Mario Banushi

Mario Banushi is a multi-awarded theater director whose practice moves between intimacy and myth, memory and family, articulated through a rigorously visual and non-verbal theatrical language.

Born in Greece and raised in Albania until the age of six, when he moved back to Greece, his artistic universe is shaped by displacement, family narratives, and a distinct visual sensibility. His works unfold without spoken text, inviting audiences into a sensory experience marked by visual poetry and emotional depth.

His early work “Ragada,” created during the pandemic lockdowns, marked the beginning of a practice developed outside conventional theatrical spaces.

His breakthrough piece “Goodbye, Lindita” quickly gained international attention, leading to sold-out performances and invitations to major festivals and theaters worldwide. This momentum continued with “Taverna Miresia – Mario Bella Anastasia,” which has toured extensively across Europe, North America, and Asia, establishing Banushi as a distinctive voice on the international stage.

His most recent work, “MAMI,” further expands his visual and poetic language and was presented at the Festival d’Avignon to widespread critical acclaim.

His work has been featured in “The New York Times” and the BBC, and reviewed by “The Guardian,” “Le Monde,” and “Libération.”

In 2025, he received the New Theater Artist Award from the Hellenic Association of Theater Critics, followed by the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2026.

Mario Banushi is an Onassis AiR Fellow for 2023-24 through the Dramaturgy Fellowship and for 2025-26 in the framework of Onassis AiR's collaboration with NTCH.