Greek Film Festival: The last homecoming
The last homecoming – the only film in the Greek Film Festival set in Cyprus – was still tugging at my heart the day after. I left the cinema wiping tears from my eyes and so proud that a Cypriot had made such a beautiful film that appealed to a large audience – younger and older generations, Cypriots and non-Cypriots.
This film takes us to the shores of Cyprus into the heart of a small, tight-knit village where everyone knows everyone’s business. The Cypriot dialect is thick and convincing and the characters are colourful, exciting and mysterious. It is 1974 and although Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots live together in harmony, tensions are rising as some believe there should be ENOSIS with Greece and while others do not.
From the first 10 minutes of the film I knew I was in capable hands – director Corinna Avraamidou knows about story and how to create a story. The pace of this film was perfect, never too slow or too fast. The inciting incident was clear – Alexandra, a Greek beauty, handing a letter to Stefanos in secret. They have never met. Both characters have similar political agendas and do not want ENOSIS with Greece.
This is a story of love against a backdrop of politics. Avraamidou blurs the lines between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot successfully, highlighting the harmony they once lived in and the love their shared for one another. At the end of this movie I wanted to hug a Turkish-Cypriot. I like to hope that this love has not been lost and I think this was her message.
The acting and characterisation in this film is convincing however, as a viewer I would have liked to have known what brought Alexandra to Cyprus. Where was her family and why was she there? Still, this small flaw didn’t detract from the overall film and the love story was powerful and evocative.
From a political aspect, I appreciate Avraamidou’s ability to keep the politics simple. This allows the film to reach a larger audience. What I understood her message to be from this standpoint was that although many Cypriots wanted ENOSIS back in the 1950s, in the 1970s most had come to the realisation that ENOSIS wasn’t the best thing from Cyprus which is what President Makarios had also come to understand. It was the National army from Greece that overthrew Makarios with the help of right-wing extremists that still believed in ENOSIS. The film portrays the somewhat innocence of that mentality through the character Manolis. He did not believe that Turkey would invade.
That’s a story for another day.
Koraly’s rating: 4 stars
Hermes said,
June 22, 2010 at 4:05 am
Koraly, most Cypriots and Makarios still wanted ENOSIS in the 1960s and 1970s; however, they realised that with the machinations of the British and Turks it was not wise to pursue that aim in the short term. Makarios was clear that independence was only a short term measure to achieve ENOSIS in the long term. Please read the history of the Ionian Islands and their unification with Greece to understand this course. The right wing extremists wanted ENOSIS in the short term and were later duped by the Americans into taking violent action which only precipitated the Turkish invasion.
Koraly Dimitriadis said,
June 22, 2010 at 4:35 am
Hi Hermes, thanks for reading. Of course there are many political views on what happened in Cyprus. I am of the belief that Makarios was promoting ENOSIS to begin with but with all the tensions arising from this decided it wasn’t practical which is why he was overthrown. Are you saying Makarios still wanted ENOSIS in the long term, even in the 70s before the war? I don’t really agree with that. I agree the right wing extremists were duped by the Americans. There were many factors involved in the war, most of them being manupulated by America and England. By the way, thanks for the recommended reading, I’ll look into that.
Hermes said,
June 22, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Koraly, apologies but this is not a matter of opinion. It is well documented Makarios supported ENOSIS; however, he came to recognise that it was only feasible in the long term.
In fact, when most Greeks and Greek Cypriots are free of foreign influence and free of right and left wing extremists on the Greek and Cypriot side, want ENOSIS today. Check out recent student surveys. Cyprus is simply an unredeemed part of Hellenism much like the Ionian Islands, Dodecanisia, Macedonia and Thrace once were. Let’s not forget that today Cyprus celebrates all Greek national holidays and sings the Hymn to Liberty.
If you want to some good information on Cyprus, and if your Greek is not that good, please read the Cypriot related posts on this blog:
http://hellenicantidote.blogspot.com/
John covers a lot of ground, which may not be to your liking i.e. football, but his knowledge of Cyprus is impeccable and his writing is superb.
Koraly Dimitriadis said,
June 22, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Hermes, i don’t agree that it is a fact – says who? books? every book i read has a different opinion. Both my parents are from Cyprus and they both never wanted ENOSIS and still don’t, and I think that is what this film was trying to show. In fact, in my novel, I emphasise strongly that we are not Greek and that calling us Greeks is like Aussie’s being called Poms. When you say most Cypriots these days want ENOSIS, is this based on some statistics available to the public? If so, I’d like to see them. It actually really frustrates me when I go over to Cyprus and talk to Cypriots that have really strong patriotism towards Greece. It frustrates my Dad too. We’re not Greek, and in fact, the Greeks were also, in the shadows, manipulating before the war. Thanks for the website, I’ll have a look at it.
Hermes said,
June 23, 2010 at 4:30 am
Koraly, I am afraid you have been manipulated by British and American propaganda – and some extremists from Greece and Cyprus. Perhaps your father does not want ENOSIS for whatever reason. That is his personal prerogative. However, as an ethnos, meaning a people with the same symbols, language, stories, etc, then we want and need ENOSIS. What do I mean by ENOSIS? We essentially achieved it in that the Greek and Cypriot government consult each other on all important political decisions and support each other in international organisations. Also, there is cultural ENOSIS today. As for political ENOSIS this may take a bit longer.
Even for practical purposes we need ENOSIS – do you carefully read the political issues pertaining to Cyprus today? Which is the only entity that will help Cyprus? Turkey, the US, the UK, the EU or the UN? They have done nothing. In fact, they have been counterproductive to Cypriot freedom.
And what basis are Cypriots not Greek? On what criteria? Please tell me but please be objective rather than allowing your personal preferences to rule.
Lastly, to compare the English and Australians and Greeks to Cypriots shows complete ignorance of history.
May I suggest you read more.
Koraly Dimitriadis said,
June 23, 2010 at 7:11 am
Hermes, yes, I plan to do more reading on the subject, but as a Cypriot, I do not want ENOSIS. I think that encouraging ENOSIS just moves Cyprus away from reunification. So what we speak Greek? Our mannerisms are different, our dialect is different, what do you believe we have in common with Greece? We are an independent country, independent from Turkey and Greece.
Hermes said,
June 24, 2010 at 6:33 am
Koraly, your words remind me of a deculturating Greek Australian far removed from the concerns of their people.
I am not advocating ENOSIS now. Of course, the island needs to be unified. However, over the long term the only option is ENOSIS.
Cretan mannerisms are different from Pontian. Epirotan are different from Eptanissian. Cretan dialect is different from Macedonian. Eptannisian dialect is different from Thracians. Pontian dialect is different from Tsakonian. However, all these peoples are Greek. So I do not understand your point. Please explain?
You have in common with Greece what all Greeks from the regions have with Greece. This is a common culture, language, history, religion etc.
The only reason why Cyprus is independent is because of American and British efforts to retain an independent Cyprus in order to have a base on which to spy and conduct military operations in the Middle East. They simply used Turkey as a proxy.
Why would you be proud to be a product of American and British imperialism???
You appear intelligent so please read more. Also, please read Greek sources.
Koraly Dimitriadis said,
June 24, 2010 at 9:11 am
I don’t agree that the only option is ENOSIS, and I’d rather have the island divided than join with Greece. I want to see the island reunified. Our culture is different from Greece, I would say we have the same in common with Greece as Australia has with England. Culturally, we have more in common with Turkish-Cypriots. We share words, mannerisms and dialect.
I think for now we are going to have to agree to disagree, but I will look into reading some more.