Waking Famagusta (in post-production) A film by Vasia Markides
Waking Famagusta (formerly titled The Famagusta Ecocity Project)
A ghost city in Cyprus surrounded by barbed wire and armed troops inspires a daughter’s quest to realize her exiled mother’s dream of bringing divided Greek and Turkish Cypriots together to create a model ecocity at the crossroads of three continents. Can the work of building a shared ecopolis reunite these two communities and inspire the world?
For more info:
https://www.documentaries.org/waking-famagusta
Waking Famagusta has garnered international attention from news organizations worldwide, including a well-received feature in BBC Magazine along with write-ups on CNN and Al-Jazeera, an audio program on BBC outlook and a TedX talk. From local Cypriot city councils to Ivy League classrooms in the U.S., Waking Famagusta has sparked conversation about the way we live and our ever-changing times. The film has shined a bright light on a nearly forgotten ghost-town, weaving its way into on and off peace talks involving Turkey and the UN, which have alluded to the possible return of the abandoned Cypriot district.
As such, we aim to complete Waking Famagusta in 2018, in an effort to deliver our message of sustainability, opportunity, and hope in an increasingly grim global climate.
Contact: Vasia Markides -- vasiam@gmail.com
www.ecocityproject.com
To make a tax-deductable donation to the film, visit: https://www.documentaries.org/waking-famagusta
Olympia (2019) (now in festivals)
(role: Trailer editor)
A chronicle of two non-stop years in the life of famed theater actress and Academy Award winner, Olympia Dukakis. With unprecedented access, we take an exclusive look into the world of an artist in constant motion and an actor who has devoted her life to her craft.
Director/Writer: Harry Mavromichalis
Producer: Muriel Moraes, Keren Seol, Maira Shakhanova, Anthoula Katsimatides
Production Company: Dream Rush Productions(dreamrushproductions.com)
Trailer Editor: Vasia Markides (vasiamarkides.com)
Hidden in the Sand (2008) A Film by Vasia Markides
A prequel to The Famagusta Ecocity Project, Hidden in the Sand is Vasia’s first film. It chronicles the story of Famagusta, a city in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus that was evacuated by its Greek Cypriot population during the 1974 invasion. Since then, a large portion of Famagusta, called Varosha, has been encircled by barbed wire and kept under surveillance by the Turkish military, which uses the territory as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Cyprus government. Over the last 34 years, Varosha went from being “Cyprus’s Riviera”, to a dilapidated ghost city; its former inhabitants watch their houses decay from outside the barricades, awaiting the day when they can return. Within Varosha’s limits rare sea turtles nest on the beaches, bougainvilleas overtake deteriorating homes, and wild asparagus and prickly pear plants run rampant. As both the maker and a participant, the filmmaker examines the fate of this “city in captivity” and her family’s connection to it. Contemporary scenes of the vacant city are contrasted with archives of the bourgeoning Varosha of the 1970’s. Ultimately though, the film tackles the ugly effects of nationalism, militarism, and propaganda in the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.
Cyr Bus: Over a Century on the Road (2019)
44 minutes
(Role: Director/Producer/Cinematographer)
Client: Cyr Bus Company, Old Town, Maine
Synopsis: The story of a 104 year old family-run bus business in Maine.