Costa-Gavras, the Greek-born France-based director of some of the most famed movies of political cinema, from 1969’s “Z” to 1981’s “Missing,” will receive a career achievement Donostia Award at this September’s 67th San Sebastian Film Festival.
The filmmaker will collect his prize on Sept. 21 at a ceremony held at San Sebastian’s Victoria Eugenia, where his latest film, “Adults in the Room,” will screen.
The feature is the cinematic adaptation of the book of the same title written by former Greek minister of finance Yanis Varoufakis.According the film’s synopsis, it marks a portrayal of a group of politicians “trapped in an inhuman network of power” in a “brutal circle of Eurogroup meetings which imposed on Greece a dictatorship of austerity.” It’s described as a modern-day tragedy which chronicles the brief six months Varoufakis served in his position.
Costa-Gavras’ was last in San Sebastian in 2012 when his banking drama “Capital” screened in main competition, and winning the Guipuzcoa Blood-Donors’ Solidarity Award.
Among his wide-ranging career achievements, “Z” garnered best director and adapted screenplay Oscars nomonation. In 1983. “Missing,” one of his few films shot in English, won Costa-Gavras an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
Costa-Gavras is held in high esteem for his ability to make films which, while political and often polemic in theme, maintain a commercial element which can appeal to broad audiences.
For much of his career Costa-Gavras bounced back and forth between France and Hollywood, arthouse and more mainstream . After “Missing” came 1987’s “Betrayed” and 1989’s “Music Box.” He has worked with actors of renown on both sides of the Atlantic, including Jean-Louis Trintignant and Yves Montand and Jessica Lange, Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Ulrich Tukur, Gabriel Byrne and Debra Winger.