TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2003
Greek filmmakers urge boycott of American movies
AP
ATHENS: Greek filmmakers, including award-winning director Theo Angelopoulos, called for a boycott on Monday of American movies to protest the war in Iraq.
The Union of Greek Filmmakers said the boycott was "not a condemnation of the American people or American art" but a protest against the war.
It said it would hand out leaflets promoting the action at movie theatres, many of which are hoping to boost sales following the Academy Awards.
"I support the boycott of American films as an indication of protest against the American attack against Iraq," the union quoted Angelopoulos as saying.
Angelopoulos, who could not be reached for comment, has won a number of international awards for his critically acclaimed but famously slow-paced movies. In 1998, he won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival for "Eternity and a Day." In 1995, he took the Critics Grand Prix at Cannes for "Ulysses' Gaze."
Consumer unions last week called for a boycott of American goods.
Greeks overwhelmingly oppose the war, which has caused a wave of anti-American sentiment around the country.
Thousands of people have staged mass demonstrations nearly every day since the conflict began. Two protests in Athens last week attracted more than 100,000 people.
The Socialist government supports the rallies.
A sudden snowstorm on Monday forced high school students to cancel a demonstration in central Athens.
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