) - director, screenwriter
• Eroica ("Our Last Spring") (1960) - director, screenwriter, producer

As a young man, Cacoyannis' family sent him to England to become a lawyer, but he ended up instead at the Old Vic school and enjoyed a brief stage career (under the name "Michael Yannis") before he began working on films.

Much of Cacoyannis' work is rooted in classical texts, especially those of Euripides. He has worked on many occasions with the Greek actress Irene Papas.