Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2023, the most important cultural annual event for Cypriot cinema, enters a new era, headed by its newly-appointed artistic directors, bringing a fresh perspective in terms of philosophy and events.
This institutional annual event of the Deputy Ministry of Culture significantly contributes to the broadening of the horizons of the local film sector. It has become the ultimate meeting point between the work of visionary film directors and the ever-demanding cinephile audience of Cyprus. It offers a unique cinematic experience featuring films that cover a diverse thematic spectrum of universal character. The feature length fiction narratives that we will discover in this 21st festival edition challenge stereotypes, spark debate and foster critical thinking.
Having at its core the fiction feature film, this year’s diverse programme includes a socially-engaging selection of films that have received multiple awards and critical acclaim at prestigious festivals (Viewfinder section), as well as films made by upcoming filmmakers that will be competing for the awards of the international Glocal Images competition section. The selection also includes special screenings, covering a wide range of subjects and unveiling a highly interesting directorial point of view. The selection has been curated by the festival’s newly-appointed Artistic Directors, filmmakers Argyro Nicolaou and Marios Lizides, whom I would like to congratulate for this endeavour and wish them every success.
The Cypriot film production could not be missing from this selection: this year, the Festival will be showcasing the most recent co-productions in which our country took part, synergies that confirm the ever-increasing importance of our local film industry.
At the same time and like every year, young cinephiles will have their own unique opportunity to experiment through a series of fascinating film workshops led by experienced film professionals, as well as to watch films that stood out in the international festival circuit. Under the artistic direction of filmmaker and writer Stavros Pamballis, Cyprus Film Days for Children and Youth launches a call for artistic expression through the audiovisual medium and new technologies.
Attesting to its international character, the Festival further expands its scope, hosting the fourth edition of Dot.on.the.Map Industry Days, the co-production, training and networking platform headed by film director Danae Stylianou, who managed within the incredibly short period of only three years to attract film professionals from the broader Mediterranean region, to encourage international co-productions and contribute to the mobility of the film sector, while putting Cyprus on the international film industry map as a key meeting point.
To conclude, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the members of the international jury for accepting our invitation – they indeed honour us with their presence. Moreover, I would like to thank our most loyal partner, the Rialto Theatre, and especially its Chief Executive, Mrs Georgia Doetzer, the entire festival team for the excellent organisation and, last but not least, my colleague at the Deputy Ministry of Culture, Dr Elena Christodoulidou, Deputy Director of the Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture. Finally, I would like to thank all the sponsors and supporters for supporting the festival and contributing to its implementation.
I wish every success to the 21st Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2023, which is now carving its own new path, guided by its new Artistic Directors.
Deputy Minister of Culture
Michalis Hadjiyiannis