Today, June 5, 2024, Tasos Birsim, the beloved director of Andreas Papandreou, passed away.
It is with deep sadness that Stamos and Maruso Birsim, along with the Tasos Birsim family, announce that their cherished husband, father, and grandfather, Tasos Birsim, passed away on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at 6:55 p.m. The funeral and cremation will be conducted in a close family circle.
Tasos Birsim, the charismatic personal director of the late Andreas Papandreou, was a prominent television director at ERT during the 1980s. He played a pivotal role in the establishment and creation of Ant1, Mega, and SKAI private television in Greece until recently.
As student number 1 in 1965 at the P. PAPANTONOPOULOU Film and Television School, Tasos Birsim began his passionate career in Greek television at the end of the 60s, which soon brought him close to Andreas Papandreou and the major Greek political events with PASOK.
Birsim made history with his involvement in significant events such as the reception of the Euro in 2002, the Opening Ceremony of ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS Airport in 2001, the Millennium Ceremony – “Welcome 2000 in the LIGHT of the Acropolis,” and the inauguration of the Rio – Antirio Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge in 2004.
With frequent visits to more than 130 television stations worldwide and awarded the 1st prize “SOLDIERS and PEOPLE” at the Rome festival in 1994, Tasos Birsim tirelessly pursued the modernization of television production in Greece, always focusing on people. Behind the cameras with talented technicians and in front of them with his favorite presenters, he created thousands of hours of television with passion and great respect for the viewer.
He pioneered organizing and directing large live international political and sports events, from the Acropolis Rally to the Mediterranean Athletics Games, the Eurobasket, and the Pan-European Athletics Championship. His notable work includes the reception of the Olympians in 1996 and the opening and closing ceremonies of ATHENS ’97.
From 2017 until recently, Tasos Birsim directed the show “With Virtue and Courage” for the Armed Forces.
From his beloved Leonidio in Arcadia, two years ago, Irini Nikolopoulou wrote:
“Tasos didn’t become rich because he wasn’t interested in money, but he was passionate about everything he did.
And while the legend has it that his lenses, camera commands, and control room buttons multiplied the fans of early PASOK gatherings, establishing him as a wizard of television directing, the truth is: Tasos remained simple, humble, soulful, warm, soft-spoken, and a man of velvet.”
In the following link, a look behind the cameras at Tasos Birsim during the Stamatis Spanoudakis concert he lovingly directed under the shadow of the Acropolis at Herodeion last October (music – concert copyright Stamatis Spanoudakis).”
Who was Tasos Birsim
Tasos Birsim played a central role in the foundation and creation of Ant1, Mega, and SKAI private television in Greece until recently.
Enrolling as student number 1 in 1965 at the P. PAPANTONOPOULOU Film and Television School, Tasos Birsim embarked on a passionate career in Greek television at the end of the 60s. This path soon brought him close to Andreas Papandreou and significant Greek political events with PASOK.
Birsim marked history with his work on notable events such as the reception of the Euro in 2002, the Opening Ceremony of Eleftherios Venizelos Airport in 2001, the Millennium Ceremony – “Welcome 2000 in the LIGHT of the Acropolis,” and the inauguration of the Rio – Antirio Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge in 2004.
With visits to over 130 TV stations globally and awarded the 1st prize “SOLDIERS and PEOPLE” at the 1994 Rome festival, Tasos Birsim was dedicated to modernizing TV production in Greece with a human focus. Working behind the cameras with skilled technicians and in front of them with his favorite presenters, he produced thousands of hours of television with passion and respect for the viewer.
He pioneered organizing and directing large live international political and sports meetings, from the Acropolis Rally to the Mediterranean Athletics Games, the Eurobasket, and the Pan-European Athletics Championship. He also directed the reception of the Olympians in 1996 and the opening and closing ceremonies of ATHENS ’97.
