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Cacoyannis also distinguished himself as a stage
and opera director, with critically acclaimed
productions in Greece, the USA, France and
other European countries. He published several
screenplays, translated Shakespeare into Greek
and Euripides into English, and wrote the lyrics
to some of the best-known and best-loved Greek
popular songs. It was his initiative that led to
the dramatic new illumination of the Acropolis
– he enlisted the services of the famous French
engineer, Pierre Bideau, for a study, and after
generous donations by the Friends of Athens,
which Cacoyiannis established, the Hellenic
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the City of
Athens finally lent their backing to the project.
In 2004 Cacoyannis established the Michael
Cacoyannis Foundation, a charitable foundation
whose aim is to support, preserve and promote
theatre and cinema. The foundation’s Cultural
Centre, located on Piraeus Street in the Athenian
district of Tavros, opened its doors to the public
in October 2009. The Foundation was one of the
great dreams of Cacoyiannis’s life.
For his work and overall contribution to the
Arts, Cacoyannis was awarded the Order of the
Golden Phoenix (Greece), the Commandeur des
Arts et des Lettres (France), the Grand Cross/
Order of Makarios III (Cyprus) and the Special
Grand Prix of the Americas (Montreal). He was
honoured by the Greek Academy with its highest
award for national services and by the Salonica,
Jerusalem and Cairo Film Festivals – and by
the American Hellenic Institute in Washington,
DC – with lifetime achievement awards. He was
also declared an Honorary Citizen of Limassol,
Montpellier and Dallas, and received Honorary
Doctorates from Columbia College (Chicago),
Athens University, Cyprus University and the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
At the funeral theGreekMinister of Education,Ms
Anna Diamantopoulou, and the General Secretary
of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ms
Lina Mendoni – both of whom enjoyed friendly
relationships with Cacoyiannis – represented
the Greek State. Mr Andreas Demetriou, then
Minister of Education and Culture, represented
the Republic of Cyprus and the President. In his
speech, Mr Demetriou told a characteristic story
about Cacoyannis:
In an interview with an English reporter,
Cacoyannis was asked whether he had an
English passport, since he had studied and
lived for many years in London. “
Does it
matter?”
, replied Cacoyannis. What really
matters is to belong, to be a part of something,
and Cacoyannis, regardless of his worldwide
success and recognition, had always felt he
was a Cypriot, had always been aware of his
Greek roots. He only spent a small part of his
life in Cyprus but, in a sense, he never left; his
mind had always been on our island…We are
here to bid farewell to a great artist, with the
Filmography
Windfall in Athens
(1954): director,
screenwriter
Stella
(1955): director, screenwriter,
producer
The Girl in Black
(1956): director,
screenwriter
A Matter of Dignity
(1957): director,
screenwriter, producer
Our Last Spring
(1960): director,
screenwriter, producer
The Wastrel
(1961): director, screenwriter
Electra
(1962): director, screenwriter,
producer
Zorba the Greek
(1964): director,
screenwriter, producer
The Day the Fish Came Out
(1967):
director, screenwriter, producer
The Trojan Women
(1971): director,
screenwriter, producer
Attila ’74
(1975): director, producer
Iphigenia
(1977): director, screenwriter
Sweet Country
(1986): director,
screenwriter, producer
Up, Down and Sideways
(1993): director,
screenwriter, producer
The Cherry Orchard
(1999): director,
screenwriter, producer