Carefully curated international films once again form the core of the Children and Youth Section of the 24th International Festival Cyprus Film Days 2026, bringing to the big screen stories that resonate directly with the experiences, concerns and aspirations of the younger generation.
From 18 to 24 April, in Nicosia and Limassol, audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy a strong selection of feature and short films from around the world, with free admission.
This year’s programme focuses on the power of personal voice and collective expression, highlighting the courage of young people to define their own identity in a world full of expectations and challenges. Through coming-of-age stories, friendship and self-discovery, the protagonists are called to navigate between their dreams and social pressures, reminding us that perseverance, solidarity and self-belief can transform both the individual and the community.
Screenings take place with free admission at Rialto Theatre in Limassol and K Cineplex Prime in Nicosia. All films are screened in their original language with Greek and English subtitles.
Feature Films
At the heart of the programme are three distinctive feature films that explore different aspects of adolescence and the transition to adulthood.
The contemporary drama Sisterhood (HLM Pussy) (15+) by Nora El Hourch (France–Morocco, 2023) powerfully opens up the discussion around sexual violence, consent, female solidarity and the limits of public exposure in the age of social media. It highlights both the force and the risks of digital visibility for a generation growing up in the shadow of #MeToo. Three inseparable teenage girls are confronted with the consequences of a decision that spirals out of control when one of them becomes the victim of sexual assault and they choose to publicly expose the perpetrator through a video on social media.
In DJ Ahmet (All ages), directed by Georgi M. Unkovski (Croatia, Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Serbia, 2024), a 15-year-old shepherd growing up in a conservative Balkan environment struggles between family expectations and his dream of becoming a DJ, in a story about freedom, the desire to break away and the power of personal choice. The film was awarded the Ecrans Juniors Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2025.
The Midsummer’s Voice (All ages) by Yudi Zhang (China, 2024) explores the fragile and emotionally charged period of adolescence through a student of the Beijing Opera, who finds his voice -and future-suddenly changing. As his voice breaks, threatening his career in a demanding art form, he also forms unexpected friendships with two of his rivals during a pivotal summer.
The feature films are screened in both Nicosia and Limassol, with the programme unfolding across different dates in each city. In Nicosia, at K Cineplex Prime, screenings take place between 18 and 24 April: Sisterhood (HLM Pussy) screens on Saturday 18 April at 19:00, DJ Ahmet on Thursday 23 April at 19:00, and The Midsummer’s Voice on Friday 24 April at 19:00. In Limassol, at Rialto Theatre, screenings are concentrated on a single day, Sunday 19 April, with DJ Ahmet at 11:00 and The Midsummer’s Voice at 15:00.
Short Films & International Programmes
The programme is further enriched by curated short film sections that give voice to emerging young creators from across Europe.
Highlights include the Carte Blanche programmes from France, Czechia and Greece, presented in collaboration with international festivals and organisations, featuring student and youth films that capture the world of young people with freshness and authenticity.
Carte Blanche – France: In collaboration with the international educational film festival FIFE (Festival International du Film d’Éducation), the films Once Upon a Time in a Waste, Multijoueur, Bulles, Looking for Elena, How to Make a Friend and The Shyness of Trees will be screened. Venue: K Cineplex Prime, Saturday 18 April, 18:00.
Carte Blanche – Czechia: In collaboration with the Czech Film Center, the films From Play to Play and Screener will be screened. Venue: K Cineplex Prime, Thursday 23 April, 18:40.
Carte Blanche – Greece: In collaboration with the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People (European Meeting of Young People’s Audiovisual Creation – Camera Zizanio), the films The Ball is Mine, I am a Woman, The Myth of the Anigrides Nymphs and Coffee Break will be screened. Venue: K Cineplex Prime, Friday 24 April, 18:00.
At the same time, the short film Arezou by Sophia Kiapos (Iran, 2026) follows an 11-year-old girl attending a secret underground ballet class in post-revolutionary Iran—a moving story about freedom, memory and the power of art as an act of resistance. Venue: Rialto Theatre, Sunday 19 April, 11:00.
Each screening day opens with films awarded in the National Short Film Competition for Children and Youth, offering audiences the opportunity to discover the work of the new generation of Cypriot filmmakers.
The Children and Youth Section is part of the 24th Cyprus Film Days 2026 International Festival, co-organised by the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture and Rialto Theatre.
Information on workshops, competition and screenings:
cyprusfilmdays.com
facebook.com/CFDchildren
instagram.com/cyprusfilmdaysyouth
Major Sponsor: K Cineplex
Sponsors: Columbia Beach Resort, ENA Juices, UCLan, Frederick University, The Film & Stage Studio, CIPA, APC Audit Tax Advisory, Copper Island, Digital Tree, Green Olive Films
Rialto Theatre
Information / Tickets:
rialto.interticket.com
www.rialto.com.cy
Βοx Office: 77777745
