Panicos Chrysanthou
Panicos Chrysanthou was born in Kythrea, Cyprus at 15th of August 1951. He studied literature and philoshophy
at the University of Athens. He worked in Cyprus as a Film Critic, Curator of the Nicosia Film Club and the
Cyprus Film Archive and as a director of the art cinema "Studio" in Nicosia. In 1987 he had the chance to make
his first film. His recent film Akamas, is the first ever Cypriot film to be selected for the Venice Film Festival.
Despite this honour,
the Cypriot government asked the director to withdraw the film for political reasons, and the film has still
not been allowed to be shown in its native Cyprus. The European Parliament has sent an open letter to the
Cyprus Ministry of Culture lauding the film and asking that it be allowed to be shown. As of mid-2007, the
government has not relented.