Terra di civiltà e di barbarie: rappresentazioni cinematografiche della Grecia degli altri, tra autenticità e mistificazione

Talking about Greece nowadays does not only mean becoming aware of the immense cultural, social, and linguistic heritage which characterizes the country, but also accepting the huge change which is affecting the nation. The paper focuses on the international cinematographic account on Greece in order to explore the spectrum of non-Greek visions concerning Greek life, history, culture, and traditions. The work is aimed – through the analysis of both American and Italian movies – at outlining stereotypes and authentic elements of the foreign movie industry’s representation of “Greekness”, browsing some of its most typical leitmotifs. In this respect, noteworthy examples are: the ancient myth; the brutality of war; the cultural misappropriation; the tourism business. The article deals with these issues in an attempt to define possible future developments and points for reflection.