The acclaimed Greek director Yorgos Tsemberopoulos will receive the Honorary Golden Alexander at the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, in recognition of his career and his contribution to the art of cinema. The festival will showcase his entire filmography and organize a masterclass where the filmmaker will share his experience.

Among the highlights is an accessible screening of Take Care (1990), one of the most emblematic titles of contemporary Greek cinema, as well as the release of a special edition of First Shot dedicated entirely to his work.

The festival’s artistic director, Orestis Andreadakis, emphasized that Tsemberopoulos’ human-centered vision has vividly portrayed social groups rarely represented on the big screen. The honoree himself expressed his excitement: “Oh my gosh! An award for my work? That’s an immense honor. Thessaloniki has always given me joy; it is a generous city with five senses… and perhaps a sixth one.”

Tsemberopoulos, trained at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, has worked as an actor, screenwriter, producer, and director, and has also presided over the Hellenic Film Academy. His most recent feature film, Stelios (2024), about the life of singer Stelios Kazantzidis, became a box-office success and confirmed the relevance of a creator essential to the Greek cinematic landscape.