‘Mediterraneo’ film set sparked Greece-Turkey tension – General news – ANSAMed
into an Italian military one to shoot the first scene of the
1992 Oscar award-winning film ‘Mediterraneo’ sparked
intervention from Turkish military aircraft off the island of
Kastellorizo, less than 3 kilometers from the Turkish coast.
Explanations ended up preventing a diplomatic incident
between Greece and Turkey.
This story was told by the director of photography of the
film, Italo Petriccione, in a video connection with Genoa’s
Cineclub Nickelodeon during an event in which the film’s
director Gabriele Salvatores also took part.
“Mediterraneo was filmed on the island of Kastellorizo in
1991 in two months. Producer Gianni Minervini repeated to us
many times that there was the need to ‘save’, “Petriccione said.
“Thus, through the Greek culture ministry we managed to get a
ship loaned to us for only three hours to simulate the
disembarking of eight Italian soldiers on the small island in
the Aegean Sea in 1941. However, after the Turkish army spotted
a Greek ship flying an Italian flag, a reconnaissance aircraft
arrived while the filming was underway.” (ANSAmed).
