Elisseos Kyrillou

FAMREF017

Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Participants
Elisseos Kyrillou
Intervieweer(s)
Theo Xenophontos
Date and Location
August 5, 2023
Toronto, ON
Languages
English
Permalink
Project
Film as Mediator: Cultivating a Cypriot Canadian Community Audiovisual Media Archive
Reference ID
FAMREF017
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Categories
Associational Life
Canadian Society
Culture and Tradition
Education
Historical Events
Migration
Tags
Australia
Cypriot Canadian Identity
Cypriot Community of Toronto Inc.
Cyprus 1974
EOKA
Greek Coup
HHF
Junta
Language
Military Service
Post-1974 Migration
Soccer
UK
Decades Referenced
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Locations Referenced
Cyprus; Karmi (Kyrenia District); Kyrenia; UN Buffer Zone; Nicosia; Alona (Nicosia District); Troodos Mountains; Pitsilia; Paphos; Greece; Athens; Thessaloniki; Rhodes; Crete; Canada; Toronto; Cypriot Community Centre (Throncliffe); York University; Turkey; Australia; The United Kingdom; Africa
Occupation(s)
He held various jobs in the Athens arts sector, while also working various service industry jobs while living there. He is also the-founder of Ten Tone Productions.
Parents Occupation(s)
Names Referenced
Danai Kokkinopoulou; George Patinios; George Scandalis; Georgios Grivas; Makarios III

[00:00:23] Life in Cyprus

[00:02:16] The education system in Cyprus

[00:06:49] Family history

[00:12:42] Reasons for leaving Cyprus

[00:14:04] LGBTQ+ issues in Cyprus and Greece

[00:18:30] Differences between Cyprus and Greece

[00:21:05] Differences between Cypriot and Greek language

[00:25:00] The arts sector in Athens

[00:29:11] Coming to Canada & familial migration patterns

[00:31:31] The generational trauma of 1974

[00:33:23] Adjusting to Canada

[00:36:23] The connection between theatre and heritage

[00:37:52] Ten Tone Productions

[00:41:25] The link between politics and soccer in Cyprus

[00:44:33] Political differences between Cyprus and Greece

[00:47:06] How the junta is remembered by Cypriots

[00:55:09] The divide between Makarios & Grivas supporters

[00:57:05] Involvement with the HHF and Cypriot community

[01:00:28] Developing interest in photography and film

[01:02:14] Documenting the opening of the border in Cyprus

[01:03:52] Working on a film about his family and 1974

[01:08:39] Communication and the need for AV preservation

[01:10:35] Appreciating Cyprus more now that he’s in Canada

[01:14:27] Hopes for Cyprus and the Cypriot community here

[01:15:43] Framing of identity

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