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Christmas and Kythera
Dear Friends of Kythera,
no, unfortunately I'm not on Kythera for Christmas. But I wish I were. Not because of the weather of course - at the moment it is cold and wet and windy according to Meteo. Actually, I can't think of the exact reason I want to be there, except that I ALWAYS want to be on Kythera. Do you sometimes have that feeling?
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The sky might not always be this blue in Winter, but it is still our island paradise.
© Nico Gianniotis 2019
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It's been a busy Kytherian year, and not just for me. As reported in my April newsletter, Greece and Kythera have been suffering from "land registration fever". The government there decided it was time to upgrade to the 19th Century and actually properly register all the land in the country. Which meant that long retired topographers were awoken from their wheelchairs to update un-digitalised topographic plans and thousands of witnesses were driven to Hora to confirm the ownership of countless parcels of land all over the island. Many well established families had literally dozens of submissions to make. Dowries, inheritance, purchases - all were supposed to be registered or lost. My local "Advisor on Island Matters", who shall not be named lest he become too popular and never have time for me again, assures me that the Government will not confiscate land automatically if it isn't registered and that it will be years before it is all cleared up. So if you missed out this year, be reassured that all is not lost.
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Olive grove around Kato Livadi, drone piloted by Nico Gianniotis.
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While on Kythera this summer I shot the material for three new short documentaries which depict the art of farming on Kythera. When I have a quiet moment in the next few months I'll be putting them together to add to my pilot documentary about the Klentzos Family in Logothetianika which you might have seen here.
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Tassia Kalligeros with her goats in Kato Livadi.
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I started with the industrious Tassia Kalligeros of Kato Livadi. I've enjoyed visiting her overflowing array of produce at the Potamos markets for years and plucked up the courage to ask if I could follow her around at her work and she graciously showed me far more of her rural endeavours than I had hoped for.
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Panayiotis Maneas of Trifyllianika with a friends goat.
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Next up came the wise and well-loved environmental activist and dry-garden expert Panayiotis Maneas. In addition to his great respect and knowledge of traditional farming practices, Panayiotis, who spent many of his childhood summers down at the red-sanded beach of Firi Ammos next to Agia Pelagia, has documented the seashore of Kythera and the damage done to it by pesticides and the removal of underwater rocks which were then used to build the ports on the island.
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Just visible: Joanna and Kostas Karides at their newly finished home at Agia Anastasia
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And I just managed to catch Joanna and Kostas Karides of Agia Anastasia before they began their Olive Picking Adventure for the year. Their story is particularly interesting given the fact that they migrated BACK to the island after spending most of their adult lives working and raising a family in Australia. They embody "returning to your roots" in all interpretations of the expression. You'll be able to hear their story, and those of the other interviewed, over the next few months.
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Kythera Putting on the Ritz!
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It's movie time again. Or at least in a few months it will be. My lastest Kytherian comedy, An Island named Desire, has been through 8 film-testing sessions and, after I've touched up a few sound files, I'll be flying to Australia to show the film in March. A sequel to my first film, Kythera mon Amour, "Desire" again stars the now famous Poppy and Georgos of Karavas who return to the island after a short but lucrative visit to Australia. Georgos is ready for the good life - "champagne and caviar all the way now!" - but his sister Poppy still longs to return to her "spring water and Fava (split peas)". The resulting disharmony and a visit to old Georgos by the last person any of us ever want to see, leads to an exciting existential race-against-time pitting the old ways with the new.
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Georgy (Giorgos Papageorgiou) is visited by his Aunt (Poppy Koroneou)
while crooning his chickens.
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Also back on Kythera is Young Georgy, who, despite the best laid plans, never even made it to Australia. Georgy is played by Giorgos Papageorgiou, an actor I met by chance back in 2016. Relatively unknown back then, Giorgos, currently acting in sold-out performances at the National Theatre in Athens and directing acclaimed plays of his own, is now something of a celebrity in his own right. In Desire he plays the feckless nephew of Poppy and Georgos, unable to make a decent life for himself on Kythera but at the same time reluctant to leave, such is his emotional connection to the island.
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Grandpa Vasili (Vasili Psilyotis) with Elpida the Goat in the sights of Constantinos
the Assassin (Vasili Samprakos) down at the lagoon of Kaki Lagada near Agia Pelagia.
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With the legendary organisational help of Kathy Samios of Maroubra, we're lining up a cinema spot in Sydney for March and we're open to venues in other cities and towns wherever more than a few Kytherians are happy to have/support us. If you have some ideas let me know!
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Once upon a Time on Kythera
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The seductive paths of Pitsinades, near Aroniadika, the main location of my next film
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Now that An Island named Desire is almost finished, and being unable to sit still for more than the time it takes to gulp a shot of tsipouro, I've started planning my next Kythera Comedy: Once Upon a Time on Kythera. I've written the script and am auditioning some stunning and hilarious professional actors for a head-spinning tragicomedy set in the well-preserved and photogenic village of Pitsinades on Kythera. Of course I plan to include some of the usual suspects/actors from my previous films, but this time only in cameo roles. As things stand, we'll probably shoot it in late September. If you have some accommodation not far from Pitsinades for cast and crew you could help us with, or can help us on the ground while we shoot, or even might consider becoming a Substantial Executive Producer (i.e. benefactor) of the film with all the perks associated with it (e.g. Cannes Film Festival Entry Pass & more) then don't hesitate to speak up!
Wishing you all a wonderful Festive Season and a healthy and happy 2020!
James Prineas
james@kythera-family.net
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This photograph was taken during a picnic excursion on Kythera around 1932. Pictured here are a number of Australian Kytherians; (front left) Peter Crithary originally from Karavas, (boy with hat front right) Menelaos Tzortzopoulos who was born in Crookwell, NSW, Australia in 1927 and (standing directly behind him) his mother Eirine Tzortzopoulos (nee Marsellos of Fratsia). The Tzortzopoulos family were originally from Karavas, but migrated to Australia, and then returned to the island between 1930-1938. Submitted by Alexandra Ermolaeff. View the entry.
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Panagiotis, Eleni and Stamatina Chlentzos
Panagiotis Demetrios Chlentzos with wife Eleni Diacopoulou, and daughter Stamatina (Bylos). Photographed in Kythera c. 1920, Panagiotis travelled to Australia with Stamatina in June 1921. In December 1921 she married Peter Stathis (ex Keramouto). submitted by John Minchin
View the entry.
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Christmas Weather on Kythera:
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By the way, if you'd like to keep up with the weather on Kythera,
the METEO SITE is probably the most accurate.
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Don't forget to befriend the
Kytherian Association of Australia's
Facebook page!
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