Famous American director Francis Ford Coppola, who is in Athens for the Panorama of European Cinema Film Festival, received the Medal of the City of Athens on Friday morning from the Greek capital's mayor, Nikitas Kaklamanis.

Multi-award-winning American film director, screenwriter and producer Francis Ford Coppola attends a press conference for the screening of his new film "Tetro" in Athens, capital of Greece, on Oct. 30, 2009. [Xinhua]

"Coppola's presence in Athens illuminates our city. We award him this medal in recognition of his long contribution to art. Coppola chose a path off Hollywood's limits. He is a critic of the American Dream. He described it and he exposed its dark side, its sweet and sour taste," Kaklamanis stressed in his address.

Responding at a press conference at Athens City Hall, Coppola said: "I never dreamed of becoming rich and famous. Since I was young I wasn't interested in the Hollywood industry machine that produces films with the aim of making money. I was always interested in the kind of cinema that moves people without a strictly commercial purpose."

The American director, who has won five Oscars and various other awards for films such as "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now", is a special guest at the film festival, which ends Sunday evening, when he will present his latest movie "Tetro".

It has a few autobiographical clues, he said.

"A few years ago, I decided that I want to proceed my career filming more personal movies, based on my own stories. At my age, it's a great pleasure to learn new things. We learn most things through family. So, I wrote a script based on my memories from my family," Coppola said. He wrote the script of Tetro 30 years ago.

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