Director
Gianna Americanou studied Film and Television Production at the University of Bristol, UK (MA) on a scholarship from the British Government and at the University of Iowa, Cinema Department (BA with Honors) with a focus on Experimental Production under the guidance of experimental director Leighton Pierce (Dean of CalArts).
Her short films have been screened at several significant International Film Festivals in categories such as Official Competition, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, and have received awards from the Hamburg International Short Film Festival, the Drama Short Film Festival, and the International Short Film Festival of Cyprus. Her short film titled “Lullaby” received the Tonia Marketaki Award for Best Direction at the International Short Film Festival in Drama in 2009, while the anti-trafficking organization STOP International, based in Geneva, used the film to promote legislation against the trafficking of women across the island and raise awareness through various screenings and discussions, as it was screened in all major military camps in Cyprus.
Gianna’s first feature film, “.dog,” received funding for its production from the Cyprus Film Advisory Board, ERT, the SEE Cinema Network, and the Greek Film Center, while it has received international distribution from the French company URBAN INTERNATIONAL. The film was selected by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival #Goes to Cannes for participation in the Marche 2020 du Film during the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. “.dog” premiered at the 62nd Thessaloniki International Film Festival in the Official International Competition section “Meet the Neighbours,” winning the Special Youth Award. The film also won the Best Cypriot Film, Best Direction, and Special Mention for the role of Dimitris at the 20th International Film Festival Cyprus Film Days. “dog” is represented by the French distribution company URBAN and has received a distribution agreement from the online platform HBO Europe, MUBI, ARTE France, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Aeroflot.
At present, Gianna is working on the development of her second film “My Name is Lily,” which was selected along with 8 other projects for script development at the MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH 2022, and was presented at the Eastern Promises Pitching Forum at the 2022 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Gianna is a Specialist Scientist at the TEPAK, a member of the EWA NETWORK (European Women’s Audiovisual Network), and President of the Committee of the International Motion Film Festival Cyprus (European University of Cyprus).
