By Antonis

Copyright thenationalherald

SYDNEY – Author and filmmaker Billy Cotsis, has journeyed to South and Latin America for weeks and months at a time, exploring Greek communities that have thrived since the 1800s. Having written the acclaimed ‘Many Faces of Hellenic Culture’ in 2015, Cotsis has embarked on travel to almost 90 countries. Wherever he goes, he seeks out Greek speakers, some captured on his YouTube channel, others chronicled in his 400 articles and 20 documentaries.

The self-proclaimed ‘Greek Diaspora Whisperer’ has a new film, ‘The Greeks of South America’ which showcases multi-generational Greek speakers, businesses, churches, and cultural traditions in seven countries and highlights how Greeks preserve their heritage and language in distant lands. The film reveals shared values between cultures, such as a love for food and adventure, all while celebrating the region’s stunning landscapes.

The feature documentary includes music from the extraordinary talents of George Ellis who conducted the music at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and then the Athens 2004 Opening Ceremony, legendary Sydney-based Tassos Bouzouki, and the talented Minas Michael Midis. All three have provided music soundtracks for Cotsis’ documentaries in the past and Ellis is fresh from scoring a soundtrack album for a recent Bruce Beresford Hollywood film.

Having neglected the Americas until recently, Cotsis first visited Brazil and Argentina in early 2020, just before COVID. “My talented friend Mame Gonzalez Braconi from my London residency years lives in Buenos Aires and designs my book covers. Hence it was an incentive to catch up. From there, I went to Rio where I met a Greek-speaking Brasiliera, Ana Marcia. She really helped me fall in love with Brazil. I’m grateful to her, and because of Ana, I was able to connect with [everyone] that year, from the Church to businesses. Her support ensured I met many more Greek speakers on other visits.”
Cotsis visits Brazil annually to rekindle friendships and connect with Greeks, and expand his Greek connections. After visiting Brazil six times, his Portuguese is described as “average” and in a nation with few English speakers, it is the Greek language which allows him to feel at home. In many ways, Brazil is “all Greek” to Cotsis.

True to form, he is treated as part of the family in many places, be it the Greek churches in Rio and other parts of the Americas, or say at O Grego, Copacabana; “I feel like I’m home. We laugh, dance, smash plates, play tavli and hang out after hours.”

In 2024, Cotsis journeyed to 14 countries in the Americas, intent on writing articles and a new book only, yet a visit to a Greek-speaking home in Santiago gave him an idea to visually record the visits. He said: “I was invited to journalist Veronica Rabb Saitis’ home to meet her family. Three generations of Greeks. I thought, far out, I better record some of this. Nice people, good story; the mother is a Greek from Bolivia. I also met the Greek Consul Manolis Andreasson in Santiago. An interesting and fascinating man who has lived in several nearby nations, and he delivers lectures on Greek history. I thought, we need to be telling the world about these Greek communities.”

“In Caracas, Fr. Evangelos, originally from Colombia, made me feel welcome; the entire community did,” Cotsis noted. “I told him I was missing playing football. He immediately contacted Greek and non-Greek footballers in Caracas and by the evening, Father had lent me his sports shoes and we all played football. I scored a goal against Father! It was my favorite night in the Americas, truly special, we even ate at the Greek taverna next to the pitch. I had attended huge salsa parties, Greek events, beach parties, I even joined human rights protests in Brazil, yet this act of fulfilling my wish, it’s hard to explain how happy I was.”

The filmmaker continued: “I generally have a bike to get around, visiting neighborhoods. I get to sample a bit of the local ways wherever I travel. We in Australia can whinge about plenty, yet most people in the Americas crack on with life. Many towns, villages, favelas, they struggle. Sometimes there is political upheaval. Many times I have been to a location which has either come under curfew or a coup just as I get out of there, such as Brasilia in Brazil in 2023 when supporters of defeated president Jair Bolsanaro attempted a coup in the capital. I was there for the inauguration of Lula, whose parents both have Greek names, with his mother coming from the Magna Graecia area of Italy.”

For the purpose of the feature film, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Panama and Cuba are covered. The challenge was what to leave out, so a part two is being prepared for 2026.

The film was pieced together in Newtown’s Luna Studio in Sydney with Tim Star. “Tim helped make sense of a film that initially had no structure. Had it not been for the Greek Festival of Sydney and their encouragement to make the film, it is likely Cotsis may not have made the film the way it has finally been constructed. “I was basically creating a series mini docos [documentaries],” Cotsis said. “The way the film is set now, it shows the type of journey I took, getting around the Americas and you can see a bit of overlap with the communities – Greek eateries, Churches and damn good people! Most live near coastal regions.”

The film will have its World Premiere in Sydney on Thursday, October 17 at Palace Cinemas. There are plans to release it internationally after more add-ons from Billy’s next Brazilian trip.

‘The Greeks of South America’ is part of the prestigious 30th Sydney Greek Film Festival which runs October 14-26. All films that Cotsis has screened at the festival sell out a minimum of two cinemas, such is the interest in his films, including ‘Lesvos: Fall in Love’ and ‘Magna Graecia: The Greko of Calabria’.

The film should leave the audience with two things: it’s all Greek to Billy, and there are Hellenes almost everywhere. Cotsis has been to an estimated 40 Greek communities worldwide. His book ‘Aristotle Roberto Carlos Smithopoulos’ is partially set in Brazil and Colombia.

Billy Cotsis’ YouTube channel: https://shorturl.at/AVzqR

Tickets and more information available online: https://tinyurl.com/yf5pje38.

Follow on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/ytxaxehz.