Deleted o Dimitris Danikas from Hellenic Film Academy (EAK), after in-depth discussions and research, as announced by ΕΑΚ in a letter signed by the Ethics Committee of the organization.
At the request of four members of the Academy, the directors Rinios Dragasaki, Sofias Exarchou and Konstantina Kotzamani and the costume designer Marley Aliferion the occasion of the article by Dimitris Danikas “The arvylomagkas and the alalum” (First Issue, 24/12/2021) on the case of the journalist Stathis Panagiotopoulosthe competent Ethics Committee met and decided to remove the critical film from the list of members of the Academy.
In the reasoning of its relevant act, the EAK Ethics Committee refers to the issue of freedom of speech, noting that “when speech is considered slanderous, offensive, dangerous, if it follows the rhetoric of hatred, it affects the dignity, prestige, common security and then the limits are necessary.”
“At a time when a serious dialogue has finally opened up about sexual harassment / abuse, the culture of rape, genocide, where public voices are trying to move forward in a world that, directly or indirectly, tends to blame the victim, “An EAK member is writing an article on revenge porn, which insists on considering the woman (at least) complicit in the crime,” the commission said. He emphasizes that this article “reinforces the taboos and distorted standards that want women not to have the right to their sexuality and free self-determination.” He also adds that “this is not the first time that the gentleman Δανίκας has written with a similar tone, style and speech about women “.
The Commission concludes that such texts represent “old, oblique and dangerous notions, which have no place in a cultural institution” and accepts the request to delete it. Dimitris Danikas from the Academy.
The following is the announcement sent by Hellenic Film Academy informing its members of its decision on the request and its reasoning and decision Ethics Committee:
“Dear members,
We inform you that in January it was submitted by 4 of our members, the Costume Designer Marley Aliferi and the Directors Rinio Dragasaki, Sofia Exarchou and Konstantina Kotzamanirequest to delete the critical film, Dimitris Danikas. The request made use of article 16 of our statute.
The Board of Directors, following the procedure set out in this article, informed EAK Ethics Committee, which addressed the issue. The Commission then invited both sides to a hearing to hear their arguments and gain a comprehensive picture of the issue. After several meetings, the members of the Ethics Committee voted in a secret ballot (as stipulated in the statutes) and the decision that emerged is as follows.
Rationale and decision of the Ethics Committee
The representatives of the Ethics Committee of the Hellenic Film Academy, following a complaint we received from 4 memberswith a request to be deleted from ΕΑΚ The critic Danikas Dimitris on the occasion of his article “The arvylomagas and the alalum”, we listened extensively to both sides and gathered in long meetings to decide with responsibility, seriousness and courage.
When it comes to our decision, we all find extremely dangerous a precedent that hurts, or even leaves open to future interpretations, freedom of speech – especially in the arts and their critique. Cinema is culture and only culture is the answer – to any question.
But freedom of speech, like any other freedom in democracies, has responsibilities and consequences and limits. If the speech is considered slanderous, offensive, dangerous, if it follows the rhetoric of hatred, then it affects the dignity, the prestige, the common security and then the limits are necessary.
Mr. Danikas did not write a review for a film. But a text of opinion, an essentially political text, on a very serious social issue that only recently have we as societies dared to renegotiate and redefine.
At a time when a serious dialogue has finally opened up about sexual harassment / abuse, the culture of rape, genocide, where public voices try to move forward in a world that, directly or indirectly, tends to blame the victim, a member of ΕΑΚ writes an article on revenge porn, which insists on considering women (at least) complicit in crime.
We believe that such a text from such an influential columnist to such a popular publication catalyzes public opinion, reinforcing the taboos and distorted patterns that want women not to have the right to their sexuality and free self-determination. According to the master Denmark a woman “must be careful” because otherwise “she pays the price well”.
We must also bear in mind that this is not the first time that the master Δανίκας has written in a similar tone, style and discourse about women (“Harvey Weinstein’s Other Unknown Sins: His Life and State”.
THE EAK Ethics Committee it is not a court. It has a symbolic power and action. We consider the master Δανίκας he is not affected – he does not lose his job or access to continue writing his views freely.
However, we believe that such texts do something worse than “damaging the prestige of the Academy” (as provided by the statute as a criterion for deletion in Article 16, paragraph 2b). Such texts represent old, oblique and dangerous notions that have no place in a cultural institution.
As filmmakers, we stand with women and choose the path of equality, respect and open-mindedness that we want to hope will lead to a fairer world.
For all the above, as an ethics committee we decide to accept the request for the removal of the gentleman Denmark from Hellenic Film Academy.
The Ethics Committee
Apostolidi Reaproducer
Varympopiotis Costassound mixer
Karamanis Christosdirector of photography
Katsoufis Vassilisproducer
Lykourgou Polyfilm critic
Makridis Babisdirector
Papadimitriou Lydiafilm theorist
Souganidou Irinidistributor
Hatzakou Mariadirector – producer “.
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