Cyprus 1974. A Cypriot family flees advancing Turkish forces and takes refuge in an abandoned Ottoman-era palace. When a young Turkish Cypriot conscript comes face to face with the family in hiding, he is forced to confront the brutal reality of war and his role in it.
•The story was inspired by true events that took place during the 1974 invasion of Cyprus, including the confession (later retracted) of a now prominent actor, who detailed on live television how as a 19 year old conscript, he had killed 10 unarmed people on the orders of his superiors.
•Made with an Australian and international crew, with people coming from Australia, Cyprus, Turkey, Germany, Morocco, UK, Greece and South Africa.
•Brings together Turkish and Greek Cypriot cast from Cyprus, Turkey, London and Germany to present the story.
•The 'palace' scenes were shot at the House of Hadjigeorkakis Kornessios (1779), a landmark Ottoman Era residence which was home to the ‘Dragoman of Cyprus’ – the chief tax collector in Cyprus during Ottoman rule. The House has been restored to its former glory and now serves as a museum administered by the Department of Antiquities.
•The Palace was produced by AntHouse Films, Cyan Films and SeaHorse Films, and won the Best Short Film - Audience Award at its first public screening at the Adelaide Film Festival. The Palace was then selected for the 2011 Sydney Film Festival where it won the Dendy Award for Best Short Film (Live Action).
•The Palace will next screen in Official Competition at the 2011 Melbourne International Film Festival which runs 21 July to 7 August 2011.
Filmworks supported the film with Pre-production services.
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