Author Victoria Hislop said Christopher Nolan's film "The Odyssey" is generating significant excitement among British audiences and serving as a valuable cultural showcase for Greece abroad, in comments to ERTnews.
Ms. Hislop, a naturalized Greek citizen and British author best known for her novel "The Island," said the film has become a major talking point in England, with strong public enthusiasm despite some mixed reviews.
She said the production is helping reignite interest in Greece and its ancient traditions.
Ms. Hislop said she has already seen the film in Agios Nikolaos, Crete, and plans to watch it again in Britain with friends, expressing hope that beyond its box office success, it will leave a lasting legacy of renewed interest in Greek culture and language.
She noted that interest in Greek mythology is not new, pointing to the popularity of Stephen Fry's books, which have reintroduced figures like Achilles and Circe to wide audiences. However, she said the film adaptation could further accelerate that trend and draw more young people toward classical studies, since many viewers are encountering the story of Odysseus for the first time through the film.
Ms. Hislop also predicted the film would boost interest in Greek destinations tied to Homeric mythology, joking that she worries her beloved Ithaca could see a surge in tourist traffic as fans seek out locations associated with Odysseus.
Addressing criticism the film has received, Ms. Hislop pushed back, calling the production "extraordinary" and arguing it introduces Greek culture and thought to audiences who might otherwise never engage with classical studies or ancient Greek.