Roviros Manthoulis: The broadcasting of my film by a despicable channel is a defamation
An angry announcement against EDT and the Minister in charge from director Roviros Manthoulis, for the broadcasting of his film “Madam Mayor” by EDT on Wednesday night. The director is signing the announcement as Dovidos Manthoulis, making a deliberate anagram, just as the ERT sign has been replaced by EDT. He announced that he will pursue legal action, while, in a letter of his, referring to the “black on public frequencies”, he spoke about a disgraceful, treasonous, antinational act. The beginning of broadcasts by the “pirate” television station EDT (Greek Public Television) was in the evening of Wednesday the 10th of July with Roviros Manthoulis’s film.
“Kapsis, in his youth, asked me for my films in order to open a cine-club. He decided to finally start it with “Madam Mayor” (in Greek, “Kyria Dimarhos”). In EDT, which mispronounces ERT. It is seen, the Minister will say, a historical moment. We are starting with a film by Manthoulis, who curses at us. So, my film will become “Kydia Dimadhos”. Unfortunately, I cannot stop or forbid it. I can only ask, through legal procedures, for twenty thousand euros as compensation for defaming me, by broadcasting my film through a despicable channel. Because all Greeks, as soon as the film will appear on the “box”, will be spitting at the screen. I hope that, right after “Kydia Dimadhos”, we will have the Prostitute’s Funeral. That is, EDT’s”, the director announced.
A few days earlier, he had published a poignant letter titled “Sinners and Men of Arms” (“Amartoloi” – sinners and “Armatoloi” – men of arms during the Turkish Occupation), with which he was attacking the government for what has been lately happening in the “gigantic Ministry of Culture”, as the director calls ERT, which belongs to the state and not to the authority.