On a wintery cold afternoon, the South Australian Greek Cypriot community gathered on Sunday, July 14 at 3 pm. The occasion was the world premiere of Two Homelands, a one-hour documentary produced and directed by locally born Kay Pavlou.
The film focuses on the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Six senior Australian Greek Cypriots – aged 70 to 102 – give emotional eyewitness accounts of the war and their migration to Australia.
Over 100 South Australian community members attended their Club in Welland, Adelaide for the documentary premiere. The response from the audience was one of tears and grief at the loss of their beloved island.
One refugee said, “Even though we are crying, we are happy to see our story told.”
Peter Ppiros, Findon Ward Councillor, added, “The film exposes the Cyprus problem, but also tells our story as migrants, our struggles to stay connected to our homeland.”
Pavlou was very moved by the reaction to her documentary.
“When I started out nine months ago, I was hoping to make a film that would help communities around Australia express the complex emotions surrounding the 50th anniversary – sorrow, anger but also hope that the island can find a peaceful solution,” she said.
Newly appointed President of SEKA SA (Justice for Cyprus), lawyer Iacovos Digenis represented the next generation in community leadership.
“As Australians, we can see the success of multiculturalism so we wish that Cyprus can also live as a united island with different ethnicities living side by side,” he said.
Cyprus Community of SA President, Professor Andreas Evdokiou, urged the audience to attend the ‘Raise Your Voice’ protest against the continuing illegal occupation of Cyprus by the Turkish Government on the steps of South Australia’s Parliament House at 1.30 pm on Sunday, July 21.
Two Homelands will screen in Sydney on Saturday, July 20 at 7 pm at the Cyprus Community Club of NSW, 58-76 Stanmore Road, Stanmore.
