Kay Pavlou’s documentary ‘Two Homelands’ is finally set to be shown in Melbourne following screenings across Australia and Cyprus, with the city to be the latest to hear the stories of Australian Cypriots that witnessed the events of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
The documentary, which was released earlier this year in line with the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, captures the stories of six Australian Cypriots, aged 70 to 102, all of whom witnessed the events firsthand.-
The film will be screened on Sunday 24 November at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville, 4.30pm, with a Q&A session organised for afterwards with Pavlou.
The filmmaker said she is thrilled to screen her picture in Melbourne, considering it an important city to showcase her work.
“Two Homelands has already screened across Australia and Cyprus. I wanted to bring the film to the largest Cypriot community in Australia, to Melbourne, which has always been loud and proud about its Greek population and its cultural influence on the city,” Pavlou told Neos Kosmos.
“I am excited to be screening to a mixed audience of the diaspora and beyond, to those who want to know more about the story of Cyprus.”
Pavlou said that the picture is both a commemoration of war and a celebration of community, with the film detailing six senior Australian Greek Cypriots’ eyewitness accounts of the cost of war, their migration to Australia and their desire for peace for all Cypriots.
She highlighted she has been greatly enthused by the reaction from audiences thus far.
“I have observed audiences go through a sombre journey of loss and grief, but there are also humorous anecdotes – creating both grief for Cyprus and hope for the future,” Pavlou said.
“I am pleased that Cypriot communities and general audiences everywhere have been very emotional and engaged. Discussions after the screenings have been thought provoking. This is priceless for me as I get the opportunity to hear what the audience is thinking and feeling.”
The Adelaide-born filmmaker added that she is particularly proud that the High Commissioner of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis, said the film is a fair representation of the ‘Cyprus Problem’.
Pavlou also cited the Sydney premiere on 20 July as a greatly rewarding experience for her as the film received a standing ovation.
“Beyond the Cypriot diaspora, the wider audience connected with the film’s exploration of migration, resilience and the long-term effects of war. At the Cyprus screenings, there was curiosity to hear from the ‘Australians’,” she said.
Pavlou said that 50 years of conflict and the ongoing division of the island is a difficult reality for many Cypriots.
“Having a film from the Australian perspective helps the communities to express these complex feelings and share their story with those who do not know the history of their homeland,” she said.
“My film also shows Greek and Turkish Cypriots who are working together, despite the political stalemate, to restore their shared cultural heritage. Against the odds, the desire for some version of reunification is still strong.”
