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The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

city wrote: yeah! Amazon Germany finally managed to get hold of the book and deliver it to me..... :D :clap: :clap: Great news, City. I hope you like it and look forward to hearing your views and seeing a review.

pg · Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 1485 Location: Cyprus

I suspect the book may not enjoy government support...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=27228&cat_id=7

Quote: A WEEK ago, the Cyprus Mail reported that the film Akamas by Cypriot director Panicos Chrysanthou had been selected to be shown at the Venice Film Festival. It was not selected as a contestant, but is to be shown in the festival’s ‘Horizons’ section under the category of ‘special events’.

Quote: THE LETTER asking for the withdrawal of the film from the festival, cited three instances in which the director was in violation of the contract he had signed, all related
to his refusal to adopt changes recommended by the Education Ministry’s mandarins.
Quote:
First, he had been asked to reduce the length of the film by five or 10 minutes but failed to do so. Second, he had declined to cut a scene which shows some EOKA fighters killing a suspected traitor in a church. The ministry had proposed that he re-shot the killing in a coffeeshop, but was not prepared to foot the bill for it. Third, the ministry’s executive producer wanted the film to make it clear that the man murdered was a traitor; the film portrays the victim as a guy who talked too much about EOKA in the coffeeshop, rather than someone who was working for the Brits.

Quote:
EDUCATION Minister Pefkios Georgiades took some time off planning his reforms for state school uniforms to make sure that the film would never make the cinemas unless the ministry’s instructions were obeyed. There is a suspicion that the reasons cited above are just a pretext and that government does not want the film shown in any form, because it would incur the wrath of EOKA fighters’ associations.

Quote: Pefkios’ artistic freedom enforcer, is an Education Ministry official by the name of Elena Christodoulidou who was acting as the film’s executive producer. As president of the state’s Film Advisory Council, she has been in charge of dealing with Chrysanthou and trying to ensure that the content was, as Josef Stalin would say, ideologically healthy.

I suspect we will not read about it in the Filelefteros...

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

That's a shame but par for the course, I suppose.

Luckily 'The Cypriot' has been published in the UK, by a UK publisher, with UK funds (from a variety of sources) and with backing from a UK literary agent and promoter. While - perhaps naively - I believe there's nothing in the novel that the government of Cyprus can object to, their support, though welcome, is by no means pivotal.

PS. We've had a number of meetings with the Cyprus High Commission in London who have, up to now, been very encouraging.

thebrix · Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:48 pm Post subject:

The Cypriot wrote: That's a shame but par for the course, I suppose.

Luckily 'The Cypriot' has been published in the UK, by a UK publisher, with UK funds (from a variety of sources) and with backing from a UK literary agent and promoter. While - perhaps naively - I believe there's nothing in the novel that the government of Cyprus can object to, their support, though welcome, is by no means pivotal.

PS. We've had a number of meetings with the Cyprus High Commission in London who have, up to now, been very encouraging.

Excuse my ignorance, but what business is it of the Government of Cyprus to interfere in literature, or anything else artistic, no matter its relationship, or lack of relationship, to the end result?

(The National Lottery Commission may not be perfect, but it was deliberately structured, as were similar bodies for other types of funding, so that there would not be direct Government involvement in funding of the arts here).

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

thebrix wrote: Excuse my ignorance, but what business is it of the Government of Cyprus to interfere in literature, or anything else artistic, no matter its relationship, or lack of relationship, to the end result? None at all, thebrix. And, rest assured, they've had no influence in relation to 'The Cypriot'.

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

Hi all. Thought this might be of interest... http://www.toplumpostasi.net/index.php/cat/9/news/8846/PageName/English

city · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 3370 Location: Larnaca area

I just finished the book and must say I was very surprised.
I started reading the first few chapters last week and intended to take the book with me on holiday to finish reading but that was impossible!
It was so absorbing I had to read it completely today. I simply couldn't wait.

The story was very touching and also I have learned a lot about the history in Cyprus and how it developed to todays situation.
And some new words in the Cyprus' vernacular as well :-)

The last few pages moved me to tears...

A very good read!

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

Glad you liked it City. Thanks for your comments...

Dhavlo - just seen your message but can't seem to reply to it.

Get the following: "Ran into problems sending Mail. Response: 553 sorry, that domain isn't in my list of allowed rcpthosts (#5.7.1)"

Been busy with book but still follow the site with interest - somehow feel more inhibited to contribute now it's out.

Will check out footie...

city · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 3370 Location: Larnaca area

The Cypriot wrote: Get the following: "Ran into problems sending Mail. Response: 553 sorry, that domain isn't in my list of allowed rcpthosts (#5.7.1)"

I sent you a PM.

Dhavlos · Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 4697 Location: Birmingham

lol..dont worry mate, i have just ahd a look ,and have seen myself with 5 messages from you! lol

it may say it hasnt got to me, but it has...its just the email which is sent usually does not get their.

brother · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 8920 Location: London/Cyprus

The Cypriot wrote: Hi all. Thought this might be of interest... http://www.toplumpostasi.net/index.php/cat/9/news/8846/PageName/English

Very nice my gumbaro, success is now a sure thing me thinks. :wink:

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

Thank you, my gardash! (I wish it were that simple)...

Meanwhile...

A reading event to celebrate the launch of 'The Cypriot' will take place at Bruce Castle Museum, Lordship Lane, Tottenham, London N17 8NU on Saturday 16 September 2006 at 3pm. The mayor of Haringey, Cypriot-born Cllr Gina Adamou, will be in attendance, as well as other invited local dignitaries.

Celebrated TV, stage and screen actor Andy Lucas will read extracts of the novel and this will be followed by discussions and an opportunity to meet the author over a glass of wine. As the title suggests, 'The Cypriot' is based on the island of Cyprus but with large sections also set in the north London borough of Haringey. A number of local landmarks feature, including Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill Broadway, Muswell Hill Centre, Turnpike Lane, Harringay, Archway and Holloway.

The novel – a tragic romance between a Christian and a Muslim offering a vision for a re-unified island of love – was partly inspired by the author's experiences in establishing and developing the award-winning Haringey-based youth media charity Exposure.

"At Exposure, young north Londoners, from many different cultural backgrounds, come together in a spirit of co-operation and mutual understanding, to achieve wonderful things, not only for themselves but for their peers and the wider community," explained the author.

To coincide with the Haringey launch there will be a book signing event at the Muswell Hill Festival, Cherry Tree Wood, Summerlee Avenue, East Finchley, London N2 9QH on Sunday 17 September 2006 in support of the Hornsey Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy.

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

For friends in the Southgate area, there will be a book signing event at Despina Foods, 56 Bowes Road, London N11 1NL at 1pm on Saturday 30 September 2006.

The Cypriot · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 429

For friends in the Palmers Green area, the next reading event will take place at Palmers Green Bookshop, 379 Green Lanes, London N13 4JG at 7.30pm on Saturday 11 November 2006.

city · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 3370 Location: Larnaca area

The Cypriot wrote: For friends in the Palmers Green area, the next reading event will take place at Palmers Green Bookshop, 379 Green Lanes, London N13 4JG at 7.30pm on Saturday 11 November 2006.

I copied this to the Cyprus events section.

mod note: ongoing discussion has been split to here http://www.talkcyprus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=70894#70894