Yannis Economides

Yannis Economides was born in Cyprus in 1967. In 1987 he moved to Athens, Greece, to pursue studies in law, but almost immediately quit law school to study filmmaking instead.

After making several documentaries and short films, in 2003 he wrote and directed his first feature film, the iconic MATCHBOX. His second feature, SOUL KICKING, premiered at the International Critics' Week at Cannes Film Festival in 2006. His third feature, KNIFER, premiered at Busan International Film Festival in 2010 and went on to win seven Greek Film Academy Awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. His fourth feature, STRATOS, had its world premiere in the Official Competition of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival in 2014.

In 2016 Yannis Economides wrote and directed his first play, SLEEP, STELLA, SLEEP for the New Stage of the National Theatre in Athens, which became a huge critical and commercial hit.

His latest feature, BALLAD FOR A PIERCED HEART, premiered in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and managed to become a box office hit in Greece. The film received 15 Greek Film Academy nominations, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

All five of his feature films have been honored with the Greek Film Critics Association Award for Best Greek Feature Film of the Year and have screened at several prestigious international film festivals.

In November 2022, MATCHBOX - THE MUSICAL, premiered at the main stage of "Onassis Stegi", in libretto and artistic direction by Yannis Economides.

Currently, he is preparing his next feature, entitled BROKEN VEIN.