Paul Greengrass says 22 July 'is relevant to every country'

Bang Showbiz
19 October 2018

Paul Greengrass

English director Paul Greengrass has claimed that '22 July' is "relevant to every country"

Paul Greengrass thinks '22 July' is "relevant to every country".

The 63-year-old director's latest project tells the story of the terrorist attack carried out by Anders Breivik in Norway in 2011, and Paul has explained why he thinks it was important to make the new drama film.

He explained: "You've only got to look around the world, everywhere we look the hard right is on the rise.

"There's a neo-Nazi party holding the balance of power in Sweden and in Austria, an extreme right-wing government in Italy, look at Tommy Robinson in the UK, Brexit, Trump, Steve Bannon.

"It's important to make the point, that by and large they don't agree with Breivik's methods, but his opinions, which in 2011 were considered marginal are today mainstream. That argument that goes on about the betrayal by the elites, that's all standard stuff."

Paul stressed that, at its core, '22 July' isn't really about the terrorist attacks in Norway.

Instead, the filmmaker – who previously helmed the biographical drama 'United 93' about the terrorist attacks in America in 2001 – is hoping to make a broader point to his audience.

He told the Belfast Telegraph newspaper: "I wanted to make a film that dramatised it because the story of how Norway had fought for her democracy is what the film is really about.

"It's not about the attack, although the first chunk is, but the story of how Norway fought for her democracy in the aftermath of the attacks is a story of today. It's relevant to every country."

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