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Conflict Resolution Film Premiere

Sunday, June 7, 7 p.m. Portland Art Museum Whitsell Auditorium

Premiere Screening Women of Cyprus US/CYPRUS, 2009 VISITING ARTISTS—In the spring of 2004, Maria, a Greek Cypriot, and Zehra, a Turkish Cypriot, cross to opposite sides of the green line, which has divided Cyprus since the war of 1974, to visit family homes they have not seen for thirty years. Thus begins the personal journey of these women haunted by war and pain, but searching for reconciliation and common ground. On the eve of the U.N. referendum to reunite the divided island, many buried stories from the past emerge. With rare archival footage adding context to the Cypriot conflict, Katrivanou and Azzouz focus on women coming together to share their fears and mistrust, as well as their hopes for healing a tragic divide.

(70 min) Post film discussion with the directors and Dr. Harry Anastasiou (from Portland State Univeristy's Conflict Resolution Department. Co-sponsored by PSU and the Process Work Institute

POST-FILM DISCUSSION WITH DIRECTORS KATRIVANOU, AZZOUZ, AND DR. HARRY ANASTASIOU FROM PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY'S CONFLICT RESOLUTION DEPARTMENT. COSPONSORED BY PSU AND THE PROCESS WORK INSTITUTE.

location: Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park Avenue

time: 7pm

more info at www.nwfilm.org/nowshowing/

More on the film:

In the spring of 2004, Maria, a Greek Cypriot, and Zehra, a Turkish Cypriot, cross to opposite sides of the green line dividing Cyprus since the war of 1974 to visit the family homes they had not seen for thirty years. Thus begins the personal journey of these women as the film follows them through their pasts, haunted by war and pain, to their present search for reconciliation and common ground. On the eve of the U.N. referendum to reunite the divided island, many buried stories from the past surface. Rare archival footage adds context to the Cypriot conflict. The filmmaker brings together women from both sides of the island who share their fears, distrust and hopes. For some, this includes years of experience working together to bridge the divide between their communities. Candid interviews and revealing group discussions trace the women’s inspiring capacity for contact that transcends ethnic differences. As the referendum approaches, they must confront how to appease their hesitations, define safety, trust and learn to live with each other again. With heartbreaking honesty, insight and humor, the women define their concepts of home, community and relation to the land. For four years, the filmmaker returned to Cyprus to collaborate with the women in the film, to process the conflict with them and witness their resolve to live together again. The film is emblematic of other regions of the world where populations suffer years of conflict and division and the need for peace remains urgent.

CO-DIRECTORS Vassiliki Katrivanou Born in Athens, Greece, Vassiliki Katrivanou works internationally (mainly in Greece, US, Mexico, Palestine and Israel) as a therapist, educator and conflict resolution facilitator. She holds an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from Portland State University and she is a certified Process Work therapist. Most recently, her work has been focused on women’s empowerment. She is also interested in filmmaking as a medium for social change. “Women of Cyprus” is her first documentary. Bushra Azzouz Born and raised in Mosul, Iraq and Beirut, Lebanon, Bushra Azzouz has collaborated on film projects with Native American women, the native longhouses of Borneo, and her own family to tell stories of the Middle East. Her feature documentary, … AND WOMAN WOVE IT IN A BASKET, an exploration of traditional Klickitat river culture through a contemporary native woman’s point of view, has won multiple awards. Her video short, NO NEWS, a personal reflection on the events of 9/11 and cycles of violence in both the US and the Middle East, was most recently screened at the ArteEast film series in New York. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from Reed College and an M.A. in Film from San Francisco State University. She has taught filmmaking at the Northwest Film Center for more than a decade.

Tickets: $5-8