From his films to his involvement in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the prominent director helped connect the Greek visual landscape with international productions, influencing generations of filmmakers and audiovisual creators. His wife was the actress Betty Livanou.

The official page of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival paid tribute to the director, writing:
“Director, cinematographer, screenwriter, producer and editor, Giorgos Panousopoulos created some of the most beautiful films of Greek cinema. The images, romances, the Greek light, the atmosphere and the landscapes from his films will stay with us forever: Honeymoon, The Opposite, Mania, Do You Love Me?, Free Diving, One Day in the Night, Testosterone, In This Country No One Knew How to Cry.”

The festival also noted that his cinema was “full of subdued desires and emotional outbursts that aim directly at the viewer’s heart. No one filmed the human body the way he did, with a powerful sensuality as intense as the cinematic experiences he gave us.”

Panousopoulos was also a founder of the Filmic Society and worked as a cinematographer on films by fellow directors Nikos Perakis and Giorgos Tsemberopoulos—together forming what was often described as a legendary trio of the New Greek Cinema movement. He received awards at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and was honored with a special award during its 46th edition in a tribute dedicated to his work.

The festival also expressed its deepest condolences to his wife, children, friends and all those who loved him.

Who was Giorgos Panousopoulos

Giorgos Panousopoulos was born in Athens in 1942 and turned to the art of visual storytelling from an early age. He studied cinema and photography abroad and began his career as a cinematographer.

Throughout his career he collaborated on numerous major productions and brought his cinematic aesthetic to advertising, television and major international events. His involvement in the 2004 Athens Olympics was a characteristic example of the breadth of his work.

As a director, he made Honeymoon in 1979 and followed it with the iconic The Opposite in 1981. His film Mania (1985) competed at the Berlin International Film Festival, while Do You Love Me? (1989) was presented at the Venice International Film Festival.

Later films included Free Diving (1995), One Day in the Night (2001) and Testosterone (2004). His final film, In This Country No One Knew How to Cry, was released in 2018.

Panousopoulos leaves behind an important body of work that helped shape the image of modern Greek cinema and continues to inspire new generations of creators.