Did Robin Hood wreck Dubrovnik?

The filmmakers behind upcoming Hollywood blockbuster Robin Hood: Origins have found themselves at the heart of a scandal in Croatia, after city authorities in Dubrovnik were accused of “shameful degradation” of the city’s heritage in relation to allowing the filming there.

Yesterday, Croatia’s Society of Art Historians (DPUH) released a statement condemning the “reckless attitude towards the monumental centre of Dubrovnik for the purposes of the film”. In particular, the DPUH criticised the way in which parts of the historic Old Town and its walls were covered in wooden structures to support scenery, while also denouncing the use of a “controlled wildfire” in one scene. The organisation argues that the city authorities do not have the right “to use the town in any way they want, especially not as a commercial resource”.

City authorities have shrugged off these claims, asserting that the filming in Dubrovnik had been approved by the Ministry of Culture and was conducted according to “strict guidelines”.

Dubrovnik has served as the backdrop to a number of international hit films and series in recent years, including Game of Thrones and Star Wars: Episode VIII.

Source: Balkan Insight