Nicosia: The 21st Cyprus International Film Festival - Golden Aphrodite Awards (CYIFF) is set to take place in Nicosia from September 21 to 25, showcasing a rich tapestry of films and filmmakers from around the globe. The festival's programme will emphasize themes such as roots, memory, identity, love, and peace.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the festival will present a diverse selection of genres, including fiction films, documentaries, animation, short films, music and dance films, experimental and VR productions, as well as student films, comedies, mobile films, and works by women filmmakers.
In conjunction with CYIFF, the 6th Women in Film and Television Cyprus International Festival will occur, spotlighting the contributions and representation of women in the cinematic and television industries. The festival will also feature Nostimon Imar, a segment dedicated to filmmakers of Greek descent from the diaspora, while also prominently including Chinese cinema in its lineup. A notable entry is Ziyuan Wang's "A Room of Her Own," which tells the story of a migrant cleaner in Beijing who finds her voice through poetry.
CYIFF is considering establishing a China-Cyprus Cultural Film Forum to foster cultural exchange between China, Cyprus, Greece, and Europe. Other highlighted films include Marko Djordjevic's "That's It for Today," Lucianna Kyriacou's "It's Raining," which delves into the experiences of a Greek Cypriot family in London, and "The Distance We Drift," focusing on a migrant couple from Hong Kong in Britain.
The festival will also feature "Queen of Cyprus," a documentary celebrating the resilience of Cypriot women worldwide and exploring themes of home, loss, and rebuilding. The festival aims to use cinema as a medium for promoting dialogue and peace, particularly against the backdrop of Cyprus' ongoing division.
A photography exhibition titled "Things We Pass By" will be held, and several directors and film representatives will engage with audiences during screenings. Moreover, on September 26, the Cyprus Women Environmental Peacemakers (CWEP) initiative will host a conference on Women, Peace, and the Environment, inspired by UN Security Council Resolution 1325. This initiative, established by WIFT Cyprus in 2025, connects women's roles in peacebuilding with environmental sustainability.
According to the organisers, the festival aspires not only to showcase films but also to stimulate dialogue through narratives from various nations and cultures, exploring shared human experiences.