Costa-Gavras was born in Loutra Heraias, Greece, on February 13, 1933. He left Greece, at the age of 22, coming to Paris as an economic migrant. He enrolled at the Sorbonne University before being admitted to the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques (IDHEC). After graduating, he worked as an assistant director for great directors such as René Clair, René Clément, Henri Verneuil, Jacques Demy, Marcel Ophuls, Jean Giono and Jean Becker.

In 1965 he directed his first feature film, The Sleeping Car Murders – Edgar Poe prize and among best 10 films of the year by the New York film critics society. He then carried on with Shock Troops.

His subsequent films were highly acclaimed: Z got 5 Academy Awards nominations and won Best Foreign Film and Best Editing, Special Jury prize and interpretation prize for Jean-Louis Trintignant at the Cannes Film Festival and dozens of others.

Through his political films, Costa-Gavras tackled the burning issues of his time. He has made 20 films, including The Confession, State of siege – Louis Delluc Prize- Special Section, Woman light, Missing (Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Palme d’Or and Best Actor Award for Jack Lemmon at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival), Hanna K, Family Business, Betrayed, Music Box (Golden Bear in Berlin), The Little Apocalypse, Mad City, Amen, The Ax, Eden is West, Capital, Adults in the Room.

His latest film, Last Breath, was released in France on February 12, 2025 and has been selected in numerous festivals, such as the 2024 San Sebastian Film Festival and the 2025 International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Since 1968 Costa-Gavras has been married to Michèle Ray, journalist then film producer. They have three children together: Alexandre, producer, and Julie and Romain, film directors.

In 2018, Costa-Gavras published his autobiography Va où il est impossible d’aller (Go Where It Is Impossible to Go).

President of the Cinémathèque Française since 2007.

Commander of National Order of Legion honour, commander of Arts and Letters and of the National Order of Merit.

In 2025, he received the Honorary Cesar at the 50th edition of the Cesar Ceremony.