While doing research last year on animators from home countries I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Cyprus has it’s own animation festival! It’s not a place really know for an animation scene so I was honestly not expecting to find much, so was really excited to look into it.
My grandparents came over from Cyprus in the 1950’s and brought my mum and her two siblings up in Camberwell. I only knew my grandfather/papous up until the age of 14 but never got to meet my grandmother/ yiaya who died very young. I’ve always wanted to know more about their experiences building a life in London and how difficult it must have been watching their home become torn by war from afar. (The Northern part of Cyprus has been under occupation since 1974 including the town of Famagusta which is where my grandparents were from.)
Only my mum can speak Greek in our household- Dad is English and despite some gruelling years at greek-school the language never quite stuck with my brother and I. I wish it had, but it’s very tricky to learn a language that is not around you all the time, which sometimes makes me feel neglectful of that side of my heritage.
I’d really like to try and make a film about my grandparents through memories from my mum and uncle and someone like the Animafest in Cyprus would be a perfect place to submit it. The festival started out being hosted in a printmaking studio, which is another medium I’m passionate about. I plan to explore screen printed animation going forward and this would be a perfect place to showcase that while making something that explores a different side of my heritage.
