This past Monday May 5 marked 14 years since Greek-Cypriot Australian filmmaker Anna Kannava passed away at 51.
Born in Cyprus in 1959, Anna migrated to Melbourne with her mother and brothers in 1974.
At 30-years-old Anna was unexpectedly diagnosed with scleroderma (a hardening and tightening of the skin, as well as the lungs and organs).
She would continue to do what she loved until she passed from cancer combined with her condition.
Now coincidentally, the Cinema Reborn festival, which is currently running, is celebrating her filmmaking with a screening of two autobiographical documentaries she created, recently restored in 4K.
In Ten Years After…Ten Years Older (1986), the director reflects on returning to her homeland after a decade away.
In the comedic and deeply affecting The Butler (1997), Kannava impressionistically portrays the life she shared with her younger brother Nino, while also touching on her health condition.
Sydney had a screening on May 3 that was well received and now Melbourne will have one this Saturday May 10.
Anna’s mother Frederika Apokidou helped in the restoration process of the films, including translating subtitles.
She told Neos Kosmos that it was a tough time, for her to see these works again.
“It’s been it’s been a long time (since she’s seen the works) but occasionally I come across them online and because I did the subtitles translated from English into Greek, doing that sort of thing, physically and emotionally I became a wreck,” she said.
“I never forget my Anna. We had a very good relationship – we adored each other.
“Very tragic what happened, she was such a beautiful girl.”
She opened up further on how much losing her daughter has affected her, even 14 years later.
“There are times when I go for a walk or go into the garden and when I get a little tired I come sit on the couch and she comes to my mind,” she explained.
“I cry at least three times a week after 14 years. When it comes to my mind I cry, I calm down and continue my life.
“Very difficult for a mother, very difficult. The worst thing that can happen to a person.”
At 86-years-old, Frederika is still active in the community and working as an interpreter for Services Australia. She said helping people keeps her going and makes her happy.
She remembers Anna’s persistence and love for her work even with her condition, recalling when she had to work on her narrative feature film Kissing Paris (2008).
“She got money to go to Paris to shoot and I told her not to go ‘my love’ in case something happens, I won’t be able to stand it,” Frederika said.
“‘I will go and I will make the film as I want and if necessary I will drag a nurse along with me’ she tells me, and she went and shot the work and came back and it was a great success.
“She had wanted it very much, she fought it until the last moment.”
The screening of TEN YEARS AFTER…TEN YEARS OLDER (1986) + THE BUTLER (1997) takes place at Lido Cinemas in Melbourne on Saturday May 10 at 2.25pm.
For more information or tickets visit the Cinema Reborn website
