After much research and travelling across Greece, the documentary feature “GolfLand?,” produced by author and former academic Nelly Psarrou had its premiere screening in the city of Volos on May 4. It continues to draw the public’s attention on the controversial and somewhat unknown issue of tourist golf development in Greece.
The film is an independent documentary production, depending entirely on voluntary, unpaid contributions and aimed at providing public information on the subject of tourist golf development in Greece. Specifically, it examines the attempts being made to upgrade tourism through a variety of speculations involving the creation of golf courses, hotels and housing, the opposition to this by citizens and various organizations, the opinions of various specialists as well as the real objectives of the state.
The filmmakers travelled to five areas of Greece in order to show, through the examination of a varied sample, the attempts that are being made to develop golf resorts in Greece. These areas are: Atalanti (pending approval), Volos (where opposition by local organizations seem to have brought the project to a halt), Cassandra in Chalkidiki (also halted after a decision by the High Administrative Court in Athens), Hersonissos in Crete (where a golf course was built with no extra dwellings, as is usually the case.), Pylos (the first mammoth golfing development in Greece).
In order to ensure the reliability of the film, a whole range of organizations and individuals were consulted, including ecologists, scientists (both for and against), the developers themselves and their representatives and political factors were taken into consideration. Closely linked to the subject and keynotes of the film is an investigation into the objectives of “strategic investment” and the role of the state in the “fast-track.”
The documentary is the product of research carried out by Nelly Psarrou, in association with a few collaborators, all of whom freely offered their services to this project aimed at giving independent information not just to those involved locally but to the wider community. The main motive for this was the lack of public awareness of such a vital and pressing issues – especially in the light of recent political and economic developments, which have brought to the forefront the burning issue of the “exploitation of public property.”
The scheduled screenings include the cities of:
Rethymno, Crete (Xenia venue, University of Crete) on May 18 at 8:30pm
Chania, Crete (at the Technical Chamber), Monday, May 23 at 8:30pm
Atalanti, date pending
Athens, at B-Fest, Sunday May 29
Watch the documentary trailer below
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(Information from GolfLand.gr)
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