Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has personally congratulated British filmmaker Christopher Nolan on the success of The Odyssey, praising the director for bringing Homer’s epic poem to the big screen and renewing global interest in ancient Greek civilization.
Mitsotakis spoke with Nolan during a video call on Monday, according to an official statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the conversation, the prime minister congratulated the award-winning director on his cinematic interpretation of the Homeric epic and thanked him for the film’s contribution to the growing worldwide interest in ancient Greek culture.
Mitsotakis said productions such as The Odyssey help bridge Greece’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary creativity.
The prime minister also highlighted the film’s significant commercial success and expressed his appreciation that an important portion of the production was filmed in Greece.
The call came as The Odyssey continued its commanding performance in Greek cinemas.
The film attracted 137,094 admissions during its second four-day weekend, from July 23 through July 26, and remained firmly in first place at the Greek box office. Its total admissions in Greece had reached 408,758 after just two weeks in theaters, according to figures published by Greek cinema publication FLIX.
The film opened in Greece with 151,415 admissions during its first four days and continued drawing nearly the same number of moviegoers during its second weekend, despite adverse weather affecting cinema attendance in parts of the country.
Nolan’s adaptation has transformed Homer’s ancient story into one of the year’s largest international cinematic events, while also placing Greece, its landscapes and its cultural legacy before a vast global audience.
For Greece, the film’s success carries particular resonance. The Odyssey, traditionally attributed to Homer, is one of the foundational works of Greek and Western literature, chronicling the long journey of Odysseus as he attempts to return home to Ithaca following the Trojan War.
The strong domestic turnout suggests that Greek audiences have been equally eager to see how Nolan has reimagined one of the country’s most enduring stories for the modern screen.
