Women Walk Home

ended

WOMEN WALK HOME is a documentary essay film that uncovers a forgotten women’s anti-occupation movement in Cyprus through the filmmaker's reconnection to her homeland. In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus and divided the island into two. 200.000 people became refugees in their own country amongst a population of 638.000. The U.N. patrolling a ‘buffer zone’ in between. The invasion was condemned by the international community and a resolution calling for the return of the refugees to their homes was unanimously adopted at the U.N. but was never enforced. Cypriot women took it into their own hands and created the Women Walk Home movement. Formed as a global, non-political movement, the women wanted the return of the refugees to their homes, reunification of the divided island and the peaceful coexistence of communities. In 1975, they were joined by women workers and intellectuals from around the world and a record 30.000 marched toward the U.N. buffer zone to demand the immediate application of the U.N. resolution. The movement organised 5 more marches over the span of 12 years with escalating tactics. 50 years later, this story has been erased and the island and communities are still divided. Its meaning today and ability to inspire people guarantees the film can reach a wide, global audience. The film will use a mixture of archival, present-day footage and voiceover to lay out the meaning of home and what happens when one is stripped of it through generations. This film is co-developed by a rare partnership between a Cypriot and a French company, who are producing the film along with a Mexican co-producer. The international team will rely on the Coordinator’s experience producing high-end documentaries like the Oscar-nominee I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO. The development strategy revolves around research and writing, funding and distribution strategy, in order to be in the best position possible to start production and eventually deliver a film that will have a global impact.