Latest news with #YorgosLanthimos
Metro
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Greece files lawsuit against Adidas over drone shoe 'kicking' Acropolis advert
Greece has filed a lawsuit against Adidas over what appeared to be a drone light show advertising the sports brand over the Acropolis. Images and video shared on social media show illuminated drones forming a shoe, with the ancient Athens citadel in the background. Adidas's three stripe logo, along with the words Feel Fast, were also displayed using the lights. Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said on Friday that the show used the Acropolis for commercial purposes against a national law and took place without approval from the Culture Ministry. 'It's like the Adidas shoe kicking the Acropolis,' Ms Mendoni told local Skai radio. 'A lawsuit has been already filed against anyone responsible.' Adidas said in a statement that 'all required permits were received and adhered to'. 'No image of the Acropolis monument was used by Adidas for advertising or other purposes.' The light show was put on by Essence Mediacom as part of a campaign for an Adidas product. Some reports suggest Essence Mediacom applied on April 30 for permission to hold the show and was granted approval for the fee of 'just 380 euros ($423)'. The drones were launched from the Zappeion, a neo-classical palatial building managed by a state-appointed commission, which is overseen by the national economy ministry. Ms Mendoni said: 'The Zappeion administration should have sought approval from the Culture Ministry before granting such authorisation. 'There has been a violation of the law on archaeological heritage.' Laws regulating the use of Greek archaeological sites – many dating back more than 2,500 years – are particularly strict. The Acropolis, which sits on a hill in Athens, was built in 432BC to honour the goddess of Athena and is one of the most visited sites in the world. The opposition Pasok party accused the government of negligence, saying: 'The Acropolis, a global symbol of culture and democracy, cannot be treated as a backdrop for commercial use. More Trending 'Serious questions arise about the role and responsibility of the Culture Ministry.' The incident comes after the Culture Ministry rejection an application from Greek Oscar-winning director Yorgos Lanthimos to film at the Acropolis. The ministry argued the scenes do not reflect the historic site's image. People have criticised the decision, with one person writing online this week: 'No to Yorgos Lanthimos. Yes to Adidas. No to art, yes to money.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'It's very chill': Your favourite European beaches that aren't full of tourists MORE: Is it safe to travel to Crete? Tsunami alert issued for Greek holiday island MORE: Map shows where Crete earthquake hit amid tsunami warning
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Why Greece is suing a major shoe brand
Greece has filed a lawsuit against Adidas for an advertising campaign featuring a drone show near the Acropolis. According to images posted online, the show depicted drones forming the Adidas logo and a shoe with the Acropolis as a backdrop. Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stated the campaign exploited the Acropolis for commercial gain, violating national law and bypassing mandatory approvals. The lawsuit targets all those responsible for the campaign, she said. Adidas declined to comment. This incident follows Greece's rejection of a filming request by director Yorgos Lanthimos for his movie Bugonia at the Acropolis, citing incompatibility with the symbolism of the site. Greece files lawsuit against Adidas for ad showing a 'shoe kicking the Acropolis'
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Adidas ad showing shoe on Acropolis sparks outrage in Greece
HighlightsA promotional video for Adidas featuring a multicoloured trainer on the Acropolis has sparked public outrage in Greece, leading to the government's announcement of legal action due to the lack of a filming permit. Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni described the imagery as 'extremely unpleasant,' likening it to 'the Adidas shoe... kicking the Acropolis,' and stated that a legal complaint would be filed against those responsible. The incident raised concerns about the management of the Zappeion Hall, where the drone show was held, as the Culture Ministry had previously denied a filming request from acclaimed Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, citing preservation of the historic site's image. A promotional video for Adidas featuring a multicoloured trainer on the Acropolis has sparked public outrage in Greece, prompting the government on Friday to announce legal action as no filming permit was granted. "The legal procedure was not followed," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told Skai radio, describing the imagery as "extremely unpleasant" and likening it to "the Adidas shoe... kicking the Acropolis". She said a legal complaint would be filed against "all those responsible," with the judiciary expected to investigate how the incident occurred. Adidas's Greek subsidiary did not respond to AFP requests for comment. The image, splashed across the front pages of several Greek media outlets on Friday, was captured during a drone show held Thursday evening at the Zappeion Hall. The neoclassical building in central Athens is used for events and managed by a state-run legacy commission under the supervision of the Finance Ministry. The drone display was staged by the company Essence Mediacom as part of a campaign for an Adidas product. According to some reports, Essence Mediacom applied on April 30 for permission to hold the show and was granted approval in exchange for a fee of "just 380 euros ($423)". Essence Mediacom also did not respond to AFP's inquiries. Mendoni said: "The Zappeion administration should have sought approval from the Culture Ministry before granting such authorisation." "There has been a violation of the law on archaeological heritage," she added. Greek law regulating the use of archaeological sites -- many dating back more than 2,500 years -- is particularly strict. The Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in the 5th century BC, received over 4.5 million visitors in 2024. "The Acropolis, a global symbol of culture and democracy, cannot be treated as a backdrop for commercial use," said the opposition Pasok party, accusing the government of negligence. "Serious questions arise about the role and responsibility of the Culture Ministry," the party added. In early April, the Culture Ministry had rejected a request from Oscar-winning Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos to film at the Acropolis, arguing that the scenes did not reflect the historic site's image. The incident has also sparked criticism on social media, with users posting: "No to Yorgos Lanthimos. Yes to Adidas. No to art, yes to money." bur-hec/yap/srg/phz
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Adidas ad showing shoe on Acropolis sparks outrage in Greece
A promotional video for Adidas featuring a multicoloured trainer on the Acropolis has sparked public outrage in Greece, prompting the government on Friday to announce legal action as no filming permit was granted. "The legal procedure was not followed," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told Skaï radio, describing the imagery as "extremely unpleasant" and likening it to "the Adidas shoe... kicking the Acropolis". She said a legal complaint would be filed against "all those responsible," with the judiciary expected to investigate how the incident occurred. Adidas's Greek subsidiary did not respond to AFP requests for comment. The image, splashed across the front pages of several Greek media outlets on Friday, was captured during a drone show held Thursday evening at the Zappeion Hall. The neoclassical building in central Athens is used for events and managed by a state-run legacy commission under the supervision of the Finance Ministry. The drone display was staged by the company Essence Mediacom as part of a campaign for an Adidas product. According to some reports, Essence Mediacom applied on April 30 for permission to hold the show and was granted approval in exchange for a fee of "just 380 euros ($423)". Essence Mediacom also did not respond to AFP's inquiries. Mendoni said: "The Zappeion administration should have sought approval from the Culture Ministry before granting such authorisation." "There has been a violation of the law on archaeological heritage," she added. Greek law regulating the use of archaeological sites -- many dating back more than 2,500 years -- is particularly strict. The Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in the 5th century BC, received over 4.5 million visitors in 2024. "The Acropolis, a global symbol of culture and democracy, cannot be treated as a backdrop for commercial use," said the opposition Pasok party, accusing the government of negligence. "Serious questions arise about the role and responsibility of the Culture Ministry," the party added. In early April, the Culture Ministry had rejected a request from Oscar-winning Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos to film at the Acropolis, arguing that the scenes did not reflect the historic site's image. The incident has also sparked criticism on social media, with users posting: 'No to Yorgos Lanthimos. Yes to Adidas. No to art, yes to money.'
RTÉ News
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Something For The Something – Keeley Forsyth's cultural picks
Keeley Forsyth is a composer, singer and actor from Oldham in the north-west of England. Her debut album Debris (2020) was hailed by The Sunday Times as 'one of the most remarkable [albums] in years'. It was followed by the highly-acclaimed Limbs (2022) and the equally lauded The Hollows (2024). As an actor, recent screen appearances include roles in Jessica Hausner's dark satire Club Zero as well as Yorgos Lanthimos's multi-award-winning Poor Things. She has also starred in popular television programmes such as Happy Valley, Luther and Criminal Justice. This month, Keeley performs with collaborator Matthew Bourne in the National Concert Hall Studio on May 13th, as part of the NCH's Metronome Series. We asked Keely for her choice cultural picks... FILM I am looking forward to watching Monk In Pieces – a documentary about the performer and interdisciplinary artist Meredith Monk. MUSIC I recently collaborated with a vocal artist, an actor, and a musician. We were workshopping new ideas for a play directed by Samantha Shay. During that time, I learned a Ukrainian folk song - Plyve Kacha - sang to me by one of the actors there, Ditte Berkeley, who co-founded the Tzar Theatre Grotowski in Poland. We connected, and she generously taught me the song. Since then, I've found myself humming it often. It's stayed with me—not just the melody, but the feeling behind it. As I sing it to myself, I'm reminded of the pain and cruelty that war brings. BOOK The Son of Man by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo. I admire everything he writes. His work is both tender and vivid, and there's a quiet courage in the way he approaches each subject. His writing stays with me - thoughtful, evocative, and deeply human. THEATRE The last play I saw was The Seagull at The Barbican - I was blown away by the new adaptation by Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier. I am hoping to see my mate Maxine Peake at Nottingham Playhouse in September, in The Last Stand of Mrs. Mary Whitehouse by Caroline Bird. TV Not a TV person - but I have been enjoying The Studio, an American satirical comedy. GIG Colin Stetson at BDCST festival in Brussels – I got the chance to play with him during my set for the same festival, curated by him. He is one of the most powerful performers I have experienced. ART The Museo del Prado in Madrid houses the largest collection of Francisco Goya's art, so when I was there performing in Madrid, I made sure to go and see it. TECH I was recently told about the website What Three Words - a mapping of the world to accurately locate yourself or others - although I am usually partial to being a little lost. THE NEXT BIG THING... Not spending anything on cosmetics, ever - just castor oil as it does it all, mostly. As an actor, recent screen appearances include roles in Jessica Hausner's dark satire Club Zero as well as Yorgos Lanthimos's multi-award-winning Poor Things. She has also starred in popular television programmes such as Happy Valley, Luther and Criminal Justice.
