Michael Cacoyannis (1922–2011) was a Greek Cypriot filmmaker, theatre director, and playwright. He is best known for writing, directing, producing, and editing ZORBA THE GREEK (1964), an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel of the same name. Cacoyannis was nominated for five Academy Awards, more than any other Cypriot: three of the nominations were for ZORBA THE GREEK (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay), whilst the other two were Best Foreign Language Film nominations for ELECTRA (1962) and IPHIGENIA (1977). He received many other accolades, including the Technical Grand Prize and six Palme d'Or nominations at the Cannes Film Festival.