Proposed film may test Greek attitudes to gay marriage
A new screenplay about gay marriage by a Greek-based British author is expected to be shot next summer by a consortium of UK production companies.
With the working title of Shocking the Donkeys: the Gay Marriage that Rocked the Cradle of Civilisation, James Collins’s screenplay seeks to bring attention the the Greek attitude to same sex marriage, which as reported in Queer Times, 85 per cent of the country’s population are against.
The film’s producers are hoping it will do for the film’s as-yet-undecided location in Greece what Mamma Mia! did for Skoplelos.
Mr Collins said: “When they [the viewers] visit the island, we want them to see and experience everything they saw in the film, except the [homophobic] characters, of course.”
Currently, Greek marriage laws refer only to two “persons” and not to one man and one woman.
In 2008 the mayor of Tilos, Anastasios Aniferis, tested this by conducting two same-sex weddings. Subsequently a court ruled that the marriages were invalid, but the couples involved are appealing the ruling, which may end up with the European Court of Human Rights.
Greece’s current leading political party supports civil unions, but has yet to move to legalise them, while some left-wing politicians have voiced support for marriage equality.
Mr Collins also said: “I hope this film is successful and leads to a surge of gay couples worldwide thinking of having their own experience on one of the Greek islands.”
He added: “Such a surge in demand would force the Greek government into at least having to discuss the issue and do something about it rather than leaving it to people taking the law into their own hands.”
