Greece has been lobbying for their return for almost 200 years, asserting that they were stolen by the Scottish nobleman.
Lord Elgin claimed to have been given permission from the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Greece at the time, to remove them but the original letter has been lost and the precise meaning behind translations has been disputed.
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In 2022, the Greek culture minister accused him of “a blatant act of serial theft”.
Director David Nicholas Wilkinson screened the work-in-progress version of his film at last year’s CSDF, will return with the world premiere of the dynamic finished work exploring the controversial topic.
Wilkinson attempts to answer the complex question of how former colonial powers should endeavour to make amends for unethical activity in their history. He argues that Scotland should hold the title as leading country in the world for repatriating artefacts and human remains which were taken during its colonial past.
Notable participants in the documentary include actor Brian Cox, Neil Curtis, head of museums and special collections at the University of Aberdeen, Patricia Allan, former Curator of World Cultures at Glasgow Museums, and retired businessman Tom Minogue.
The piece has also prompted a statement from the Scottish Government, which is included in the film. Mr Wilkinson maintains that this is far more comprehensive and far-ranging than any statement put out by governments anywhere in the world when confronting dubiously acquired artefacts.
He argues that the example set by Glasgow City Council regarding the Ghost Dance Shirt should serve as a blueprint for former colonial countries everywhere.
In 2019, Kevingrove Art Gallery and Musuem returned a shirt to the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in the United States which had been taken from a member of the Lakota Sioux tribe following a massacre at the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890.
Mr Wilkinson, director of The Marbles said: “Every filmmaker hopes their film will be awarded the prestigious opening night slot at a film festival. Not only am I thrilled that The Marbles has received this honour, but it is also gratifying that it is at the Central Scotland Documentary Festival, which has now become the only film celebration event in the world to screen all four documentaries I have directed, and also, because Scotland has become the hero of the film.”
Grahame Reid, Festival Director of the Central Scotland Documentary Festival commented: “Getting to see the work-in-progress version of The Marbles was one of the highlights of CSDF24, so naturally the finished piece is the perfect film to open this year’s festival. I can’t wait for audiences to experience David’s incredibly special documentary.”