Life is a Destiny

Life is a Destiny (15 minutes) is about Argun Ismet Imamzade who was born in 1949 in Limassol, Cyprus. After his parents left for England he lived with his grandparents, brother and three stepbrothers from his mother’s first marriage. Their home was bombed in the conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots following independence from Britain in 1960. After months in a refugee camp Argun, aged 13, and his older brother sailed to England to join their parents. Argun carried with him a family photograph album, going back generations. He had hidden it behind a metal cabinet when the house was being bombed and then rescued it from the rubble.

NB. In the text at the end of the film there is reference to the conflict in Cyprus in both 1963/64 and 1974. Although we had consulted with some stakeholders on the text beforehand there were people, at one screening within the Turkish Cypriot community, who questioned the use of certain terminology. Instead of 'In 1974, following a Greek Cypriot coup and subsequent Turkish invasion, the island was divided' they argued that a more accurate description would be, 'In 1974 following a Greek Cypriot coup triggering Turkey's intervention as one of three guarantors (Greece, Turkey and UK) under the Treaty of Guarantee 1960 for a Cyprus Settlement, the island was divided'. Others have argued that both sides violated the provisions of the Treaty of Guarantee, and that taking action did not mean an unqualified right to intervene by the use of armed force. These differing views still impact Cyprus today. See https://www.ejiltalk.Corg/revising-the-treaty-of-guarantee-for-a-cyprus-settlement/

We have not changed the original text but felt it important to communicate this perspective.