The 16th International Short Film Festival of Cyprus (ISFFC) got off to a strong start in Limassol on Saturday. A magnificent opening ceremony at Rialto Theatre and the first screenings were followed by the festival party. Over seven days, until Friday 16 October, the festival brings films from around the world, special screenings, discussions and, for the first time, awards chosen by audiences and peers.

A strong opening night

The festival presented itself and its partners at Rialto Theatre on Saturday evening. Fittingly for a 16th edition, the night was a reminder that the energy of adolescence can be fascinating, full of intensity, curiosity and a hunger for life.

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The opening and the party that follows traditionally draw the biggest crowds. Once the hangover has passed, though, a rich programme lies ahead, with films from all over the world, special screenings, discussions and the encounters that give the festival its character.

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Day two: Shorty Shorts and Beirut Shorts

Sunday morning belonged to the youngest audience. At 11.00, Shorty Shorts, the festival’s programme for children aged five and over, took to the stage beneath Rialto’s “starry sky”. Its five films, 41 minutes in total, were filled with strange but familiar creatures, wondrous landscapes and unexpected encounters: “Bats and Bugs”, “Full Nest”, “When the Tide Comes”, “Sketches on Ice” and “Into the Forest”. All are rated K, suitable for all ages.

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It was perhaps the most disarming invitation of the week: children and adults together in front of the same screen, letting imagination lead the way. For some children, it was their first film festival. And first times are never forgotten.

At 17.30, the 245 kilometres between Limassol and Beirut grew a little shorter. Beirut Shorts x ISFFC, curated by Nicolas Khabbaz, brought three short films to the stage, “Warsha”, “Sea Salt” and “Shame”. These were joined by “Chasing Depth on EvenSkies”, a screening with live performance. Lebanon’s complex political and social fabric unfolded through questions that sound very familiar in Cyprus, followed by a discussion.

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In the evening, the competition programme included “Mother Lidia” from Chile and “Sirens” by Argyro Nicolaou.

The competition programme, every night at 20.00

The heart of the festival beats in the Competition Programme. It features films from Chile to South Korea and from Sudan to Norway, alongside Cypriot productions claiming their own place. Every screening is followed by a Q&A. Competition screenings are for audiences aged 18 and over.

Tonight, Monday 12 October, is the busiest night of the week, with eight films. Among them is “Kinds of Fathers” by Christos Artemiou, whose first short film won Best Film, Best Director and Best Performance at ISFFC 2025.

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On Tuesday 13 October, “Valentinos” by Sofia Anastasiou screens. On Wednesday 14 October, it is the turn of “O Paketas” by Ermolaos Fotiou.

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On Thursday 15 October, a film titled “Cinema Rialto”, by Antonis Petrou, screens in the place where it feels most at home.

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Special programmes before the lights go down

Before the evening screenings, the Rialto stage hosts the festival’s special programmes.

On Tuesday 13 October at 18.15, Thresholds brings together four films about adolescence, a time that is both thrilling and frightening. It follows coming-of-age rituals in bedrooms, cars, back streets and digital spaces.

On Wednesday 14 October at 17.30, Shoot & Run presents films made in just three days by students living in Cyprus. The programme is run by the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts of the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) in collaboration with ISFFC.

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On Thursday 15 October at 17.30, Cinematherapy by EKKOMED screens “Prelude for a Supernova” by Christos Artemiou. A discussion follows between the director and the programme’s coordinator, Denise Nicolaou.

Friday: Cyprus from another angle

On the final day, Friday 16 October, the programme opens at 18.00 with The Space Between. Curated by the Preselection Committee of the National Competition Programme, it presents films by women filmmakers about life between languages, places and versions of the self.

At 18.30 comes Cyprus Sideways: three films that blur the island’s familiar landscapes and show them anew through fleeting queer encounters, the unseen ecosystems of the night and distorted geographies.

At 21.30, after the final competition films, the festival closes with the awards ceremony and closing party.

Audiences get a vote this year

This year, the jury will not have the only say. The new Audience Award, with a cash prize of €500, gives Rialto audiences the power to choose the film they loved most.

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For the first time, a Peer Award will also be presented to one Cypriot film in the Competition. It will be chosen by a committee of representatives from the Cyprus Directors Association, the Cyprus Actors Union (EHK) and the Theatre Artists’ Branch of SIDIKEK-PEO. Directors and actors choosing the work of their colleagues gives this distinction a weight of its own.

The festival hub returns to Heroes’ Square

And after the films? Heroes’ Square. The ISFFC Hub is set up once again in the legendary square, which has just reopened, and Limassol regains one of its best-loved meeting points.

Those who know the festival know that the gatherings before and after the screenings are half the experience. That is where films are discussed, new friendships are made and old friends reunite, drink in hand and sometimes with a second (in moderation!). Every evening at 19.00, the Brandy Sour Hour sets the tone for the night ahead.

Tickets and information

A day ticket costs €5 and a festival pass costs €25. Information is available from Rialto Theatre (77 77 77 45), at isffc.com.cy and on the ISFFC social media channels.

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