Nicosia: Cypriot films have received major distinctions at international film festivals in Europe and Asia, according to a press release issued by the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture. Award-winning director Tonia Mishiali's second feature film, 'The Lion at My Back', which had its world premiere in the Crystal Globe Competition of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, received the Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the latest distinction follows Mishiali's participation in the festival's East of the West Competition in 2018 with her film 'Pause'. 'The Lion at My Back', which received funding from the Deputy Ministry of Culture, tells the story of an encounter between a teenage asylum seeker from Senegal and a 40-year-old Cypriot woman. Despite their different backgrounds, the two women develop a deep bond of solidarity, motherhood, and survival.
The film was produced by Cyprus-based Bark Like A Cat Films and co-produced by Iris Productions of Luxembourg and Avaton Films of Greece. It stars Sokhna Diallo, Elena Kallinikou, Prokopis Agathokleous, and Herodotos Miltiadous. At the same festival, Greek-German filmmaker Efthimis Kosemund-Sanidis received the Proxima Best Director Award for his film 'A Whole Person Almost'. The film, a co-production involving Bulgaria, Germany, Cyprus, Romania, and Greece, also received funding from the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
The third Cypriot entry at this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was Myrsini Aristidou's 'Hold Onto Me', which had previously won the Audience Award at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. The film continued its successful festival run in Asia, with its young lead actress Maria Petrova receiving an acting award at the recent Shanghai International Film Festival.
Elias Demetriou's 'Maricel' also received distinctions in Asia, winning the Best Feature, Best Producer, Best Director and Best Cinematography awards at the 2026 South East Academy International Film Festival in the Philippines. The film, which premiered at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival last November, has already won several international awards, including Best International Film at the 2026 Manchester Film Festival, Best Director at the 2026 Tokyo Film and Screenplay Awards, Best Film at the 2026 Cinephil101 Philosophy Film Festival, Best Characters at the Hollywood Best Indie Film Festival and Best Feature at the 2026 Osaka Horizon International Film Festival.
It also received the Best Film of the Year award at SEAIFF 2026 and the Best Balkan Spirit award at the 16th Balkan Film Food Festival, while its lead actors, Dinos Lyras and Lenia Sorocou, received the Best Performance award at the 2026 Cyprus Film Days International Festival. The next stop for 'Maricel' will be the Taunus Film Festival in Germany in August.