The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, thanked Christopher Nolan for his film “Odyssey” — an adaptation of Homer’s renowned ancient poem for the big screen, which has become “a very big success”, according to a statement from the Greek Prime Minister’s office published on Tuesday, July 28.
During a teleconference on Monday evening, Kyriakos Mitsotakis “thanked the British director for the film’s contribution to the growing global interest in ancient Greek civilization”, the communiqué specified. The Prime Minister himself noted: “Such productions connect Greece’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary creativity.”
Commercial success of the film
“Odyssey”, which was released in theaters following an international debut two weeks ago, continues to draw audiences, demonstrating “very great commercial success”. The Universal Studios blockbuster, with a budget of $250 million, has attracted over 3 million viewers in France since July 15, according to the website Boxoffice Pro. In North America, the film remains at the top of the box office for the second consecutive week, earning an additional $87 million, according to industry estimates published on Sunday.
Criticism and filming locations
A different opinion about the film was expressed by Hellenist Emily Wilson, who translated Homer’s “Odyssey” in 2017, which Nolan cited as a source of inspiration for his cinematic interpretation. In a review published in the London Review of Books, she criticized the script for its “lack of depth on psychological, emotional, political, and ethical levels”.
The Prime Minister of Greece also congratulated Christopher Nolan on the “very great commercial success” of his film and “expressed gratitude for the fact that a significant part of the filming took place in Greece”. Some scenes were shot in locations in Messenia and Corinthia on the Peloponnese (southern Greece). The choice of location for other scenes in Dakhla, a militarized zone controlled by Morocco and claimed by supporters of the independence of Western Sahara, sparked sharp controversy.
Source: Libération
