Director hits back at critics of film funding
Paris-based Greek-French filmmaker Costa-Gavras has lashed out against a portion of Greece’s media he said has insulted him in “the worst way.”
“I’ve been making films for 50 years now. I and my films have been judged in the worst and best way. But it has never been written that I was financed by a government to promote its policies or plans. This happened in Greece, where I am shooting a film for the first time,” he said.
His statement came in response to criticism of a decision by Media Minister Nikos Pappas to grant funding of nearly 630,000 euros to Gavras for a project based on the book “Adults in the Room” by Greece’s controversial former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis that recounts the the thorny negotiations between Greece and its international creditors in the first half of 2015.
The grant was approved by the government after it deemed the film fulfilled the necessary requirements under the provisions of the law regarding funding to audiovisual productions that choose Greece for their shoot.
