Kay Pavlou’s documentary ‘Two Homelands’ is preparing to take over Thornbury with two screenings this coming weekend.
The documentary will be shown on Saturday (4.30pm) and (3.30pm) at the Thornbury Picture House, with Pavlou to be present and engage in a Q&A session after each screening.
‘Two Homelands’ released last year in line with the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion, with the film capturing the stories of six Australian Greek Cypriots, aged 70 to 102, whom all witnessed the events firsthand.
The film serves as both a commemoration of war and a celebration of community, with the film using the eyewitness accounts of the six Australian Greek Cypriots to illustrate the cost of war, their migration to Australia and their desire for peace for all Cypriots.
The director had told Neos Kosmos last year about her pride in the positive reception the documentary has received.
“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 last November ahead of the first screenings in Melbourne.
“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 stated 50 years of conflict and the ongoing division of the island is a difficult reality for many Cypriots, with the ‘Cyprus Problem’ still unresolved today.
“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.”
