Greek Film Selection Chaos Deepens as Government Seeks Solutions

One week after Greece’s Oscar selection descended into chaos, the industry met with government officials to address their frustrations with the state’s handling of the Greek film sector. The turmoil intensified when all but two of the 23 eligible films withdrew from consideration for the international feature film race at the 97th Academy Awards. This led to urgent meetings aimed at finding a way forward amid growing discontent among stakeholders.

Producer Maria Drandaki, part of a delegation from the Audiovisual Producers’ Association of Greece (SAPOE), remarked that the Oscars debacle is merely “the tip of the iceberg.” She elaborated that the issue has magnified existing tensions within the audiovisual sector, frustrations that have been simmering for months without adequate response from the government.

The controversy began earlier this month when the Greek culture ministry selected four industry professionals to decide the country’s Oscar submission. The appointees included film critic Leda Galanou, actress Kora Karvounis, screenwriter Kallia Papadakis, and director Vassilis Kekatos. Just two days later, these members were informed via email that their selection was a mistake and had not been finalized. A new committee was quickly formed, sparking outrage from Greek industry representatives who condemned the ministry’s “unacceptable and distressing” management of the situation.

This mishap led to a frantic week of public critiques. More than two dozen filmmakers withdrew their films from Oscar consideration, expressing doubts about the credibility and validity of the selection procedure. The saga continued to unfold with members of the replacement committee resigning. Among them was Asimina Proedrou, director of last year’s Oscar submission “Behind the Haystacks,” who announced her resignation on Facebook, stating she refused to legitimize the government’s bungling.

Deputy Minister of Culture Iasonas Fotilas further muddied the waters by shifting blame to an unnamed subordinate, whom he accused of acting unlawfully. In response, a union of culture ministry employees countered, accusing Fotilas of scapegoating. The employees defended their integrity and demanded that the government assume responsibility for the fiasco.

Drandaki, behind Sofia Exarchou’s 2023 Locarno prizewinner “Animal,” highlighted ongoing grievances between filmmakers and the government. She cited frustration with Creative Greece, a new body set to oversee all audiovisual production. Creative Greece unites the Greek Film Center and the National Center of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME), which manages the country’s 40% cash rebate scheme. However, delays in announcing its board of directors and ongoing funding shortfalls at the Greek Film Center exacerbated the tension.

Moreover, many Greek filmmakers argued that deputy minister Fotilas, new to his post since June, was ill-equipped to manage the escalating crisis. Fotilas responded by claiming he identified “illegal behavior” by a civil servant and proposed forming a new selection committee. He asserted willingness to change the law to hand over the Oscar selection process to the Hellenic Film Academy, a move long encouraged by local filmmakers.

Fotilas stated, “I hope that my commitments will be enough to make them reconsider. Otherwise, I am afraid that we will kill Greek cinema.” However, with just over two weeks left before the submission deadline of Sept. 13, Drandaki remarked that the industry “needs more” from the government to contemplate resubmitting their films.

Last week, the Hellenic Film Academy requested the current selection process be scrapped and suggested that Greece refrain from submitting a film for next year’s Academy Awards. Academy president Lefteris Charitos acknowledged it was a radical move but expressed doubts about reversing the damage before the October 2 submission deadline. He emphasized the unity among filmmakers as they strive to resolve the crisis.

As the Greek film industry bands together, filmmaker Yorgos Zois, who won best director at the Sarajevo Film Festival, linked the Oscar fiasco to other recent government failures. He criticized officials for avoiding accountability while blaming low-level employees. Zois stated, “The government should be the servants of the people and not the rulers. As long as they are violent, disrespectful, and arrogant to us, we will continue to resist, united on all fronts.”

Despite the turmoil, the Greek film community remains committed to addressing these systemic issues, driven by a shared determination to see meaningful change. Whether the government will meet their demands and restore confidence in the selection process remains to be seen.

Source: Variety