Biography

Athina Rachel Tsangari is a prominent filmmaker, producer, and projection designer who emerged as a central figure in the "Greek Weird Wave." Her academic background is extensive, beginning with a degree from the Faculty of Philosophy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She later moved to the United States to further her studies, earning an MA in performance studies from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and an MFA in film directing from the University of Texas at Austin. Her initial entry into the film industry began with a small acting role in Richard Linklater's seminal independent film Slacker (1990). While still a student, she gained recognition for her short film Fit (1994), which was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award. In 1995, she further established her influence by founding the Cinematexas International Short Film Festival, serving as its artistic director for over a decade. The filmmaker's breakthrough as a feature director came with her MFA thesis film, The Slow Business of Going (2000), which was later inducted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Her international profile rose significantly with Attenberg (2010), which premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival and served as the official Greek Oscar submission. Beyond directing, she founded Haos Film, a production hub through which she collaborated extensively with director Yorgos Lanthimos on acclaimed projects like Dogtooth (2009) and Alps (2011). Her multidisciplinary expertise also led her to design the massive projection displays for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. In addition to her cinematic achievements, she has shared her knowledge as a visiting lecturer at Harvard University and served on prestigious juries at the Cannes and Berlin film festivals.