Venice awards Silver Lion for theater achievement

Greek-Albanian playwright and director Mario Banushi will receive the prestigious Silver Lion award at the Venice Biennale this summer, marking a significant milestone for the young theater artist. The announcement came during Banushi’s recent tour in New York, where he was performing his play “Mami” at the Under the Radar Festival. According to Banushi, actor Willem Dafoe and his assistant delivered the news via video call on January 13, revealing that the committee had unanimously selected him for the honor.

The award recognizes Banushi’s innovative theatrical work, which has gained international recognition over recent years. Based in Athens, the director has created a trilogy of acclaimed productions including “Ragada,” “Goodbye, Lindita,” and “Taverna Miresia,” which preceded “Mami.” He will travel to Venice with his entire team to stage all three works as part of the award ceremony.

Rising Recognition for Theater Director Mario Banushi

The Silver Lion announcement comes on the heels of Banushi’s successful 17-day run in New York, where “Mami” sold out all five performances at the Skirball Center. According to the director, selling out is uncommon for “unknown” artists from Europe at the festival. The production also received coverage in The New York Times, prompting Banushi to purchase a physical copy of the newspaper as a keepsake.

The performance tour was supported by the Onassis Stegi Touring Program, which has helped bring Banushi’s work to international audiences. Since the Venice Biennale news became public, the director reports receiving an unprecedented volume of messages and phone calls from well-wishers and supporters.

Journey to International Theater Recognition

Banushi’s career began modestly with a 20-minute production of “Ragada” performed in a hotel room at the St George Lycabettus as part of an art exhibition. The work later expanded and moved to an apartment in Ilioupoli, where representatives from the National Theater discovered it. This led to an invitation to create “Goodbye, Lindita” for the theater’s Experimental Stage, which ran for three years instead of the originally planned three weeks.

The international trajectory of Banushi’s work began when foreign curators attended a National Theater showcase and invited him to perform in Serbia. Additionally, the director has attracted attention from prominent cultural figures, including French artist Sophie Calle and actress Isabelle Huppert, who attended a performance at the Avignon Festival.

Personal Background and Creative Influences

Born in Greece to Albanian parents, Banushi spent summers in Albania with his father and grandmother on the outskirts of Tirana. His parents separated before his birth, and he was raised by his grandmother for his first months before returning to Greece for school. Despite being born, baptized, and educated in Greece, Banushi still travels on an Albanian passport and does not possess a Greek ID, though he has begun the citizenship application process.

Food plays a central role in both Banushi’s personal life and artistic work. According to the director, both his parents worked as cooks, with his father running a taverna in Albania. This culinary heritage appears throughout his productions, from rolling pastry on stage in “Ragada” to characters eating dinner while watching television in “Lindita.”

Training and Artistic Development

Banushi studied at the Athens Conservatory drama school, where he worked at his mother’s bakery to support himself. He describes himself as a dedicated student who considered switching to the dance program but ultimately continued with drama while taking dance classes alongside his main studies. Between his third and fourth years, he created an eight-minute black-and-white film titled “Pranvera,” which screened at the Tirana International Short Film Festival.

The director continues to live in the Pangrati neighborhood of Athens, where he has resided alone since age 20. He reports using public transportation exclusively and occasionally being recognized by theatergoers on the metro, though he notes this recognition surprises him as he associates it more with television personalities than theater artists.

Before the Venice ceremony, Banushi and his team will continue touring while he develops ideas for a new play. His current residence permit expires this summer, coinciding with the upcoming Silver Lion award ceremony where the complete trilogy will be staged.