The Greek Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, has unleashed a fervent critique against Netflix for its dramatized documentary series on Alexander the Great. Ms. Mendoni expressed her disapproval of the series, labeling it as "extremely poor-quality fiction" and criticizing its "sleazy content, rife with historical inaccuracies."
Despite her strong stance on the documentary's shortcomings, Ms. Mendoni emphasized that there is no possibility of censorship or banning the series in Greece. In fact, she underscored that such actions are characteristic of authoritarian regimes and are against the Greek constitution, which guarantees the freedom of art.
The Minister's comments were prompted by a question posed by the president of the far-right-leaning party, “Niki”, who denounced the series as "deplorable, unacceptable, and unhistorical." In particular, Niki’s president objected to the portrayal of Alexander the Great engaging in romantic relations with his friend and confidant Hephaestion, calling it a distortion of historical truth.
“Alexander the Great documentary is sloppy and historically inaccurate”
Ms. Mendoni responded in detail, criticizing the lack of emphasis on various aspects of Alexander the Great's personality in the Netflix series. She accused the documentary of historical inaccuracies and directorial sloppiness, characterizing it as an attempt to attract viewers through sensationalism rather than adhering to historical events.
Regarding the concept of love in antiquity, Ms. Mendoni acknowledged its broad and multidimensional nature. She cautioned against interpreting historical figures based on a contemporary perspective.
"It is essential to recognize that the concept of love in antiquity is broad and multifaceted. We cannot interpret practices or individuals who lived 2,300 years ago through our own measures, norms, and perspectives. Alexander the Great, for the past 2,300 years, has never required, nor does he need now, the intervention of any self-appointed guardian of his historical memory, or even more so, of his personality and moral standing."
In response to inquiries about potential measures against Netflix, Ms. Mendoni said:
"The Ministry of Culture does not exercise censorship, does not carry out actions that result in prosecution or ban, does not manipulate, does not limit, does not control the dissemination of information and ideas neither preventively nor repressively", the Minister stated.
Ms. Mendoni also highlighted the importance of evaluating art, as individuals and as a collective:
"The inspiration of artists, personal interpretation, and the judgment of individuals cannot, evidently, be subjected to a regulatory regime and control, nor can it be governed by the courts or dragged into them. Instead, it is assessed and judged by each of us, by the international community."
"This is how Netflix is also evaluated. Almost everything under the sun has been written and said about Alexander the Great, as well as all the prominent figures in world history. It is the magnitude of these personalities that consistently sparks the interest of scholars, inspires artists, and evokes admiration or envy among people. Consequently, it results in the indelible recording of these figures in historical memory and human mythology", she concluded.
