Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’ sends travelers sailing toward Ithaca

‘The Odyssey’ renews interest in Greek myth, even as Ithaca residents note that the island was not used as a filming location

Standing on the ferry as it waits to dock on the Greek island of Ithaca, Giorgia Ongarato is keen to talk about the Odyssey, the epic poem that inspired Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film.

The Italian lawyer said it was her dream to visit Ithaca, widely believed to be the home of Odysseus in the poem.

Dressed in a T-shirt emblazoned with “Odyssey” in ancient Greek alongside a line from the poem, she said: “I studied Greek when I was a child, and I studied the Odyssey.”

The 50-year-old said the film was not her entry point into the tale of the hero battling his way home from the Trojan War, but she was also a fan, calling it “wonderful.”

Ithaca’s businesses and officials now expect the film to inspire many more visitors.

The Ionian Sea island, off mainland Greece’s west coast, is far from the country’s tourist hubs. Despite its clear waters and spectacular bays, it has never been a regular stop for travelers.

Its rugged interior is carpeted with olive and cypress trees and remains strikingly calm even during peak season.

The movie has piqued interest but has also sparked some controversy in Greece. Although Greek locations were used, not a single scene was shot on Ithaca.

That has disappointed some of the island’s roughly 3,000 residents. The film has been shown twice in open-air screenings since its July 16 worldwide release.

Xhimi Xoxha, who runs a restaurant in the capital of Vathi, said he was pleased the movie was “generating publicity for the island.”

Ithaca Mayor Dionysis Stanitsas called the publicity “tremendous” but said he was disappointed the island itself did not feature.

“We had reached out to the production team and asked that some scenes be filmed here on the island,” he said. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t feasible.”

He is counting on rising demand next year, although the island was already fully booked for this season when the film was released.

“As more people see it, they will begin planning trips to visit the island,” he said.

Ithaca, Greece, gains fresh attention from travelers as interest in Homer’s epic grows following Christopher Nolan’s big-screen adaptation 

Visitors will not find Odysseus’ palace or a spectacular archaeological site confirming the hero’s existence. But village squares and the town hall are dotted with statues of Odysseus and Homer.

In the sun-drenched port, boats bear names such as “Telemachus,” Odysseus’ son, and “Calypso,” the goddess and nymph who imprisoned him.

Shops sell busts of Homer and Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, along with T-shirts featuring the Cyclops Polyphemus and wall plates decorated with the Trojan Horse.

Archaeologist Spyros Couvaras expects a sharp increase in visitors, saying travelers want more than sand and sea. They also want history and mythology.

A short distance from the port, holidaymakers relax at Dexia beach beneath parasols, surrounded by the sound of cicadas.

According to legend, this is where Odysseus landed after years of voyaging.

Couvaras said the movie was the “driving force” behind the renewed interest.

“But behind Nolan’s film stands Homer,” he said. — AFP