This week, the International Short Film Festival of Cyprus launches its 15th edition, bringing screenings, and parallel events to Limassol from Saturday to October 17. Alongside its international and national competition sections, a sidebar agenda has been announced with even more events to look forward to. Get ready for a week of films, workshops, discussions and special screenings.
Once again, the festival will appeal to a diverse range of audiences, from children and students to researchers, artists and men on the street, reaffirming its role as a cultural institution that inspires, provokes thought and fosters connection.
Part of its parallel events is the What’s the Story? Cyprus workshop, an intensive five-day film development writing experience for eight directors and screenwriters from Cyprus and the neighbouring Mediterranean countries that will unfold between Monday and October 17.
The Cinematherapy by Ε.Κ.Κ.Ο.ΜΕ.Δ programme on Sunday combines the cinematic experience with the therapeutic process. It will take place on Rialto Theatre’s stage at 5pm. A filmmaking challenge invites students living in Cyprus to shoot a short film of up to three minutes in just three days. The Shoot’n’Run 2025 event will kick off on Wednesday, implemented by the School of Fine and Applied Arts of Cyprus University of Technology.
On the following day at 6pm, the panel discussion From Idea to Screen: Making Better Short Films will address local filmmakers exploring the unique challenges and possibilities of short films. Then, Nenad Bogdanovic will present the European programme Creative Europe – Media focusing on supporting European film production in today’s digital environment.
A series of special screenings will also take place, starting with Shorts for Kids on Sunday at 12pm at Rialto Theatre. An inspiring programme for young children will introduce young audiences to the enchanting world of cinema through a selection of exciting short films from across the globe.
Also happening this Sunday is the Echoes of the Earth: Memory, Land and Future screening at Dusty Munky at 10.30, showcasing films that trace the fragile yet unbreakable bonds between humans and the land.
On Monday, the festival pays tribute to the distinguished Cypriot filmmaker, writer and translator Irena Joannides (1964-2025). The Remembering Irena Joannides event will present a selection of her acclaimed short films, reflecting the vision and sensitivity she brought to contemporary Cypriot cinema.
On the following day, documentaries part of the Cyprus: Once Now event are an interplay between past and present, delving into contemporary Cypriots’ relationship with so-called ‘traditional’ values, the evolving social fabric, and their connection to a rapidly changing world
Next is the screening Between Reality and Fiction on Tuesday, showcasing films that slip between documentary and fiction where genres blur and the characters’ inner worlds surface. The Queer Fragments screening on Wednesday highlights stories of intimacy, abuse, friendship, loss and unfinished legacies, as the films confront the fragility and strength of gay men’s lives.
Lastly, the Tales of the Unfortunate special screening will present four markedly different shorts that are for those Others whom society often sidelines, but who nonetheless share the need to alter their trajectories.
All parallel events and special screenings have free admission and are suitable for audiences above 18, except for the Shorts for Kids programme. To the festival’s official programme visit https://www.isffc.com.cy/
15th International Short Film Festival of Cyprus
Annual short film festival with screenings and productions from Cyprus and world. October 11-17. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. www.isffc.com.cy
