Theofanis Matsopoulos

Theofanis Matsopoulos is an award-winning planetarium filmmaker, documentary director, astrophotographer and science communicator specializing in fulldome films, giant-screen documentaries and immersive visual storytelling about astronomy and space exploration.

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His work focuses on translating complex scientific discoveries into compelling visual experiences for global audiences. He has collaborated with leading international scientific institutions including the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the European Space Agency (ESA) and NSF’s NOIRLab, producing documentaries, scientific visualizations, time-lapse sequences and multimedia content used in planetariums, museums and science centers around the world.

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He has directed and contributed to more than 20 internationally distributed astronomy documentaries and fulldome planetarium films, including From Earth to the Universe, The Hot and Energetic Universe, The Sun: Our Living Star and Unveiling the Invisible Universe. These productions have been shown in hundreds of planetariums and science centers and translated into more than 30 languages, bringing modern astrophysics and space science to millions of viewers worldwide.

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In addition to filmmaking, Theofanis Matsopoulos is a well-known astrophotographer, capturing dramatic nightscapes, celestial phenomena and deep-sky objects. His work combines scientific accuracy with artistic visual storytelling and has been presented in exhibitions and educational programs across Greece and internationally. He has also participated in numerous photo and video expeditions to document dark skies, astronomical observatories, and remote landscapes.

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His astrophotography exhibitions include “The Greece of the Stars,” “Between Heaven and Earth,” “National Observatory of Athens,” and “Ancient Corinth,” hosted in museums, observatories and cultural institutions. Through these projects he explores the relationship between the night sky, natural landscapes and cultural heritage.

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Theofanis frequently collaborates with the National Observatory of Athens, producing astronomy imagery, educational videos and public outreach content that support science education and public engagement with astronomy.

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He holds a Master’s degree in Science Communication, reflecting his commitment to bridging the gap between cutting-edge scientific research and the public through visual media, immersive storytelling and educational filmmaking.

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Theofanis is a member of International Planetarium Society since 2018 and Audiovisual Ambassador of NSF NOIRLab

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Awards

• "Golden Star Award (1st)" for the planetarium movie "The Hot and Energetic Universe"​
  (International Planetarium Movie Festival at Gwacheon National Science Museum 2016) 

• "Best FullDome Cinematography Award" for the planetarium movie "Capturing the Starlight: The Magnificent Telescopes" 
  (International Fulldome Festival & Planetarium Conference - Yaroslavl 2017)

• "Best Visual Effects Award" for the virtual reality documentary "Mars: The Red Planet VR"
  (World Visual Reality Innovation Conference 2018) 

• "The Best Science Popularizing Fulldome Show" for the planetarium movie "The Sun. Our living Star"
  (International Fulldome Festival & Planetarium Conference - Yaroslavl 2019)

• "Best Documentary Feature" for the giant screen documentary "The Great Journey"
  (Amsterdam World International Film Festival 2021)

• "Best Cinematography" for the giant screen documentary "The Great Journey"
  (San Francisco Film Festival 2021)

• "Best Documentary" for the giant screen documentary "The Great Journey"
  (Europe Film Festival U.K. Oct 2021)

• "Best Full-Dome Film" for the planetarium movie "Unveiling The Invisible Universe"​
  (20th Baikal International Film Festival 2021)

• "Special Mention for outstanding achievement in Independent filmmaking 2021" for the giant screen documentary
  The Great Journey (Austrian Film festival 2021)

• "Best Visual Effects" for the planetarium movie "Unveiling The Invisible Universe"​
  (8th Siberia Fulldome Festival 2022)

• "Best Cinematography" for the documentary  "The instruments of Light "
  ​(Eastern Europe Film Festival - March 2023)

• "Honorable Mention" for the documentary  "The Great Journey "​
  (Athens International Art Film Festival - May 2023)

• "The Best Documentary Show" for the planetarium movie "Servare Intaminatum - 180 years Athens Observatory"
  (International Fulldome Festival & Planetarium Conference - Yaroslavl 2023)

• "Best VFX" for the documentary "Troodos: Rising to the Stars"
  (Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival - Athens 2026)

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Publications

• "The world’s first downloadable, full-length fulldome show"
  Planetarian - Journal of the International Planetarium Society 2015 

• "An innovative way to do 4k fulldome filming"
  IPS 2016 Conference

• "Το Πλανητάριο στην Εκπαίδευση, το πρώτο Ψηφιακό Φορητό Πλανητάριο στην Ελλάδα"
  Πανελλήνιο Επιστημονικό Συνέδριο «Οπτικοακουστικός Γραμματισμός στην Εκπαίδευση» 2016
  Τμήμα Κινηματογράφου Σχολή Καλών Τεχνών Α.Π.Θ  

• "Från Jorden mot Universum"
  Lund University 2016

• "The Planetarium in the 21 st Century"
  Association of Brazilian Planetariums 2017

• "Vårt energirika universum"
  Lund University 2017

• "New Free ESO Show – The Sun: Our living star"
  IPS 2018 Conference

• "Some Thoughts for the Planetariums in the 21st Century"
  XII Gathering of the South American Planetarium Association – APAS ·  2021

• "Audio Universe: A More Accessible Approach to Creating Shows"
  Planetarian - Journal of the International Planetarium Society 2021

• "Advancements in High-End Fulldome Filming Technology"
  IPS 2024 Conference

• "Leveraging NSF's NOIRLab Fulldome Video Archive as a Free Open-Source
  Resource for the Planetarium Community" 
  IPS 2024 Conference

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