From 1949-1953 he studied film direction in the United States. His 1966 film, Face to Face, brought him unwelcome attention from the dictatorship and he took refuge in Paris, where he worked in television and on documentaries. He became director of state broadcaster ERT in 1975. He has directed more than 120 films. His most recent film is Lilly’s Story (2002). He now lives in France.