Movie Comes Between Greek Church, State : Censorship: Orthodox bishop opposes film by a noted director, who enlists the government’s support.

The Greek government vowed today to help the country’s leading film director fight an Orthodox bishop who has threatened to excommunicate locals if they help on his latest film.

“I refuse to allow this medieval remnant to censor my work,” Theo Angelopoulos told a news conference. “Do we have freedom to work in this country or not?”

Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Tzannis Tzannetakis said the government will support Angelopoulos in every necessary way.

Bishop Augustinos Kandiotis of Florina has threatened to excommunicate residents who work on “The Suspended Step of the Stork” and has urged them to burn down a $300,000 film set.

Kandiotis, who opposes sexual freedom, beauty contests and women smokers, said in a telephone interview he thought the script’s message, “down with borders,” was unpatriotic.

“People here are patriots, they have died to safeguard this border and I will do anything within the law to stop this film,” Kandiotis said.

Angelopoulos has won awards at the prestigious Cannes, Venice and Berlin film festivals and is known for his slow and beautiful photography.

The Greek Orthodox Church objected to Martin Scorcese’s film “The Last Temptation of Christ.”