About — Kostis Charamountanis

BIOGRAPHY

Kostis Charamountanis is a self-taught film director, writer, editor, and composer. A 2020 SNF ARTWOKS Fellow, he made his debut feature, Kyuka: Before Summer's End (2024), which premiered at Cannes (L'ACID) and has won 11 awards, including four at the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Screening at more than 30 film festivals worldwide, the film has received distribution in several countries, had its U.S. premiere at MoMA's 54th New Directors/New Films Festival, and, in 2025, earned Kostis the Best Newcomer Director Award from the Hellenic Film Academy (Iris Awards).

Kostis is an auteur filmmaker working across writing, directing, editing, music, sound, animation, acting, and production. His work is deeply personal and shaped by artistic freedom, playfulness, and a constant sense of discovery. Often working with minimal means, he draws from art, research, observation, character psychology, and a broad curiosity across subjects. Through exploration, experimentation, and intuition, he weaves these diverse influences into a multifaceted collage of ideas, allowing them to synthesize organically into the worlds of his films.

With a degree from the Drama School of the Athens Conservatory (2015) and a strong foundation in acting, he is well-equipped to guide actors and help create authentic performances. Since 2023, he has supported emerging filmmakers in their early stages and regularly collaborates with the Greek Film Center as a script evaluator for both short and feature films. As of April 2025, he served as Head Programmer for the International Student section at the Oscar-quality Drama Short Film Festival.