Michael Cacoyannis (,
Michalis Kakogiannis; 11 June 192125 July 2011) was a Greek Cypriot filmmaker, best known for his 1964 film
Zorba the Greek. He directed the 1983 Broadway revival of the
musical based on the film. Much of his work was rooted in classical texts, especially those of the
Greek tragedian Euripides. He was nominated for an
Academy Award five times, a record for any Cypriot film artist. He received Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film nominations for
Zorba the Greek, and two nominations in the Foreign Language Film category for
Electra and
Iphigenia.