With a ceremony highlighting the festival’s creative energy and international reach, the 24th Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2026 concluded on Saturday evening at the Rialto Theatre in Limassol. After nine days filled with screenings, workshops, filmmaker meetings and professional activities, the festival closed with the presentation of awards in its competitive sections, accompanied by reflections on the importance of cinematic creation, collaboration and the continuous evolution of the film community.
The closing ceremony took place in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Culture and the Mayor of Limassol, while the artistic direction of the ceremony was undertaken by Evita Ioannou. The evening was hosted by Elena Antoniou, guiding the audience through a celebration honouring the filmmakers and stories that shaped this year’s edition.
As part of the ceremony, a video message was presented by Athina Xenidou, artistic director of the programme for children and young audiences. Danae Stylianou, head of the Dot.on.the.Map Industry Days co-production and networking platform, spoke about the strong momentum of this year’s edition, noting that more than 150 film professionals from Cyprus, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa gathered in Limassol to present projects, explore collaborations and develop new prospects for co-production, financing and distribution.
The festival’s artistic directors Argyro Nicolaou and Petros Charalambous thanked filmmakers, partners, volunteers and audiences who embraced this year’s edition, emphasising that the festival remains a vibrant meeting point for ideas, cinematic languages and cultures.
The awards ceremony began with the Audience Award, sponsored by Breaking Wave Productions. The Audience Award, selected through electronic voting and accompanied by a monetary prize of €2,000, was awarded to the film Hold Onto Me by Myrsini Aristidou.
The awards were announced by the International Jury, chaired by Matthijs Wouter Knol, with members Anna Hoffmann, Christina Lazaridi, Melanie Blocksdorf and Aimilios Avraam.
Best Film Award
Nino – Pauline Loquès
The award was presented to Pauline Loquès’ directorial debut, a film that begins with an exceptionally structured script and unfolds into a tender yet deeply human narrative. With precise direction and a delicate balance between seriousness and subtle humour, Nino explores existential moments of life through authentic performances, with Théodore Pellerin delivering a standout leading role. The jury recognised in the film a rare combination of emotional strength and cinematic elegance.
The Best Film Award is accompanied by a €6,000 prize.
Special Jury Award
Aisha Can’t Fly Away – Morad Mostafa
A powerful directorial debut that follows the life of a young woman with a migrant background working in a city that does not truly belong to her. The film captures her daily life within an environment of social pressure and uncertainty, where persistence, dignity and the desire for freedom collide with the limits of reality. With restrained realism, compelling performances and moments of poetic intensity, the film offers a moving portrait of resilience.
The Special Jury Award is accompanied by €3,000.
Best Director Award
Hysteria – Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay was honoured for an intelligent and multi-layered cinematic narrative combining political satire, social commentary and elements of mystery. The story begins with an apparently minor incident during the shooting of a film that triggers a chain of events revealing deeper tensions surrounding identity, memory and political representation. The direction stands out for the insight and sensitivity with which it approaches complex social themes.
The Best Director Award is accompanied by €1,000.
Best Cinematography Award
Forastera – Lucía Aleñar Iglesias
Cinematography: Agnès Piqué Corbera
A visually poetic work exploring the emotional journey of grief. The camera juxtaposes a luminous natural landscape with the inner darkness of loss, creating a cinematic universe where the environment mirrors the psychological state of the characters. Corbera’s cinematography transforms the landscape into a narrative tool revealing the fragile balance between memory and absence.
The Best Cinematography Award is accompanied by €1,000, offered by Caretta Films.
Jury Distinction
Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day – Ivona Juka
A film that impressed the jury with its strong visual identity and the performances of its ensemble cast. The story follows overlooked queer artists in the societies of the former Yugoslavia, exploring how art, memory and social change shape the perception of reality. With a layered narrative and strong historical awareness, the film sheds light on voices and stories that remained on the margins.
Best Cypriot Film
Hold Onto Me (Κράτα Με) – Myrsini Aristidou
Myrsini Aristidou’s first feature film stood out for its atmospheric cinematography, its expressive use of light and the sensitivity with which it approaches human relationships. Moving between memory, loss and the need for connection, the film creates an emotional landscape where characters seek balance through companionship and understanding. The performances of Maria Petrova and Christos Passalis contributed decisively to shaping a deeply human narrative.
The Best Cypriot Film Award includes a €4,000 prize awarded to the producer and director, along with studio services offered by the CYENS Centre of Excellence.
Best Director – Cypriot Competition
Hold Onto Me (Κράτα Με) – Myrsini Aristidou
Myrsini Aristidou also received the Best Director Award, confirming the emergence of a powerful new voice in Cypriot cinema. The jury noted that directing a feature debut is a demanding endeavour and highlighted the remarkable achievement of building the film around a child in the leading role while successfully delivering such a personal and ambitious project.
The award includes Post-Production Cinema & Platform Mastering services valued at €7,000, offered by AUTHORWAVE.
Best Performance Award
Dinos Lyras and Lenia Sorokkou – Maricel, directed by Elias Demetriou
The award recognised the two lead actors for their nuanced and deeply internal performances, which created a strong emotional core for the film’s narrative. The story explores the delicate balance within a human relationship, capturing with sensitivity the intimacy, vulnerability and unspoken tensions that shape companionship.
The Best Performance Award is accompanied by €2,000, offered by the Municipality of Limassol.
Dot.on.the.Map Industry Days – Pitching forum awards
The three-member international jury of Dot.on.the.Map Industry Days that deliberated upon the co-production forum awards comprised of Producer Carlo Cresto Dina, (tempesta film, Italy-UK), Producer Anamaria Antoci (Tangaj Productions, Romania) and Hugo Rosak, Head of the Industry Office at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, (Czech Republic).
Cyprus Film Commission – Invest Cyprus Award
Your Turn 203
Directed by: Cynthia Sawma
Produced by: Georges Schoucair (Lebanon)
“The jury was captivated by a pitch that combined clarity, energy, and a distinct directorial voice. The project presents a confident and well-articulated vision, tackling contemporary themes with a refreshing sense of humor and sharp perspective.
The Cyprus Film Commission – Invest Cyprus Award is accompanied by the monetary prize of €2,000.
ΕΚΚΟΜΕD AWARD
Horses
Directed by: Jernej Kastelec
Produced by: Ida Weiss (Slovenia)
“The jury was impressed by the project’s high level of preparation and the coherence of its artistic vision. Through strong symbolism and a grounded narrative, the film explores how cycles of violence are inherited—and how they might be broken. With a sense of a strong human production value, the project demonstrates both artistic ambition and tangible potential for delivery.”
The ΕΚΚΟΜΕD AWARD is accompanied by the monetary prize of €2,000, offered by the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center.
P.S. Movies & Stories Award
Until We Find Your Name
Directed by: Vaggelio Soumeli
Produced by: Janine Teerling & Marios Piperides (Cyprus)
“This project stood out as a bold and courageous debut, driven by a deeply personal impulse and a clear moral inquiry. The director demonstrates a strong commitment to her character, with a willingness to engage with complex ethical questions without resorting to easy answers, while the protagonist’s journey is shaped by unexpected and non-obvious choices.”
The award is accompanied by lighting & grip equipment rental worth up to €4,000* offered by P.S. Movies & Stories Cinema Equipment Rental Ltd. (*terms of use apply).
Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Agora Networking Award
Of Heart and Lung
Directed by: Walid Mattar
Produced by: Ikbel Tlili (Tunisia)
“The jury appreciated the director’s original and confident approach and the film’s intimate and humanistic storytelling, anchored by two compelling central characters whose journeys resonate with clarity and authenticity. Set against the backdrop of a strained public system, the project sensitively captures both personal dignity and systemic fragility.”
The award is οffered by Thessaloniki International Film Festival (67th edition:
5th – 15th November 2026) to the producer of the winning project, and it includes 4 nights’ accommodation in Thessaloniki & a free Agora market accreditation.
A Living Meeting Point For Cinema
Festival artistic directors Argyro Nicolaou and Petros Charalambous once again thanked filmmakers, partners, volunteers and audiences who supported this year’s edition, emphasising that the festival continues to function as a dynamic meeting point for contemporary cinema.
The Cyprus Film Days International Festival renewed its appointment with audiences for next year, reaffirming its role as one of the region’s most significant cinematic institutions and as a vibrant space for creation, collaboration and the exchange of ideas shaping the cinema of tomorrow.
Rialto Theatre
Information / Tickets:
rialto.interticket.com
www.rialto.com.cy
Βοx Office: 77777745
