The family of Thessaloniki International Film Festival bids farewell to one of its most precious members, the visionary and pioneering Michel Dimopoulos.
His multifaceted work, limitless knowledge and tireless devotion to cinema, as well as the invaluable legacy he left behind, are the tailor-made definition for Michel Dimopoulos’ personality and contribution. What goes way beyond any description or definition is his gift to touch the hearts of everyone who had the honor and privilege to work by his side.
Michel Dimopoulos served as the Festival’s director from 1991 to 2005, and during his stint he gave a fresh breath of originality and expanded the institution’s international horizons. He hosted and curated a series of retrospectives and tributes, as well as thirty editions and monographs dedicated to Greek and international filmmakers. His profound love for cinema, his zealous spirit and his need to bring forth up-and-coming directors, genres and tendencies, fueled him to carry out his dream of internationalizing Thessaloniki Film Festival.
Michel had always been on the side of the Festival and its people. He was an ardent film lover and a passionate supporter of independent European cinema. He will live on in Olympion’s corridors, in the Port, inside the movie theaters, tireless and with a smile on his face, soulfully speaking for the films he loved, expanding our horizons and introducing us to the pioneering and restless cinema of the new era.
Our warmest condolences to his family and his beloved ones.
