Editor

For the second consecutive year, the island of Cyprus is ready to welcome the 2nd International Film Festival, which will take place between 12th and 19th of April, with 140 films, screening at K-Cineplex cinema venues in Nicosia and with a selection of special screenings in Larnaca and Limassol.
Following last year’s success and equipped with this small but substantial experience, this year we were called to select and programme the festival among 600 films submitted by filmmakers from 50 countries, eager to participate in 2nd Cyprus International Film Festival.
CIFF keeps in touch with most important film festivals abroad, following and trying to be a member of recent international cinema trends. Our priority is to bring forth the new, rising, independent filmmakers and facilitate contacts with producers and industry executives as well as with the final recipient, film audiences, by presenting quality films for the Cypriot cinema-goers.
At the same time, our ambition is to develop the festival in becoming the centre of counteraction and interaction among representatives of Greek and Cypriot cinema in the beautiful island environment, known for its exceptional energy, warm climate and local hospitality.

What’s on 2nd Cyprus International Film Festival
CIFF’s ambition is to reflect modern cinema through the festival. This year this ambition is achieved thanks to the programme of films which gives a multicultural and multifaceted character, proudly presenting the work of filmmakers from all around the world.
This year’s programme includes short and feature films, documentaries, animation, films for children, video art, music videos and sport films. This year we are proud to present a brand new category of video dance films.

Competition

Films nearly from all around the world are competing for the great Golden Aphrodite award. Independent productions bearing the personality of their creators are here to attract our interest and attention.

Panorama

Films from around the world, having made a great impression in international festivals, are presented and set the line for world cinema trends and upcoming filmmakers’ views on the world.



Humanitarian

Documentaries within humanitarian references challenge our interest in social, environmental and political issues.

Fair Play-Sport Films

Sport lovers leave the courts for the projection rooms. Two of the most important personalities in football come to Cyprus through films. This year the festival presents a wonderful documentary on the life and legend of Diego Maradona with Javier Martin Vazquez’s «Loving Maradona» as well as the charming film-portrait of Zinedine Zidane by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno. Along with these films, the festival will also present the Iraqi film “Offside”, awarded with the Silver Bear in last year’s Venice Film Festival.

Dance Films

Each time dance meets cinema a new exceptional aesthetic is brought to the screen. This year’s Festival in Cyprus includes some of the most interesting dance films.

Special section

Aliki Danezi-Knutsen a cosmopolitan Cypriot filmmaker, born in Lyon, raised in Cyprus and educated in California, whose background includes New York theatre and filmmaking in Africa and Uruguay, is attributed a special section in CIFF, through the projection of two feature films, «Bar» and «Ο Dromos Kai ta Portokalia»., and also the music documentary «Karavan Sarai». The projection of the two feature films is a kind offer by the Press and Information Office.

Acclaimed Filmmakers’ Film Premieres

The Festival programme includes big film productions by renowned and acclaimed filmmakers, presented by the festival in premieres: Robert De Niro’s «The Good Shepherd» an example of new American cinema, Lars Von Trier’s latest film «The Boss of It All», «Sunshine» by the director of «Trainspotting» Danny Boyle, Luc Besson’s long-waited return with «Angel-A», «10 Items or Less» staring Morgan Freeman, and the Sundance awarded film «A guide to Recognizing your Saints» by Dito Montiel.
In addition to this, there will also be experimental films, video art, music videos, animation films and films for the youngest cinema-going audience.

Awards
This year KODAK and SEAHORSE FILMS are both offering two significant Photography Awards in the category of feature and short films respectively. The winners will use the awarded prize in Cyprus to make two new films, which will be screened in other international festivals. The Greek Film Centre sponsors the First Shown Award in the Feature Film Category in competition.


Satellite Events – Jury Committees
Since the festival notion naturally involves more than film screenings, CIFF again this year includes various educational activities. Two of the most distinguished animators of DreamWorks Animation will present a series of special seminars for those interested in animation art as well as for the beginners in the exploration of animation. Phaedon Papamichael, acclaimed Director of Photography, will introduce a seminar for those interested in the magic of Hollywood movies’ filming. Also, Phaedon Papamichael [production designer in John Cassavetes’ films], Artistic Director of the festival, together with Nikos Koundouros and Aliki Danezi-Knutsen, among others, will discuss on the adaptation of film works on theatrical stage and vice-versa. Additionally, a series of satellite events will speed up the island beat. Seminars, workshops, concerts and lots of parties will keep the festival guests busy and excited, the time outside the projection rooms. The K-Cineplex lobby in Nicosia is the festival’s meeting point. At the lobby you can communicate to our people any enquiries concerning the festival, tickets, invitations, the programme, the seminars and satellite activities.

The festival will be honoured by the presence of directors, producers and important representatives of Cypriot and Greek cinema. Among others, Nikos Koundouros, head of the Festival Jury Committee, and Aliki Danezi-Knutsen, one of the most important representatives of Cypriot filmmakers in the last years, Alexandros Kakavas, Director of Greek Sceenwriters Association and representative of Eurimages at the Ministry of Culture, Inkas Films’ film producer Lilet Botasi, costume designer Virginia Diakaki, director of photography Dimitris Koukas, director/producer Vasos Georgas and set designer Jacob Prousalis are the members of the acclaimed jury committee for the selection of Feature Films.

At the same time a special jury committee was organized for the competition section of short films, including Spiro Taravira, director awarded at 1st Cyprus International Film Festival for the documentary film ‘BUZZ’, director and producer Panayiotis Karamitsos, director of photography Fotis Mitsis, music composer Marios Tsagkaris and choreographer Anna Karamitsou.