Aufregung in Griechenland wegen makedonischen Film "To the hilt"


Der griechische Botschafter in der Schweiz schrieb die Organisation des OneMovie Film Festivals in Lugano an um den griechischen Film, der Teil des Festivals sein sollte, zurück zu ziehen. Als Grund gab der Botschafter an, dass die makedonischen Filme wie "To the Hilt" als Filme aus der Republik Makedonien angekündigt wurden, und nicht (laut der griechischen Wunschvorstellung) als Film aus der Ehemaligen Jugoslawischen Republik Makedonien oder EJRM.
Die griechische Zeitung Ta Nea informierte die griechische Öffentlichkeit über den Vorfall und rügte die Regierung "das man bei anderen Veranstaltungen dieser Art auf einem Auge Blind seie wie in Berlin, Cannes oder Venedig". 
Mehr dazu unten - auf englisch.



Greek Directors Angry: Athens Censors Films Because of the Name


The Greek Ambassador to Switzerland, Karalambos Menesis sent a letter to the organizers of the film festival in Lugano and requested the Greek film to be withdrawn as a sign of protest because our country was recorded in the program as Macedonia. The Greeks have been revolted because the Macedonian Films have been presented under the constitutional name at the Film Festival held in Lugano, Switzerland, reads Telegraf.mk.

As the Greek newspaper "Ta Nea" reads, the Greek ambassador to Switzerland, Karalambos Menesis sent a letter to the organizers of the film festival and requested the Greek film to be withdrawn as a sign of protest because instead of FYROM, the official program read the name of our country as Macedonia.

The newspaper "Ta Nea" cites that the Greek government turns a blind eye when the same happens at the more prominent film festivals in Cannes, Berlin and Venice, where the neighboring country gets represented under its constitutional name.

Revolted Greek directors and producers in the statement for "Ta Nea" say it is sad that Skopje uses various weapons to run a foreign policy during such events.

The newspaper wondered about the paradox that such a "hard" policy has not been led during major film festivals.

"Of course this cannot be done in Cannes as it would be stigmatization again."

Basically, it's a showdown with weaker - with directors who have an interest to be represented at such international festivals – reckon the Greek filmmakers.

Greek director Asimina Proedru said: "Neither the Greek Embassy nor any other has the right to censor broadcasting of the film, even in the absence of the directors."

"Ta Nea" text further reads that the only loser is the Greek cinematography, not Skopje and Greece gets compared with Iran, a country where the directors have been detained.

Otherwise, during the film festival in Switzerland four short Macedonian films have been competing.     

Gjorce Stavreski director, whose film was shown at the festival, says he has heard about the reaction from the southern neighbor for the first time.

"Honestly, during other festivals I have not faced any backlashes in terms of the country's name. Normally, we mingle with the people from the Balkans, and I have friends in Greece who have a clear position on this issue and are not with” heated” heads. Currently we are competing for the film festival in Thessaloniki – in the program for funding we write Macedonia but they write FYROM. But no one has ever asked us why we write Macedonia", says Stavreski for Telegraf.mk.

In addition, Eleanora Veninova, the director whose short film "Hair" has been shown in Switzerland, has told us that she hasn’t heard about the Greek reaction.

"I have not had inconveniences during other festivals because the Festivals independently decide whether they would address us as Macedonia or FYROM and almost always it has been Macedonia. When I was at the Festival in Drama in Greece, where the movie "Hair" was in official competition, the organizers everywhere announced the movie as a movie from FYROM, but during my official statements I was introducing myself as a director from Macedonia and they had no problem with it. I won a prize for a pitching workshop, held alongside the festival for the next short film I make, so the film professionals had never been a problem."

"Certainly, sometimes there are reactions from the audience or people we come across there, but it has not been anything news",says Veninova.

Lugano Festival is taking place from October 20 to today. Under the program, the festival should show a Greek film "Anna" by Spyros Charalambous. Telegraf.mk has failed to make a contact with the film festival organizers to find out if the Greek film has been recalled as the ambassador has already asked for.



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