Panagiotis Yiannoudes, a successful cinema entrepreneur, was a bridge between Cyprus, Greece, and Australia. For decades, he brought films, the spirit of Hellenic culture to the Greek Australian diaspora, while championing the Cypriot cause from the distant south.
In a moving final interview recorded shortly before his passing, Yiannoudes shared the personal journey, memories, and sense of duty that shaped his life’s work. The interview forms part of the “Our People Their Stories” series—an audiovisual archive that documents the experiences of first- and second-generation Greek migrants, accessible at www.opts.org.au.
Early life in Cyprus
Born on February 2, 1935, in the small village of Vouni, Limassol, Yiannoudes recalled his modest upbringing: “We were poor, but we didn’t go hungry.”
Childhood was filled with simple games and religious holidays marked the only occasions for new shoes. During WWII, news spread only by word of mouth. Yet the dream of union with Greece remained alive.
A budding athlete and worker
Yiannoudes was born on February 2, 1935 in the village of Vouni in the Limassol district of Cyprus. “I spent my childhood there, playing with simple toys, nothing modern,” he recalled.
Poverty didn’t mean famine, but shoes were only bought for major holidays like Easter or Christmas. “We were a poor village, but we didn’t go hungry,” he said.
The war of 1940–1945 brought uncertainty, but young Panayiotis was only five years old when it began. “We didn’t have radios or newspapers in the villages—people got their news from the elders,” he said.
Early steps in work and sport
Yiannoudes’s father, a World War I veteran, turned to farming after the war, despite life becoming especially difficult following a serious accident that left him with paralysis in his right arm. Panagiotis himself began working from a young age. “We delivered English newspapers, I worked as an assistant cashier in a cinema, and later as a bookbinder in a lithography workshop,” he said. At the same time, he was a student at the Hellenic Gymnasium in Limassol, where he excelled in athletics—particularly in the 400, 800, and 1500-metre races.
His love for sport would remain with him well into his life in Australia. He recalled teachers who left a lasting impression on him.
“Nikolaos Xioutas, a wonderful philologist and author, was an extraordinary person to me. And Mr Soukris, our English teacher, taught us the language without ever having had a university education. He was self-taught and gifted.”
Political awakening and EOKA
As the EOKA liberation struggle began in 1955, Yiannoudes was a young man full of hope. Though not a member himself, his friends and family were involved. He described it as “an honest struggle, a dream passed down through generations.”
The decision to migrate and the long journey
“My sister was already in Australia, married. She sent me an invitation, and I decided to come—thinking I’d stay for just five years,” Yiannoudes recalled. His father didn’t want to let him go, but the lack of work and the uncertain future in Cyprus ultimately pushed him to leave.
The journey was long and arduous: seven days by plane from Cyprus to Melbourne, with stops in Beirut, Tehran, Mumbai, Singapore, and Sydney.
“I was the only Cypriot on the plane. The other Greeks were elderly and didn’t speak English. I had to translate for them constantly,” he said.
Early days in Australia
On arriving in Melbourne, Yiannoudes lived with his sister’s home in Fitzroy, she lived with her husband and their young son. “It was a deeply emotional moment—especially because she was nearly eight months pregnant,” he recalled.
He went to a local cinema to watch a film and instantly knew he wanted to work there. Although he was initially told that only girls worked at the box office, he secured a position as a projection assistant instead. This marked the beginning of a lifelong career in cinema.
He studied English, worked in a factory, and joined the Collingwood athletics club. But his true dream was to build something of his own.
Bringing Greek cinema to Australia
Yiannoudes’s big break came through a connection with Finos Film in Cyprus, securing exclusive rights to screen Greek films in Australia. His first screening was the classic “Golfo” in August 1957— in Melbourne’s grand 2,500-seat Town Hall. He sold out two weeks in advance, with thousands turned away on the night.
“[I did it] With help from my former employer in Cyprus—who represented Finos Film—I began negotiating the rights to screen Greek films in Australia. In 1957, I brought over the first one, Golfo. The challenge was finding a suitable venue. Other Greek cinemas were small halls, but I wanted a proper theatre. Eventually, I managed to book the Melbourne Town Hall, a 2,500-seat venue that had once been a cinema.”
This milestone opened the doors to nationwide screenings and sparked a cultural revival for homesick Greek migrants. “They were thirsty for their homeland,” he said.
“The response was overwhelming -for the first time, Melbourne’s Greek community had access to quality Greek films in a venue worthy of their cultural significance. From there, the film toured to every major Greek hub—Adelaide, Sydney, and beyond.
A life dedicated to cultural bridge-building
Yiannoudes spent the next decades touring Australia and New Zealand, distributing and promoting Greek films and bringing beloved stars like Nikos Xanthopoulos and Kostas Hatzichristos to diaspora audiences. “It wasn’t just a job—it was a service to the community,” he reflected.
The people he met
Yiannoudes recalled key moments in his life and the people who shaped his journey like the filmmaker Michael Cacoyannis, the presence of Cypriot films in Australia, and his collaborations with Nikos Xanthopoulos and Kostas Hatzichristos. He also reflected on his leadership within the Cypriot Community and the founding of SEKA (World Coordinating Committee for the Cyprus Struggle).
“Nikos Xanthopoulos loved visiting cafés, speaking with migrants, listening to their stories and struggles,” Yiannoudes said.
“Kostas Hatzichristos also made a strong impact—he came three times and was always well-received. “He was a wonderful man with whom I kept in close contact.”
The interview sheds light on his intense activism following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus—from meetings with Archbishop Makarios and aid efforts for refugees to the creation of the Panhellenic Committee for Cyprus Relief and Liberation. He spoke about visiting refugee camps and his position on the occupied territories, along with his testimony from meetings with Cypriot political leaders and dignitaries.
Yiannoudes recounted the story of his personal film copy of The Germans Strike Again, which helped restore the film in Greece after the original was destroyed. He closed his reflections with a message of patriotic love and faith in Cyprus, and a call for unity.
I offered myself as a projection assistant—something I had experience with and they hired me at the Plaza Theatre, where I worked for about six months before being transferred to other cinemas.
Yiannoudes – a friend and fan of Michael Cacoyannis
“I met him while he was filming Zorba. Finos Film had begun producing it and we had secured the distribution rights. Because he was a fellow Cypriot, we connected, and I met Anthony Quinn and Irene Papas while visiting the set in Crete. Cacoyannis didn’t travel easily. We invited him to the Melbourne premiere of The Last Mission with Elli Lambeti, but he declined due to the distance.
I met him again on other productions. He was gentle, with a sweetness in how he told stories. I’ll never forget that meeting.”
Cypriot films and the Australian audience
In 1965, while visiting Cyprus, George Filis achieved great success with a film. Generally, Cypriot productions didn’t resonate with diaspora audiences. Filmmaker Elias Paraskevas created Our Love Began in Cyprus, based on the EOKA fighters, but it failed to attract viewers.
After 1974, Paraskevas’ film This is How Cyprus Was Betrayed did well, capturing the tragedy of the invasion. Still, Cypriot films never gained the traction that Cretan films did—Cretan audiences packed theatres. “Their psychology was different,” Yiannoudes noted.
Activism for the Cypriot cause
In 1972, Yiannoudes joined the board of the Cypriot Community of Melbourne, encouraged by then-president Antonis Toumbourou. After the 1974 invasion, he and Samaris were sent to Cyprus. Accompanied by George Iacovou, they visited every refugee camp.
“The images of barefoot, hungry children are etched in my memory.”
They travelled to London to meet Archbishop Makarios. They then produced a film featuring Makarios’ message of gratitude to the diaspora. Aid—including clothes and medicine, was sent to Cyprus, with Qantas providing free transport.
In 1974, the Panhellenic Committee for Cyprus Relief (PEVAC) was formed with Toumbourou as president and close collaboration with Archbishop Stylianos. They raised $1 million—a massive sum at the time.
SEKA and the World Congress
In 1976, the first World Congress of Overseas Cypriots took place in Cyprus and 300 participants from Australia attended—”Leonidas’ 300,” he quipped.
SEKA was founded during that congress. In 1977, Yiannoudes became its president and also took over leadership of both the Cypriot Community and Federation. He remained until 1990 and led SEKA until 2003.
“I don’t go to the occupied areas. I’ve never agreed to show my passport. I only went once, to Apostolos Andreas Monastery, to assist with its restoration at the Archbishop’s request. I don’t judge refugees who return to see their homes—I judge those who go to casinos or for cheap meals. That’s disrespectful.”
From 1962 to 1986, he travelled to Cyprus 4–5 times a year. For films, festivals, and meetings. He always made time to visit his village, even briefly.
“Cyprus is everything to me. I brought stones from my village for my grave. It’s the most sacred place. Above parties and interests, there is only the homeland,” Yiannoudes had said.
Notable figures he brought to Australia
Yiannoudes helped bring key political and cultural figures to Australia, including Glafcos Clerides, Vassos Lyssarides, Demetris Christofias, Lellos Demetriades, Eleni Foka, and Titina Loizidou. “Heroes and witnesses,” he called them. Each year in July, a distinguished guest would attend community protests.
“Fifty years later, Cyprus remains divided. I hope for enlightenment, a solution, and reunification—that people can return to their homes. Cyprus is not just a homeland. It’s our culture, our history, and our future.”
“My dream was to create something of my own—and I did. But above all, I wanted to keep our culture and language alive, here in the diaspora.”
At 90, he looked back with pride and optimism, hoping future generations would continue his work and never forget where they came from.
More stories available at www.opts.org.au
