The Third Motherland

What does it mean to belong to a motherland? How does it feel to be caught in between different motherlands? What burdens but also what rights and opportunities does belonging to an “other” motherland entail? How does ethnic conflict exacerbate identity problems and impact on the cultural heritage of small minority communities? Filmed in Cyprus and Lebanon, The Third Motherland addresses these questions by following the story of the Cypriot Maronite community. The film reveals the dilemmas of identification and belonging and accounts for opposing feelings and beliefs within and beyond the community. This is a film about cultural loss, low self-esteem, cooption, denial of rights and everyday social problems but also of ethnic pride, cultural revival, joy and resistance.