Join us for EMBCA’s “From Ithaca to Hollywood: The Odyssey, History, and Cultural Authenticity” Webinar Panel Discussion on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST / 9:00 PM Athens EEST. The discussion will be introduced and moderated by Lou Katsos, President of EMBCA. The panel includes Dr. Joel P. Christensen, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the City University of New York Graduate Center; Dr. Suzanne Lye, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Classics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Professor Nicholas Alexiou, sociologist, author, poet, and Director of the Hellenic American Project at Queens College; George Zouvelos, actor, writer , and film director; and Dimitrios Katsikis, artist and researcher of ancient armor.

EMBCA invites you to a timely discussion of one of humanity’s greatest literary masterpieces and its enduring influence on history, archaeology, literature, culture, and modern storytelling. Using Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming The Odyssey as a point of departure, the panel will explore the opportunities and challenges of bringing the Homeric world to contemporary audiences.

The film has generated debate over casting, historical and archaeological accuracy, language and dialogue, identity politics, cultural representation, and the limited participation of Hellenic actors and scholars in portraying one of the foundational works of Hellenic civilization. These issues raise broader questions: Who owns cultural heritage? How should ancient civilizations be represented in modern cinema? Where does artistic freedom intersect with historical responsibility and cultural authenticity?

The panel will examine The Odyssey itself—its historical context, archaeological foundations, literary significance, and enduring influence on Western civilization. It will explore the epic’s timeless themes of heroism, nostos (homecoming), identity, perseverance, hospitality, and the figures of Odysseus and Penelope, while considering how these narratives continue to shape our understanding of the ancient Hellenic world.

Bringing together distinguished scholars and cultural leaders, the discussion will consider how archaeology, philology, history, and artistic interpretation can work together to produce portrayals that are both historically informed and artistically compelling. Topics may include language, symbolism, geography, costume, material culture, and the importance of incorporating authentic Hellenic perspectives into global productions.

Rather than serving as either a critique or an endorsement of any particular film, this panel seeks to foster informed dialogue about adapting one of the world’s foundational epics and the balance between artistic expression, historical accuracy, and cultural authenticity.

Ultimately, From Ithaca to Hollywood: The Odyssey, History, and Cultural Authenticity is about far more than a movie. It is about how civilizations preserve, interpret, and transmit their cultural heritage—and why Homer’s epic continues to inspire and shape the world nearly three millennia after it was composed.

EMBCA is an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under Internal Revenue (IRC) Section 501(c)(3), classified as a public charity, and qualifies to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under Section 2055, 2106, or 2522 . Donors can deduct contributions they make under IRC Section 170. Thank you all again for your continuing enthusiasm and support of our events !!