Jacqueline Lentzou (; born 6 June 1989) is a Greek film director and screenwriter.
Early life Lentzou was born in Athens and raised in Thessaloniki. She grew up with her mother and grandmother, and originally wanted to be a writer. She became interested in pursuing film at the age of 14 after watching Gus Van Sant's Elephant (2003). She earned film degrees from both the American College of Greece and the London Film School. While a student at the London Film School, she paused her studies for 18 months to care for her father, who had multiple sclerosis, back in Greece.
Career Lentzou's graduation film from the London Film School, Thirteen Blue, won the Golden Egg at the Reykjavík International Film Festival in 2014. She went on to write and direct several short films, including Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year, which won the Leica Cine Discovery Prize at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
Her first feature film, Moon, 66 Questions, was inspired by her time caring for her ill father while a student. The film went on to win the Golden Puffin at the Reykjavík International Film Festival in 2021. Her second feature film, A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra, was screened in the Orizzonti section of the 2026 Venice Film Festival, where she won the Best Director Award.
Filmography Year Title Director Writer Notes 2013 Thirteen Blue Short film 2016 Fox Short film 2017 Hiwa Short film 2018 Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year Short film 2020 The End of Suffering (A Proposal) Short film 2021 Moon, 66 Questions 2023 Pleiades (or Going Home) Short film 2026 A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Nominated work Result Cannes Film Festival 2018 Leica Cine Discovery Prize Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur 2018 International Short Film Competition Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year Hellenic Film Academy Awards 2019 Best Short Film Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year Reykjavík International Film Festival 2014 Golden Egg Thirteen Blue 2021 Golden Puffin Moon, 66 Questions Seville European Film Festival 2021 Best Film in The New Waves Moon, 66 Questions Venice Film Festival 2026 Orizzonti Award for Best Film A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra Orizzonti Award for Best Director
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