Diamantis Karanastasis

Diamantis Karanastasis is a Greek actor, filmmaker, director, producer, and a member of the Greek Parliament. He has gained recognition as an actor through his collaboration with great theatre and television directors. He has won various awards for his work as a filmmaker.Hellenic Film Academy Awards. As a distinguished voice-over artist, he has lent his voice to over 8000 television and radio commercials, documentaries, television shows, and selected animated film franchisesIMDb Profile. He is also the producer of several theatrical productions and feature films. As a producer, he has given life to hundreds of audiovisual commercial productions, filming, podcasts, radio plays, and web plays, through his own post-production studio, "DACOS"DACOS Studio.
Birigogo, his own start-up company, musters the ancient dramatic works—comedies and tragedies—of the great ancient Greek comic and tragic poets and adapts them into interactive educational applicationsBirigogo Official Website.
In June 2023, during the Greek National Elections, he made his debut as a member of the Greek Parliament, supporting the left party Course of Freedom (Plefsi Eleftherias)Plefsi Eleftherias Official Website.
==Early Life==
Diamantis Karanastasis was born on March 2, 1974, in Larissa, the capital city of Thessaly, where he lived until the age of 18Larissa - Municipality of Larissa. His father was Yiannis Karanastasis (1940–2018), a mathematician from Gonnoi, a village near Larissa, and his mother is Georgia (Gia) Karveli, also a mathematician, from Aitoliko, MesolonghiAitoliko and Mesolonghi - Visit Mesolonghi. His sister, Elina Karanastasi, is an architect living and working in Amsterdam with her familyAmsterdam - Official Website.
==Education==
He attended school in his hometown and graduated from the 1st Senior High School of Larissa. In 1992, he successfully passed the national university entrance exams and entered the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA, also known as "Athens Polytechnic" or "Polytechnion") to study at the School of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational Technical University of Athens. The following year, while studying at NTUA, he retook the exams and succeeded in the Mathematics Department at the National and Kapodistrian University of AthensNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He never finished his studies at either school, as his love for the theatre urged him to dedicate himself exclusively to his theatre education.
He enrolled in Vassilis Diamantopoulos' drama school, where he took acting lessons and completed his theatrical studies. He never took any other exams at any other drama school as one of their requirements was a compulsory entrance examination before a committee of the Hellenic Ministry of CultureHellenic Ministry of Culture. He strongly believed, from a very young age, that no political institution has the authority to judge and determine anyone's artistic talent.
==Career==
===Theatre===
As an actor, he has collaborated with important directors and has starred in well-known plays of the Greek and international repertoire. He has performed in major theatrical productions, including the following: The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov (2007–2008)The Three Sisters - IMDb and Love, Love, Love by Mike Bartlett (2012–2013)Mike Bartlett - Playbill, both directed by Marianna Calbari at the Greek Art Theatre Karolos KounGreek Art Theatre Karolos Koun, Paranoma Filia - Kokkina Fanaria (The Red Lanterns) by Alekos Galanos (2014–2015) directed by Nikos Mastorakis at the Piraeus Municipal TheatrePiraeus Municipal Theatre, Trelo Aima (Wild Blood) by Pandelis Prevelakis (2015), adapted and directed by Angela Brouskou at the Greek Art TheatreTrelo Aima - Greek Art Theatre, Fear by Stefan Zweig (2015–2016), directed by Elena Penga at the Municipal Theatre of KalamataFear - Municipal Theatre of Kalamata,Love and Anarchy by Lina Wertmüller (2019), directed by Yiannis Laspias at BiosLove and Anarchy - Bios,Bremen Freedom by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (2022–2023), directed by Nikos Mastorakis at the Municipal Theatre of Crete and the Greek Art Theatre Karolos KounBremen Freedom - Municipal Theatre of Crete.
===Cinema===
He has starred in several feature and short films. The film Timeless Stories, directed by Vassilis Raisis (2017)Timeless Stories - IMDb, in which he embodies the main character in his forty-year-old version, won the Audience AwardThessaloniki International Film Festival - Audience Award at Thessaloniki's 58th International Film Festival.
He recently played Manolis Chiotis in the highly anticipated film Yparcho (I do exist), about the life of folk Greek legend Stelios Kazantzidis, directed by Giorgos TsemberopoulosGiorgos Tsemberopoulos - IMDb. The film is slated for release on December 19, 2024Greek Film Industry News.
In 2011, he directed his first feature film, My Blood, a contemporary parable on the Oedipus mythMy Blood - IMDb. He also wrote, produced, edited, and acted in one of the leading roles. Despite being an independent production, it managed to receive many distinctions both in Greece and abroad, winning a total of 9 awards, numerous nominations, and participating in festivals all over the world, without any festival supportGreek Film Center - Festival Participation. 
At the Hellenic Film Academy awards, while only two contributors of this independent production were members of the Academy and had voting rights in the annual awards, the film was nominated in two major categories (Female Leading Role and Music Composition), ultimately winning the Music Composition Award (Stavros Gasparatos)Stavros Gasparatos - IMDb, an unprecedented achievement for a no-budget film.
Institution/Organization 	Year	Category 	Nomination/Results	Contributors
The indieFEST (USA)The indieFEST Film Awards 	2018	Award of Recognition - Feature Film 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema LONDON (UK)International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema 	2016	Best Foreign Language Feature Film 	Nomination 	Diamantis Karanastasis
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema LONDON (Η.Β.)International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema	2016	Best Original Score 	Nomination 	Stavros Gasparatos
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema LONDON (UK)International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema 	2016	Best Original Screenplay of a Foreign Language Film	Nomination 	Diamantis Karanastasis
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema LONDON (UK)International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema 	2016	Best Editing of a Foreign Language Film 	Nomination 	Diamantis Karanastasis
Indie Gathering International Film Festival (USA)Indie Gathering Film Festival 	2014	Honorary Mention 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
Columbia Gorge International Film Festival (USA)Columbia Gorge International Film Festival 	2014	 	Official Selection	
Noida International Film Festival (India)Noida International Film Festival 	2014	Special Festival Mention 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
International Movie Awards (Indonesia)International Movie Awards 	2014	Gold Award 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
London Greek Film Festival (UK)London Greek Film Festival 	2013	Best Screenplay 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
London Greek Film Festival (UK)London Greek Film Festival 	2013	Best Actress 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
London Greek Film Festival (UK)London Greek Film Festival 	2013	Best Actress 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
Vukovar Film Festival (Croatia)Vukovar Film Festival 	2013	 	Official Selection	
San Francisco Greek Film Festival (USA)San Francisco Greek Film Festival 	2013	 	Official Selection	
Greek Film AcademyGreek Film Academy 	2013	Best Actress 	Nomination 	Vicky Volioti
Greek Film AcademyGreek Film Academy 	2013	Best Original Score 	Award 	Stavros Gasparatos
Athens International Film FestivalAthens International Film Festival 	2012	 	Official Selection	
Gijon International Film Festival (Spain)Gijon International Film Festival 	2012	 	Official Selection	
Amsterdam Film Festival (The Netherlands)Amsterdam Film Festival 	2012	Special Jury Prize - World Cinema Dramatic 	Award 	Diamantis Karanastasis
In the 2021 lockdown, Diamantis Karanastasis took charge of directing, filming, and the entire post-production process of the play Pyramides (Pyramids) written by Andreas Flourakis. This was the first fully digital performance in Greece, a project by the Karolos Koun Art Theatre, receiving excellent reviews. The critic Dr. Konstantinos Bouras highlighted in his review in the newspaper To Vima:
The project was exclusively created for the web during the lockdown and was filmed throughout the historic theatre, highlighting the absence of audience, the desolation of the space, the impasse of the cultural community, and the loneliness of the artist.Bouras, Konstantinos. "To Vima" (2021). Konstantinos Bouras Article.
In April 2021, during the second lockdown, Karanastasis filmed the movie Athens by Night: "11 pm", a cinematic portrayal of the Greek capital city, its empty streets, and closed cultural venues, set to the music of Moby. The film gained mass appeal in Greece.Bouras, Konstantinos. "To Vima" (2021). Konstantinos Bouras Article.
===Television===
He made his television debut in 1998, in the leading role in San Aderfes (Like Sisters), a TV series directed by Nikos Koutelidakis on the Hellenic Broadcasting CorporationHellenic Broadcasting Corporation. 
Ever since, he has starred in many television productions. Indicatively, in the TV series: Athootos i enohos (Guilty or Innocent), (ANT1) directed by Grigoris KarantinakisGrigoris Karantinakis - IMDb, Lifting (ANT1), directed by Grigoris PetriniotisGrigoris Petriniotis - IMDb, I agape irthe apo makrya (Love Came from Afar), (ANT1) directed by Manousos ManousakisManousos Manousakis - IMDb, Amarties goneon (Parental Sins), (MEGA), directed by Sisi SmiriliouSisi Smiriliou - IMDb, Me thea sto pelago (Gazing on the Sea), (MEGA) directed by Giannis VasileiadisGiannis Vasileiadis - IMDb, Deixe mou ton filo sou (Show Me Your Friend and…), (ANT1) directed by Akis StamatiadisAkis Stamatiadis - IMDb, and Kryfa monopatia (Hidden Pathways), (ANT1) directed by Manousos ManousakisManousos Manousakis - IMDb.
He was a guest star in the TV series: Konstantinou kai Elenis (Konstantino’s and Helen’s), aired on (ANT1), directed by Kostas LyhnarasKostas Lyhnaras - IMDb, Oi istories tou astynomou Beka (Inspector Bekas' Stories), (ALPHA) directed by Nikos KritikosNikos Kritikos - IMDb, and Epta thanasimes petheres (Seven Deadly Mothers-in-Law), (MEGA), directed by Grigoris PetriniotisGrigoris Petriniotis - IMDb.
In 2007-2008, he co-starred with Konstantinos Markoulakis, Fay Xyla, and Zeta Makripoulia in Jungermann, an M. Karagatsis novel adaptation, aired by ANT1Jungermann - IMDb. During the recession years, for more than a decade, he abstained from television acting.
In 2024, he appeared in So, Long Marianne, an international co-production about Leonard Cohen’s life, directed by Oystein Carlsen and Bronwen Hughes. He is the only Greek actor on the main cast of this 8-episode drama series starring Alex Wolff, Anna Torv, Noah Taylor, Thea Sophia Loch Næss, Simon Lööf, and others.So, Long Marianne - IMDb
===Voice-overs and dubbing===
An acclaimed voice-over artist, he has lent his voice to over 8,000 television, internet, and radio commercials, as well as documentaries, TV showsIMDb, films, theater, and TV trailersTrailer Addict. His voice is behind the Greek edition of selected animation studio movies such as MadagascarMadagascar - IMDb, Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa - IMDb, Ice AgeIce Age - IMDb, Star Wars: The Clone WarsStar Wars: The Clone Wars - IMDb, and Oliver & CompanyOliver & Company - IMDb. He has also voiced characters in video gamesIGN and is the main voice in the interactive educational applications of his start-up company, BirigogoBirigogo Official Website.
===Productions===
He has produced several theatre plays such as: Mia anasa Akoma (One More Breath), presented at the National Theatre of Greece by the Experimental Stage – "Emerging Artists"National Theatre of Greece, Neo Aima (My Blood) at Argo TheatreArgo Theatre, Istories gia gamophovikous (Stories for Marriage-phobics) at the Greek Art Theatre Karolos KounGreek Art Theatre Karolos Koun, Anonimi Agia (Nameless Saint) at the Greek Art Theatre Karolos KounGreek Art Theatre Karolos Koun, and many more. His production company has undertaken entirely or was involved in the production of feature films such as My BloodMy Blood - IMDb and InvisibleInvisible - IMDb, as well as short films, web theatre plays, radio plays, podcasts, and trailers.
In 2007, he founded DACOS, his post-production studio, with hundreds of audiovisual advertisements and filming productions under his beltDACOS Studio.
In 2022, he created Birigogo, a start-up company aimed at creating interactive educational applications of ancient Greek comedies and tragedies from the great ancient Greek playwrightsBirigogo Official Website. Upon launch, the first production of the series, The Birds by Aristophanes, was particularly well received by several news outletsThe Birds Release - Efsyn. Days after its release, the application hit first place in Apple’s App StoreApple App Store. This series is supported by the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun and the Hellenic Ministry of CultureHellenic Ministry of Culture. Upcoming projects include Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus and Helen by Euripides. Through these innovative educational interactive applications, users become acquainted with Greece’s rich cultural heritage.
==Political activity==
He is a founding member of the political party Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) and has been active since 2016, in charge of its political and communications strategyPlefsi Eleftherias Official Website. Moreover, he is the organizing brain behind various initiatives, actions, protests, and events. He is one of the complainants in the ongoing Mati case trialMati Fire Trial - Efsyn, the initiator of the movement "Justice for All"Justice for All Movement, and the founder of FreedomTVFreedomTV. 
Since 2016, he has traveled worldwide addressing his audience as a delegate for Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) in cities such as Copenhagen (Plan B)Plan B Nordic Website, Paris, Brussels, Namur, Rome (Plan B)Plan B Nordic Website, Brighton (Labour Party Congress)Labour Party UK, Reykjavik, Brazil, Belo Horizonte, and Rio de Janeiro.
In the June 2023 parliamentary elections, Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) won their first seats in the Hellenic Parliament, and he was elected as an MP in Athens A ConstituencyGreek Election Results 2023. He serves as a member of the Standing Committee on Cultural and Educational Affairs, the Special Permanent Committee on Research and Technology, and the Special Permanent Committee on Road SafetyHellenic Parliament Committees.
As an MP, he has taken a staunch stand on issues pertaining to education, the value of art in education and society, the devalued status of drama school qualifications by the State, human rights, the environment, climate change, road safety, and the importance of technology and innovation in modern lifeParliamentary Work - Efsyn.
==Personal Life==
He has been a resident of Athens since 1992. He was married to actress, director, and writer Marianna Calbari, the artistic director of the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun since 2014Marianna Calbari's work at the Greek Art Theatre - Efsyn. They have two children, Niovi (born in 2008) and Yiannos (born in 2011). They divorced in 2016. His current partner is criminal lawyer, politician, activist, and former president of the Hellenic Parliament, Zoe KonstantopoulouZoe Konstantopoulou Official Website
Category:Greek actors
Category:Filmmakers
Category:Director
Category:Producers
Category:People from Larissa
Category:1974 births