Introduction

South African Cypriot filmmaker Stelana Kliris has turned her family’s history of displacement into a new feature film called Apart. Starring Leem Lubany, Luca Pasqualino, and Girley Jazama, the drama follows a young Cypriot woman who leaves her homeland after the 1974 Turkish invasion and builds a life in Apartheid-era South Africa. The movie is set to have its world premiere at the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia.

What Happened

Kliris wrote and directed Apart, drawing directly from her parents’ experiences. Her mother was a refugee from the war in Cyprus, and her parents met in South Africa, where Kliris was born and raised during the 1980s. The story centers on Eleni, played by Lubany, who enters an arranged marriage and moves to South Africa, only to exchange one divided society for another. There she meets Nico, played by Pasqualino, and what begins as a practical arrangement gradually becomes something deeper—until an unexpected friendship forces Eleni to reckon with a secret from her past.

Production took place entirely in Cyprus, though the filmmakers originally hoped to shoot in South Africa as well. To capture the period, the crew used an 8-millimeter camera for several scenes, giving portions of the movie the texture of vintage home video. Kliris also incorporated archival footage to recreate the look and feel of 1970s South Africa. Pasqualino, who has no Cypriot or South African heritage, said he connected to the role through his own Italian immigrant family history, including his grandparents’ move to England after World War II. He worked extensively with dialect coaches to master the required accent and speech patterns.

The film is produced by Susan Simnett, Jamie Harvey, and Ioanna Bolomyti, with Simon Sarketzis handling cinematography and Emilios Avraam on editing. Reinvent Yellow Sales is managing international sales. Apart will open the Critics’ Picks section at PÖFF on Friday, November 13.

Why This Matters

With conflict and refugee crises dominating global headlines, Apart arrives at a moment when its themes feel especially urgent. Kliris has said she wanted to challenge the idea of 'us' and 'them,' using a personal family story to explore how political borders shape intimate lives. Pasqualino noted that even without the wartime backdrop, the characters still face universal struggles around belonging, language, and starting over in a foreign land.

Key Takeaways

  • Apart is written and directed by Stelana Kliris, inspired by her parents’ migration from Cyprus to South Africa.
  • The cast includes Leem Lubany, Luca Pasqualino, and Girley Jazama.
  • The plot follows a Cypriot woman who moves to Apartheid South Africa in 1974 and begins a complicated relationship with a local man.
  • The film premiered at the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia on November 13.
  • It was shot in Cyprus using 8-millimeter film and archival material to evoke a 1970s aesthetic.
  • Pasqualino prepared for his role by working with dialect coaches and drawing on his own family’s immigrant experience.

Conclusion

Apart blends historical drama with an intimate love story, using a specific moment in history to examine broader questions about identity, survival, and connection. By grounding large-scale political conflict in the lives of ordinary people, Kliris and Pasqualino offer a film that feels both rooted in the past and reflective of the present. A trailer is available online for those who want a first look before the festival screening.