This project is very important to me; this has been a magnificent journey. Many of you who believed in this project, have already helped us in various ways. Among you, the president and editor-in-chief of Huffington Post, one of the most well-known and read online newspapers, Ms.Arianna Huffington, has offered me a space to share my thoughts with the readers of the Huffington Post. As the Greek poet Constantine Kavafy wrote in his poem "Ithaca", "...hope your journey is a long one." (check out this link, I am sure you will enjoy it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9jCsBIIpJU&feature=player_embedded). I invite you to become my companions in this joyful long-lasting experience through this documentary, and by following my blog hosted on the Huffington Post website, at the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stavros-papageorghiou/aphrodite-revealed_b_1105081.html

The Story: 12 women, both Cypriots and foreigners living in Cyprus, are exploring ways to revive the ancient art of the frame drum, sacred to the worship of Aphrodite and of many of the principal female deities of ancient civilizations. Within this framework, they are preparing a ritual drumming performance at the famous sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaepaphos, Cyprus, which was destroyed after the prevalence of Christianity on the island. And thus, 1500 years later, at the ruins of this ancient site of worship, the sound of the frame drum reverberates once again. Recordings of this group of frame drummers from the early stages of their preparation to the final ritual performance are interwoven with the tracing of the faded yet preserved footsteps of Kypris-Aphrodite through the ages in different ways and forms. It is a journey through time, across the land that gave birth to the Goddess, into archaeology, mythology, local folklore and tradition, all the way to modern day religion and art into which she has been transported. Albeit the only female deity of the Greek Pantheon which to this day inspires men and women worldwide, Aphrodite remains for the majority of us the Great Unknown Goddess, as we have so wrongly identified her with commercialized sex and beauty. The documentary attempts to reveal and reinstate the essence and truth of this universal female principle, as the sound of the primordial drum vibrates deeper and deeper into the ancient stones and ground of the temple, taking us back along a continuum of time when the Kypris kept changing shapes and forms under the influence of neighboring civilizations. This is perhaps the greatest, if not the only, gift Cyprus gave to the West; the gift of Aphrodite.The first documentary ever to be made on Kypris-Aphrodite is in production since 2009. To all those wishing to support this endeavour and contribute to its completion,?we offer attractive perks. The video posted above is a trailer, which will give you a glimpse of this unique audiovisual project. Through this IndieGoGo campaign, we aim to gather the necessary funds, which will allow us to complete this amazing journey through the past.

Why I am Doing This: Unfortunetaly it is not easy to raise funds and develop a huge scale audiovisual project like this one on such a small island like Cyprus (with a population of less than a million and with half of its territory occupied by Turkey since 1974).

As in most places around the world, the audiovisual industries are struggling to get the necessary funds to produce important and significant works, for the development and production of such projects we can only rely on generous sponsors and people who appreciate what we do throughout the world. 

We believe that this project of anthropological, historical and cultural interest has something of value for everyone; archaeologists, anthropologists, academics, archaeology and history student, religious persons or agnostic, nature lovers, and seekers of love, self acknowledgement and inner harmony alike.

Who am I: I (Stavros Papageorghiou) have studied in the USA. I received my BFA degree in Cinema in 1986 from the University of Bridgeport in the State of Connecticut. Upon graduation, I returned to my home country Cyprus, were I directed a number of cultural, historical, archaeological and anthropological documentaries focusing on Cyprus. �KYPRIS: THE APHRODITE OF CYPRUS REVEALED� is my first documentary project aimed for the international audience, thus I am asking for your invaluable support in order to bring this project to completion and disseminate it worldwide.

What I Do and What I Need: After titanic efforts and struggles since 2008 to secure the necessary funds for this documentary, I still need substantial financial support in order to complete the project. I am aiming to raise at least an additional $50,000, in order to cover the actual production costs (without counting my own fees as writer/director/producer) of the filming and post-production, including the translation of the film in to four foreign languages: English, Spanish, French and German. This project can only be completed, with your support and contribution.

So, What Else You Can Do: If you believe in this project, and want to help me bring it to life, you can donate and receive perks as a token of appreciation. After you donate, or even if you can�t afford to donate, let others know about it! You can post this IndieGoGo page on your Facebook or Twitter account, easily and quickly, just by clicking on the buttons at the end of this page. You can also send e-mails to friends, family and associates that you think would be interested to learn about this project. I would like to hear what you have to say about his project, and I need your support, of any kind, in order to also prove that this documentary is being embraced! Whatever you choose to do, I thank you for helping me do what I love and giving me the strength to continue. I can only make this a reality with YOUR support, whatever that might be!