Newsroom
Fifty years after it was first shown, Michalis Cacoyannis’ powerful documentary “Attilas ’74: The Rape of Cyprus” is set for its world premiere at one of the world’s most prestigious modern art museums, MoMA in New York. The fully restored version will screen as part of the 22nd To Save and Project: The MoMA International Festival of Film Preservation, with showings scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, and Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
The first screening will feature an introduction by internationally acclaimed historian and author Mark Mazower, who has written the film’s program foreword. The restoration and conversion to DCP format were supported by Faliro House Productions, led by Christos B. Konstantakopoulos.
Cacoyannis, whose works reshaped modern cinema’s engagement with Greek culture, is best known for his Oscar-nominated “Electra” and the globally beloved “Zorba the Greek”, which became iconic representations of Greece abroad.
“Attilas ’74” was filmed on Cyprus during the two Turkish invasions and the subsequent occupation of the island’s northern region. It features rare footage of bombings, interviews with key figures like Archbishop Makarios and Nikos Sampson, and firsthand accounts from ordinary Cypriots who lived through the traumatic events. The documentary remains one of the few cinematic records capturing the immediate human cost of the invasion.
The MoMA festival, dedicated since 2003 to preserving and restoring cinematic treasures, has previously showcased works by legends such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Valerio Zurlini, and Yasujiro Ozu. By selecting “Attilas ’74”, the museum spotlights a film that not only preserves historical memory but also raises urgent questions about war, displacement, and collective trauma, resonating far beyond Cyprus.
For audiences, the restored film offers a rare window into history, combining archival footage and personal narratives to ensure that the events of 1974 are neither forgotten nor abstracted.
