Biography
Who is Athina Rachel Tsangari?
Education and early career
Born in Athens, Greece, Athina Rachel Tsangari pursued an extensive academic path in film and performance. She earned an undergraduate degree from the Faculty of Philosophy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Following her studies there, she moved to the United States to further her expertise. Athina obtained a Master of Arts in performance studies at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She later completed a Master of Fine Arts in film directing at the University of Texas at Austin.
Her professional start in the movie industry occurred with a small acting role in the 1991 film Slacker, directed by Richard Linklater. During her time at New York University, she created her debut short film titled Fit in 1994. This project earned recognition when it was shortlisted for the Annual Student Academy Awards. These early experiences laid the groundwork for her career as a versatile filmmaker who works across directing, producing, and writing.
Career in filmmaking and directing
For her MFA thesis at the University of Texas, Athina directed her first feature film, The Slow Business of Going. This project was a lo-fi science fiction road movie filmed in various locations across the world, including nine different cities. The film debuted at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in 2000 and later won best film at the New York Underground Film Festival. It is currently part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.
Athina released her second feature, Attenberg, in 2010. This film competed at the Venice International Film Festival, where actress Ariane Labed won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress. It served as the official Greek entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 84th Academy Awards. Her third feature film, Chevalier, arrived in 2015. This buddy comedy was set on a yacht in the Aegean Sea and received the Best Film prize at the BFI London Film Festival. She also directed an adaptation of the novel Harvest in 2024.
Production, television and festival work
Athina founded the production studio Haos Film in Athens in 2005. Through this studio, she produced several films directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, including Kinetta, Dogtooth, and Alps. She also served as a co-producer on the 2013 film Before Midnight, directed by Richard Linklater, and acted in the movie as the character Ariadni. In addition to her film work, Athina has directed episodes for television series, including the historical drama Borgia and the BBC Two series Trigonometry.
Her contributions to the film community extend to festival organization and jury service. She founded the Cinematexas International Short Film Festival in 1995 and served as its artistic director until 2006. She has acted as a jury member for various prestigious events, including the Berlin International Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival. Her work also included projection design, such as her role on the creative team that designed the ceremonies for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Birthday and age
Athina Rachel Tsangari was born on April 2, 1966, which makes Athina 60 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Athina shares the date with 37 other famous people.
Explore more









