Greek-Cypriot writer and director, Kyros Papavassiliou’s, new film ‘Embryo Larva Butterfly‘, will screen at the Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) 2023 on October 20 in South Australia.
AFF is South Australia’s premier screen event and one of Australia’s leading film festivals, which will run from October 18 to 29 this year, in celebration of courageous cinema where filmmakers and audiences come together for local and international film premieres, art, talks and parties.
Embryo Larva Butterfly will screen along with five other directors and film makers in the category for Feature Fiction Competition.
Embryo Larva Butterfly will screen at Adelaide Film Festival 2023. Photo: IMDb.
Among the finalists are, Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev for the thriller “Blaga’s Lessons,”; Iranian filmmaker Behrooz Karamizade’s “Empty Nets”; queer Spanish road movie, “On The Go,” from directors Julia de Castro and Maria Gisele Royo; “Sahela,” directed by Australia’s Raghuvir Joshi; and “You’ll Never Find Me,” a claustrophobic psychological thriller from Adelaide filmmakers Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell.
The film is about a couple who wake each day to a different time period in their lives, testing their relationship to its limits and has Embryo Larva Butterfly screened in the Proxima competition of the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Embryo Larva Butterfly, directed by Greek-Cypriot Kyros Papavassiliou. Photo: Variety.
Penelope (Maria Apostolakea) and Isidoros (Hristos Sougaris) exist in a universe where one day they can be young lovers, and the next older and divorced.
In their intricate relationship, the boundaries of time seem to blur and bend, stretching into new dimensions. Their shared memories intertwine with their individual recollections, creating a tapestry of experiences that constantly shift and evolve.
Yet, amidst this fluidity, they catch glimpses of another world adjacent to their own, where time flows in a linear fashion. It sparks a profound curiosity within them, prompting them to wonder if it is possible to break free from the constraints of arbitrary time.
Could they transcend the limitations and explore a realm where the concept of time is not bound by the conventional rules? This tantalizing possibility fuels their imagination and propels them on a quest to uncover the secrets that lie beyond the confines of their current existence.
Penelope and Isidoris learn that this “freedom” comes with a cost.
Born in Cyprus in 1972, Papavassiliou was selected for his short film In the Name of the Sparrow at a competition at Cannes in 2007.
For his debut feature, Impressions of a Drowned Man world premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2015.
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey highlights the significant challenge of managing the ‘largest debt any incoming state government has ever inherited’ as he presents his party’s first budget in over a decade.
Public service workers, frequent users of Sydney’s toll roads, and parents with children in childcare were among the winners. They can expect improved benefits, reduced toll fees, and increased support for childcare services.
Conversely, coal miners, electric vehicle drivers, property investors, public transport users, sports fans, tourism, arts and cultural groups, as well as parents, found themselves among the losers. They may encounter higher taxes, reduced subsidies, increased fares, budget cuts, and restricted access to certain programs.
Among those affected, the budget cuts of $190 million have impacted numerous arts and cultural programs.
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey. Photo: Sydney Morning Herald.
Winners:
Public sector workers:
Public sector workers, such as teachers, police officers, park rangers, prison wardens, and other government employees, will greatly benefit from a $3.6 billion “essential services fund.” This fund has been established to support pay raises, following the government’s decision to eliminate the previous wage cap of 2.5% imposed by the former Perrottet government.
As part of this initiative, over 1000 nurses and midwives who were employed on temporary or casual contracts during the pandemic will be offered permanent positions. This commitment will cost $572 million, ensuring stability and security for these essential healthcare professionals.
Additionally, $40 million will be allocated towards new teacher recruitment programs and the implementation of innovative teaching methods in schools.
To support the development of the healthcare workforce, healthcare students will receive study subsidies and scholarships totaling $121.9 million over five years. I
The government will allocate over $22 million in funding for scholarships and incentives aimed at recruiting new childcare workers and students improving industry retention rates.
Parents of young kids:
A program has been introduced to address the shortage of childcare centers in certain parts of the city. The program includes a $769 million investment to build 100 new preschools, with each new primary school having one on its premises. The locations for ten of these preschools have already been announced.
The plans to establish not-for-profit early childhood education centers in high-growth areas and regional locations requires a budget of $20 million.
Parents with three-year-olds enrolled in long daycare programs will also receive financial relief through a subsidy program, providing them with $500 per child, per year, totaling $64 million over two years.
The expanded first home buyers assistance scheme, announced as an election commitment, aims to support aspiring homeowners.
First home buyers:
The expanded first home buyers assistance scheme, announced as an election commitment, aims to support aspiring homeowners. It offers a stamp duty exemption for homes valued under $800,000 and a concessional rate for purchases between $800,000 and $1 million. This package targets 84 percent of first home buyers and is estimated to cost $691 million.
The Minns government plans to increase the supply of new homes through a $2.2 billion fund for housing and infrastructure. This includes a $300 million allocation to Landcom, a state developer, to construct approximately 4700 new dwellings, with 30 percent designated as affordable housing. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2025.
The fund also encompasses nearly $2 billion for upgrading roads, sewers, parks, and transport links, enhancing the livability of new suburbs.
Motorists:
A new program in Sydney will provide toll relief to over 720,000 drivers and commuters using toll roads. They will have a weekly cap of $60, which is expected to cost $568 million over two years.
Truck drivers will have access to toll rebates worth $54 million over the same period.
Redfern Legal Centre:
The Redfern Legal Centre will receive $8.1 million to expand its services statewide.
The integrity sector:
A total of $228.6 million will be allocated to integrity offices, including ICAC and the state’s electoral commission.
Western Sydney:
$3.5 billion will be invested over four years to build 15 new schools in Sydney’s western suburbs, including primary and high schools. This includes new primary schools near Sydney Olympic Park, Gables, Melonba, Tallawong, Gregory Hills, Nirimba Fields and Liverpool. New high schools will be built in Wentworth Point, Melrose Park, Melonba, Schofields and Tallawong, Jordan Springs, Gledswood Hills and Gregory Hills, Leppington and Denham Court, and Edmondson Park.
An additional $200 million from Restart NSW funding will be used for the second stage of the Parramatta Light Rail, connecting Parramatta CBD to Sydney Olympic Park.
Upgrades to hospitals in the city, including the construction of Rouse Hill Hospital and Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital on a new site, will receive $3 billion in funding.
The government will allocate $1.1 billion from the state’s transport and Sydney Metro budget to convert the T3 Bankstown rail line into a driverless line, completing the City and Southwest Metro.
The government has allocated $700 million for the upgrading and maintenance of regional roads.
Regional NSW:
Ambulances outside of Sydney will benefit from the state’s pledge to spend more than $430 million to employ an additional 500 paramedics in regional areas.
More than $1.4 billion will be spent on upgrading and constructing new regional schools.
Savings from a subsidy program on new electric vehicles will be redirected to a $260 million fund, which will cover the cost of regional charging infrastructure.
Furthermore, $700 million has been allocated for the upgrading and maintenance of regional roads.
Lastly, a new NSW Regional Development Trust Fund will receive $350 million to invest in regional industries, Aboriginal economic development, community infrastructure, and service delivery.
Low income families:
The government is implementing a $100 million package to increase energy rebates for families and low-income earners. The Low Income Household Rebate and Medical Energy Rebate will see an increase from $285 to $350, while the full rate Family Energy Rebate will rise from $180 to $250. Additionally, the Seniors Energy Rebate will be raised from $200 to $250.
Voucher programs that assist families with the cost of children’s sports and music lessons will now only be available to those receiving the Family Tax Benefit Part A. As a result, the budgets for Active Kids and Creative Kids programs will be reduced from $190 million to $28 million.
Renewable energy investors:
The state will invest more than $1.5 billion in new, renewable energy projects including an Energy Security Corporation aimed a boosting the flow of small batteries and other storage initiatives around the state.
Renters:
The government has allocated $60 million to construct build-to-rent properties in the Northern Rivers and South Coast regions of NSW.
Additionally, a portable bonds scheme will be implemented by the rental commissioner to safeguard tenants from unjust evictions and facilitate pet ownership in rental homes.
Losers:
Property investors:
The proposed changes in land tax exemptions will require property owners to have a stake of more than 25% in their property to claim a land tax exemption for their residence.
Additionally, investors who own property in a private unit trust may face higher taxes due to a plan to reduce the threshold for acquiring a “significant interest” in a private unit trust from 50% to 20%. This change aims to discourage the use of private unit trusts for tax minimization purposes. Landholder duty is applied when someone acquires a “significant interest” in a company or unit trust that owns $2 million or more worth of land in NSW.
The government has decided to end a program that provided $3000 subsidies to drivers purchasing new electric vehicles (EVs).
Electric Vehicle drivers:
The government has decided to end a program that provided $3000 subsidies to drivers purchasing new electric vehicles (EVs). As a result, drivers will no longer have access to these government subsidies. However, a portion of the funds previously allocated to the program will now be used to increase the number of charging stations in various regions.
Big business and multinational corporations:
The government plans to generate nearly $1 billion in additional revenue through various measures, including reducing a transfer duty tax concession provided to corporations and multinational companies that restructure or relocate assets. As part of this effort, the transfer duty concession on asset movements will be lowered from 100 percent to 90 percent for large corporations and multinational corporations.
Coal miners:
The government will hike coal royalties imposed on miners by 2.6 percentage points from July next year, in the first shift in the state’s royalty rates in 15 years. The initiative will bring in $2.7 billion over four years
Public transport users:
The government is proposing to increase Opal fares for public transport, which means commuters will have to pay more for their travel. As part of this plan, commuters will be charged weekend prices on Fridays.
Sports fans:
The plan to rebuild Penrith Stadium has been abandoned in favor of a smaller upgrade. The new upgrade is estimated to cost $300 million, significantly less than the initially projected $900 million.
Tourism
The state’s main tourism promoter, Destination NSW, has experienced a 30% reduction in its budget. Additionally, funding for tourism initiatives, such as a program aimed at promoting business events in regional areas, has also been reduced.
Arts and cultural groups:
The Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade’s budget cuts of $190 million have impacted numerous arts and cultural programs. Among those affected are the Made in NSW program, aimed at attracting major film and TV productions to the state, which has been significantly reduced.
Additionally, the Post, Digital and Visual Effects Rebate, which incentivizes domestic and international productions for post-production work, animation, and special effects, has been eliminated. Furthermore, the Powerhouse Museum’s redevelopment budget of $500 million has been replaced with a smaller $250 million “heritage revitalization” plan.
Active Kids and Creative Kids voucher programs will now only be available to families receiving the Family Tax Benefit Part A.
Parents:
The popular voucher programs, such as Active Kids and Creative Kids, which assist families in covering the expenses of children’s sports, music, art, and creative lessons, will now only be available to families receiving the Family Tax Benefit Part A.
This change will result in a significant reduction in funding for the programs, decreasing from $190 million to $28 million. Additionally, the value of the vouchers will be reduced from $100 to $50.
Waverley Council re-elected Mayor Paula Masselos for the next 12 months, on Tuesday September 12 at the recent council meeting in Sydney, NSW.
Additionally, Councillor Ludovico Fabiano of Waverley Ward was chosen as the new Deputy Mayor of Waverley. Mayor Masselos and Deputy Mayor Fabiano will serve in their respective roles until September 13, 2024 in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act), reported City Hub.
Councillor Masselos is currently serving her third term as Mayor, having held the position since September 2019 and expressed her ongoing commitment to representing the community and the Council’s vision of a vibrant and resilient Waverley.
In her new term, Councillor Masselos aims to empower the community to collaborate for a sustainable, connected, and innovative future.
According to Mirage News, Mayor Masselos said in a statement, “Under my Mayoralty, we have delivered some of Waverley Council’s biggest and most exciting infrastructure projects to date.”
As the re-elected mayor with a winning vote 7-5, Masselos outlined her goals for her Mayoralty, which include overseeing significant infrastructure projects such as the restoration of Bondi Pavilion, the Boot Factory building in Bondi Junction, and the Bondi Junction Cycleway.
Paula Masselos has been re-elected By The Council As Mayor. Image: Paula Masselos/Facebook
Additionally, Mayor Masselos reaffirmed the council’s dedication to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2035, as demonstrated by the recent launch of the Waverley Council Net Zero Alliance.
The pair are joined on the Council by several other dedicated members. In Hunter Ward, Councillors Steven Lewis, Sally Betts, and Will Nemesh represent the community.
Angela Burrill and Elaine Keenan (outgoing Deputy Mayor) serve as Councilors for Lawson Ward. Michelle Gray, Dominic Wy Kanak, and Leon Goltsman represent Bondi Ward, while Tim Murray and Tony Kay serve as Councilors for Waverley Ward.
Overall, Masselos and Fabiano are eager to lead the council and work towards a vibrant, resilient, and sustainable future for Waverley.
Greek tennis player, Stefanos Tsitsipas, has demonstrated his generosity and compassion by donating 100,000 euros to the flood victims of Thessaly in Greece.
In the wake of the devastating storm Daniel, Stefanos took immediate action and contributed to the Red Cross to aid those affected by the calamitous floods.
This act of kindness holds personal significance for Stefanos, as his father hails from the village of Proastio in Karditsa, an area severely impacted by the devastating floods in Greece.
Photo: Hellenic Red Cross.
Stefanos actively called upon people through social media to contribute funds for the victims in Thessaly.
In an Instagram post, Stefanos wrote, “It’s shocking to see what our country has been through lately. We showed the true Greek spirit by staying united as a fist and helping each other.
“Please join me in raising funds to keep everyone safe and help them return to their loving homes as soon as possible,” he pleaded to fans and the world at large.
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” Stefanos TsitsipasThessaly floods.
The donated money will be channeled through the Red Cross, ensuring effective assistance reaches those in need.
“We must continue to do what we can to help our neighbours, our fellow citizens, everyone who has been affected by the fires and floods,” the tennis player wrote.
Stefanos has consistently displayed his philanthropic nature, often choosing to support causes discreetly, away from the public eye.
The Greek tennis players commitment to helping others extends beyond this instance. He has previously engaged in various charitable endeavors, consistently demonstrating his compassion and dedication to making a positive impact.
As Stefanos continues to raise awareness about the plight of the flood victims, he remains deeply connected to his roots in Karditsa.
Agricultural hot spot Thessaly faces shortages.Donations will help the flood victims of Thessaly in Greece.
The Special Court of Appeal in Tirana, Albania, once again denied Fredi Beleri’s request for release from custody and his ability to carry out his mayoral responsibilities on Monday.
Beleri has been held in custody since May on charges of alleged vote buying, subsequent to his election as mayor of the predominantly ethnic-Greek municipality of Himare in Albania, according to Ekathimerini.
Following the verdict announcement on Monday, Patrick Henry, the president of European Lawyers Without Borders, and Dimitris Vervesos, the president of the Plenary of Bar Associations of Greece, convened a press briefing.
Fredi Beleri has been held in custody since May on charges of alleged vote buying.
Patrick Henry underscored that the Albanian judiciary, by rejecting Beleri’s release, contravened articles 5 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. He further stated that there are no compelling reasons for Fredi Beleri to flee the country, and appropriate measures could be taken to prevent any attempt to escape.
Furthermore, Mr Henry expressed the view that the term of imprisonment is disproportionate to the gravity of Beleri’s offence, especially considering that there are more than 30 individuals accused of electoral misconduct who are not held in custody.
Mr Vervesos alluded to the infringement of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which deems it unlawful to obstruct a public official from fulfilling his duties in the absence of a conclusive and unappealable court decision.
Greece and the People’s Republic of China signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoU) to facilitate the exploration of academic opportunities in both countries’ universities, on Monday.
The agreement, signed by Study in Greece (SiG) President Prof. Christos Michalakelis and Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) Alternate General Director Fang Yongsheng, aims to foster collaboration between universities in both countries, reportedamna.gr.
SiG, supported by four Greek ministries (Foreign Affairs, Education-Religious Affairs & Sports, Culture, Tourism), and CSCSE, affiliated with China’s Education Ministry, are the driving forces behind this collaboration.
The agreement aims to foster collaboration between universities in Greece and China.
As part of the MoU, representatives from Chinese universities were invited to the University of West Attica to showcase study opportunities available to Greek students. These opportunities include the option to pursue further studies in China or commence a new academic journey there.
The signing of the MoU saw the participation of nine Greek academic institutions and six Chinese universities, all of which presented a wide range of higher education prospects. The event was graced by the presence of the People’s Republic of China Ambassador to Greece, Xiao Junzheng.
This collaboration holds great promise for fostering educational exchange and strengthening ties between Greece and China.
Two military nurses, Lieutenants Evangelia Andreadaki and Glykeria Memekidou, have been identified as two of the victims in a tragic car accident involving a Greek search-and-rescue team in Libya.
The team was en route from Benghazi to the flood-ravaged city of Derna when the accident occurred on Sunday.
According toEkathimerini, Andreadaki had previously experienced the loss of her brother and uncle, who was an Air Force pilot, in separate traffic accidents and while on duty, respectively.
Five members of the Greek rescue team killed and two missing in Libya.
The other three victims included an officer from the Special Warfare Command’s Parachute Division and two civilians. The civilians, who volunteered for the mission, were the children of Kanakis Manadaliou, the president of the Greek community in Benghazi.
The Hellenic National Defence General Staff has not yet officially released the names of the deceased or the exact number of injured individuals.
In response to this tragedy, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias has declared a three-day period of mourning for the Armed Forces.
Five members of a Greek humanitarian mission to Libya have been killed and two are still missing according to a report by ERT. The members of the rescue team were killed in a road accident on Sunday, September 17, travelling from the flood-ravaged city of Derna from Benghazi.
The bodies are being transported to Elefsina’s military base by a C-27 aircraft.
The injured team members arrived separately at Elefsina airport on Monday morning and were taken to Athens hospitals by ambulances from the 115th Combat Wing.
Greek humanitarian team to Libya.
The Greek team, consisting of 16 members and three interpreters, was joining other international teams in Derna, including those from Turkey, France, Italy, and Egypt.
Conflicting reports initially caused confusion about the accident. Health Minister for Libyan eastern government Othman Abduljaleel first announced the collision between a bus carrying 19 Greek rescue workers and a vehicle with five Libyan nationals. Three Libyans also lost their lives in the crash. The minister mentioned that seven Greek rescue workers were in critical condition. However, Greece’s armed forces initially confirmed only three fatalities and two missing individuals.
“I have observed local politicians in my area out campaigning for the Yes Vote regarding the Voice to Parliament Referendum,” Councillor Christou said in a statement on Friday, September 15.
“Whilst we are currently in a cost of living crisis… one would have thought there were more important issues for our politicians to address than a divisive Voice to Parliament Campaign.”
The statement details the huge shortage of housing availability with people forced to rent shared bedrooms for hundreds of dollars a week.
It outlines the rise in the cost of living expenses with “petrol prices now at $2.45 a litre, the highest it’s ever been, grocery prices through the roof, and electricity at an all time high, unaffordable to most Australians.”
Cumberland Councillor Steve Christou appeals to Australians to vote note in upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum in October 2023.
“People [are] skipping meals, and struggling financially to put their kids through school,” Mr Christou added.
Huge upgrades are needed in Australia’s public schools which are overloaded with students and bursting at the seams, noted the former Mayor.
“A transport system and rail network in need of upgrades, footpaths, and roads, in need of urgent maintenance,” he argues, claiming there are important issues for politicians to focus on than a referendum which could divide the nation.
“This woke idealistic nonsense has left a bitter taste in the mouth of millions of Australians.
“Whilst people are suffering with real life issues, their elected representatives are out wasting their time campaigning in favour of a Yes Vote, [and] have failed them miserably.”
In his statement, Councillor Christou concludes Australia is a proud multicultural country full of many ethnicities living together in peace and harmony.
“To now turn around and tell the Greeks, Italians, Lebanese, Maltese, Scottish, Irish, English, Spanish, Chinese, Filipino, Macedonians, Croatians, Serbians, and many other nationalities they no longer have a Voice in the country they helped build is offensive racist and divisive,” said Councillor Christou.
The Guardian South Morang Childcare and Education Centre joyously engaged in an enriching experience as the children embraced cultural diversity this month, which included learning the traditional Greek Zorba dance in Victoria.
The new purpose-built facility in South Morang designed to support the highest level of childcare dedicated one week to learning about different traditions, further broadening their cultural understanding and appreciation.
The childcare centre wrote in a Facebook post: “We have been busy learning all about different cultural traditions,” as they highlighted the activities the children embraced.
Guardian South Morang Childcare and Education Centre learn the traditional Greek Zorba. Children embrace cultural learning. Photo: Guardian South Morang Childcare and Education Centre.
The children had the opportunity to step into the shoes of different cultures, donning Samoan attire, counting in various languages, and even trying their feet at Greek Zorba dancing.
The culinary arts were not left behind as the children engaged in the preparation and tasting of diverse foods, with a hands on experience.
The Victoria based childcare centre embraced different cultural traditions in September.
“Children learn to respond to diversity with respect and see the opportunities for choices and new understandings,” the Guardian South Morang centre wrote about the importance of learning different cultures.
Through these activities, the children have learned a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds with open-mindedness.
Guardian prides themselves as not only a childcare and learning centre but a sanctuary where children are encouraged to be their authentic selves. The centre provides a space to foster curiosity, imagination, and courage as children learn.
Children making and tasting different foods. Photo: Guardian South Morang Childcare and Education Centre.
Photo: Guardian South Morang Childcare and Education Centre.Photo: Guardian South Morang Childcare and Education Centre.
