Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has spoken to filmmaker Christopher Nolan to congratulate him on “The Odyssey” and thank him for boosting international interest in Greek culture, officials said Tuesday.

Mitsotakis’ office said in a statement that the prime minister also voiced satisfaction in Monday’s conference call that much of the shooting took place in Greece.

Nolan’s blockbuster, based on the ancient Greek epic attributed to Homer, brought in more than $260 million worldwide during its opening weekend. Overall, it has made an estimated $639.6 million globally so far, with $128.3 million from international theaters.

Greek audiences, notably prickly on how the country’s cultural heritage is interpreted abroad, have generally received the film well and Mitsotakis’ office said he congratulated Nolan on his take on the nearly 3,000-year-old work.

“[Mitsotakis] thanked [Nolan] for the film’s contribution to strengthening international interest in ancient Greek civilisation, adding that such productions bridge Greece’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary creative art,” the statement added.

Source: Εkathimerini.com