Portugal nixes claim film harmed convent

Portuguese authorities have rejected a television program’s claims that one of the country’s most cherished historic monuments was damaged during the shooting of a film by director and former Monty Python star Terry Gilliam. The General-Directorate for Heritage says an investigation has found that the 12th-century Convent of Christ suffered only “insignificant” damage during a recent location shoot for “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.” The report published Monday said a program by public broadcaster RTP alleging wider damage “lacked rigour and revealed a lack of scientific knowledge.” Gilliam has previously called the allegations “ignorant nonsense.” The convent was a stronghold of the Knights Templar, a Christian military order founded in 1119, and is classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.