European Co-productions and Greek Cinema since the Crisis: “Extroversion” as Survival

Abstract

This chapter explores the rise of co-productions in Greek cinema since 2010. It argues that while co-productions are not new in Greece, a combination of factors ranging from the reduced national funds for production as a result of the crisis, to the increased international visibility of Greek cinema in film festivals, has led to a recent intensification of co-production activity in the country. Using both quantitative (data analysis) and qualitative (interviews) methods, the chapter demonstrates the role of local and European/global factors in contributing to this rise. It focuses mainly to the emergence in Greece of a new generation of producers professionally trained in building European co-productions, who consider the adoption of an “extrovert”, Europeanised, production culture to be a matter of (Greek cinema’s) survival.