Θανάσης Ρεντζής

Thanasis Rentzis (1947–2025) ,born in Aigio, Achaea Prefecture, studied Directing at the Athens School of Theatre and Cinema. In 1968, along with Fotis Karamitsos, Stavros Poulakis, and Thanasis Kastaniotis, he co-formed a multidisciplinary study and research group that focused on mathematics, cybernetics, new media, and, primarily, cinema. In the winter of 1970, he founded the Experimental Film Center with Dimitris Spentzos, which functioned until 1973. In 1974, together with Thanasis Kastaniotis, they published the first issue of the FILM magazine, which he directed until 1986. He was a regular speaker and a pioneer on all topics related to cinema and new technologies at the Department of Theatre Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens during the second half of the 1970s. In 1977, he became the leading figure in the Greek filmmakers’ movement against the government’s policies at the time, undertaking the organization of an “Anti-festival.” Next, he systematically focused on trade unionism (until 1982). He consecutively served as the Secretary and President of the Greek Directors Guild, as well as a member of the three-member committee of the Federation of European Film Directors (FERA). In 1978, he collaborated with Iannis Xenakis in the theatrical production Mycenae Polytopon, undertaking the direction and the lighting. He was a key speaker on topics related to cinema and new media at the Free Open Universities from 1981 to 1986. In 1986, he was appointed as the director of the Thessaloniki Greek Film Festival, overseeing its reorganization as well, but he quit after two years owing to disputes with the trade unions in the film industry. Subsequently, he was appointed director of the Entertainment Department of ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation), but left the position in 1990. From the early 2000 and onwards, he taught the Film and New Media Aesthetics course in the postgraduate program “Digital Arts” of the Athens School of Fine Arts.