Stavros Kaplanidis was born in 1945 in Athens, Greece. Lived in France from 1967 to 1976 where he studied psychology at the Sorbonne and film directing at the Film and Television School. He also took documentary filmmaking courses at the University of Nanterre under Jean Roy while at the same time working as assistant director. Ιn 1984 he codirected (with Daniele Dubru) the French film The Terrible Lovers (Grand Prix, Belfort - Golden Athena, Poitiers Festival 1984). He has produced and directed a large number of documentaries for Greek National Television.