In the spring, the open-air cinema that is being built inside the dead zone in Deryneia is expected to operate, Mayor Andros Karagiannis told KYPE.
He added that "the Municipality of Deryneia, in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Cyprus, the Point Center for Contemporary Art, the United Nations and the Italian-German artist Rosa Barba, have promoted the creation of an open-air cinema within the dead zone, a work that has secured first place in an international competition and is sponsored by the Council of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism. With this sponsorship, the project is realized, which consists of sculpted amphitheater stands with excavation on the ground and a projection screen ".
He added that Rosa Barba "is a well-known artist abroad, with a presence and solo exhibitions in many important museums around the world and expressed strong interest in exploring the wider area of the dead zone and other archaeological sites in Cyprus. The open-air cinema, after its completion, which is expected to take place in the spring, will remain in the Municipality of Deryneia and will be able to be used for various cultural and bi-communal programs ".
See also: DERYNEIA: We entered the dead zone and saw the Summer Cinema! (VIDEO + IMAGES)
Answering a relevant question, Mr. Karagiannis said that "according to the contributors, the project is being implemented within the framework of the" Evoking an Architecture of Passage "program, ie" Causing an architecture of the passage ". The program consists of two parts, the open-air cinema and a film, the shooting of which is in Cyprus and took place at the Hellenistic shipwreck in Mazotos and over archeological sites in Cyprus ".
As he explained, "the whole idea was started by the artist Rosa Barba with the aim of creating a cinema with access from both sides, so that the people of the two communities of Cyprus can watch screenings at the same time. "According to Ms. Barba, it is an image that will be contrasted with the existing images of the conflict and will send a strong message of solidarity and sincerity."
Regarding the construction of the rural cinema, Mr. Karagiannis said that "the artist focused on placing the cinema in the natural environment of Deryneia, avoiding the use of foreign materials, which is why the excavation and creation took place exclusively from the ground. The only foreign materials are the screen and the drainage system ".
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He added that "Rosa Barba's vision is for the space to become a meeting point for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, as well as for all the communities on the island, while its intention is to emphasize the possibility of art to create spaces of interaction and coexistence."
Answering another question, Mr. Karagiannis said that "the Municipality does not stop its actions regarding the promotion of bi-communal projects since we have taken all the necessary actions for the creation of social sports fields or futsal fields within the dead zone right next to the roadblock. on Famagusta Avenue. "Unfortunately, the project has stopped due to the restrictive measures to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and due to the closure of the roadblocks and especially the roadblock of Deryneia".
However, he noted "we have taken all the necessary actions so that with the opening of the roadblocks and the lifting of restrictive measures, the project can be promoted and completed. "The Municipality of Deryneia with its futsal courts, the Bicommunal Center" Garage "located right next to the roadblock and the open-air cinema, will have three remarkable projects related to the promotion of rapprochement and contact between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots."