The Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture informs the public about the extensive travels of Cypriot cinema during 2024.
The year 2024 was another busy year for Cypriot cinema internationally, featuring networking activities, film promotion, and distribution, along with participation in international festivals. This targeted strategy to disseminate Cypriot films globally strengthens Cyprus’s position in the cinematic landscape and in the consciousness of international audiences. It also supports cultural diplomacy and fosters collaboration opportunities between Cypriot directors-producers and foreign counterparts.
Awards for Cypriot films
- EMBRYO LARVA BUTTERFLY (Kyros Papavassiliou)
Participation and awards at over 20 festivals worldwide, including Karlovy Vary IFF, Cork International Film Festival, and Thessaloniki Film Festival.
Production Company: AMP Filmworks
- SMARAGDA (Emilios Avraam)
World premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and participation at Karlovy Vary.
Production Company: Bark Like a Cat Films
- THE SOCK (Kyros Papavassiliou)
World premiere at the Thessaloniki Festival.
Production Company: Dry Tree Films - THE PENDING (Michalis Chapesiis)
Multiple international awards, including Best Narrative Feature Film at INCA Imperial and the International Film Festival in Peru. - TSIKITIGLON (Marios Mettis)
Participation in several international festivals and awards, including International Short Roosevelt Island Film Festival 2024 and Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival.
Production Company: Coffee Films
- PAKISTANI (Christos Zenios)
Participation at the Drama Film Festival (Greece) 2024, Athens International Film Festival (Premiere Nights) 2024, and Cyprus International Short Film Festival, where it won the Best Cinematography Award in the National Competition Section.
Production Company: Movies & Stories
- TAXI (Constantinos Nikiforou)
Participation in over 20 festivals and the film market at Clermont-Ferrand in France.
Awards:- San Francisco Greek FF USA (Winner: Best Short Astron Audience Award)
- ECU-European Film Festival France (Winner: Best European Comedy)
- Chennai World Cinema Festival India (Nominated: Best Film)
- 3in1 Film Festival Portugal (Best Film Award)
- CYIFF Cyprus (Talent Award)
Production Companies: Caretta Films, PS Movies & Stories, Efklides Papadopoulos
Cypriot cinema on Netflix
A major milestone was the inclusion of the first Cypriot film, Find Me Falling by Stelena Klirou, on the Netflix platform. This was a first for Cyprus and its cinema, with the film achieving over 30 million views. It held the top spot in global audience preferences for two consecutive weeks.
Other notable achievements
- Shooting Stars:
The Cypriot actress Marina Makri has been included in the list of the top 10 Shooting Stars actors for 2025. She will represent Cyprus in this programme during the Berlin Film Festival from 13–23 February 2025. The programme is organised by European Film Promotion and supported by the MEDIA Programme of Creative Europe, European Union.
- Producers on the Move:
- Participation of producer Tonya Mishiali (Bark Like a Cat Films) at the Cannes Film Festival (May 2024).
- Participation of Tonya Mishiali at the Oxbelly Screenwriters Lab (June 2024).
- SHIBBOLETH (Alexandra Matthaiou):
Participation in Cinemed Meetings and awards, including participation at the Marseille Music Festival (October 2024) and Dot.on.the.Map (lighting equipment rental award).
Production Company: Bark Like a Cat Films - ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU (Cherien Dabis):
World premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2025.
Cypriot Partner: AMP Filmworks
International activities and promotion
The Deputy Ministry of Culture’s Department of Contemporary Culture collaborated with 18 embassies of the Republic of Cyprus abroad, showcasing 18 Cypriot films (feature-length and short) across 30 cities worldwide. These films travelled to festivals organised by EU missions globally, as well as other cultural actions and events.
Feature films:
- IMAN (Korinna Avraamidou, Kyriakos Tofarides)
- Boy on the Bridge (Petros Charalambous)
- Siege on Liperti Street (Stavros Pamballis)
- Monokatoikia (Ioakeim Mylonas)
- Embryo Larva Butterfly (Kyros Papavassiliou)
- .DOG (Yianna Amerikanou)
- Man with the Answers (Stelios Kammitsis)
- 5 Nylon Shillings (Christos Siopahas)
- Pause (Tonya Mishiali)
- Senior Citizen (Marinos Kartikkis)
- Small White Envelopes (Sotiris Christou)
- Smuggling Hendrix (Marios Piperides)
- Sharing an Island (Danae Stylianou)
Short and medium-length films:
- The Tornado Outside (Maria Tomazou)
- Dragon Recipes (Maria Pavlou)
- TAXI (Constantinos Nikiforou)
- 30 (Constantinos Patsalides, Giorgos Avraam)
- Missing Call-Up (Constantinos Patsalides, Giorgos Avraam)
Other actions – International networking
- Spain: Cypriot and Greek Film Festival in Barcelona, with plans to expand to Granada and Seville in 2025. Participation in the European Film Festival in Segovia.
- USA: Collaboration with the LA Greek Film Festival in Los Angeles.
- France: Participation in the 13th Panorama of Greek and Cypriot Cinema in Paris (2024).
- Francophonie: Participation with two Cypriot animated films in the Francophonie Animation Film Festival in St. Petersburg and the Francophonie Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Germany: Event at Neues Museum, Berlin, marking “50 Years Since the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus,” featuring five films on this subject.
- India: Participation in the EU Film Festival in New Delhi and the 17th Global Film Festival with four Cypriot films.
- Argentina: Participation in the European Film Festival Argentina with Man with the Answers by Stelios Kammitsis.
- South Africa: Participation in the European Film Festival in Malawi and Lesotho, with Man with the Answers achieving the largest audience in Lesotho.
- Canada: Participation in the European Film Festival in Ottawa with .DOG by Yianna Amerikanou.
- Russia: Participation in the Francophonie Film Festival in St. Petersburg.
- Chile: Participation in the European Film Festival in Chile.
- Japan: Participation in the EU Film Days in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Cypriot pavilions at International Festivals
Cyprus’s presence at key film festivals such as Berlinale, Thessaloniki Film Festival, Cannes, Annecy International Animation, Clermont-Ferrand, and Drama Short Film Festival served as focal points for promoting Cypriot cinema and strengthening relationships between Cypriot creators and international investors. These pavilions acted as meeting points for creators and provided information on Cyprus’s various programmes.
Press Release by the Deputy Ministry of Culture
Also read: “Europe in Cinema” film series starting in January 2025
