Cyprus Film Days gears up for opening ceremony

Inspired by the curatorial question “What Now/Now What?”, this 21st edition of Cyprus Film Days International Festival kicks off with an artistic inaugural ceremony, which will be held in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Culture, Michalis Hadjiyiannis.

The Festival opens its curtain on Friday, April 21 at 8 pm at the Rialto Theatre with a screening of the Cypriot film IMAN, directed by Corinna Avraamides and Kyriacos Tofarides. This gripping drama connects three stories, each involving characters whose actions mean the difference between life and death. Featuring an eclectic international and Cypriot cast, the film premiered at the 63rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

The opening ceremony

Curated and directed by Dimitris Chimonas and his collaborators, the opening ceremony is inspired by Sessions, a project of collective queer happenings. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to experience a “ceremonial” arrival, where both viewers and filmmakers are two sides of the same coin.

“Unexpected combinations of imagery and sound create universes on the edges of reality, somewhere between nothing and everything, nowhere and everywhere, between chaos and order. By watching them, we contribute to their completion”.

Following IMAN’s screening, the Festival will be hosting an opening party with DJ Coral Bae.

Cyprus Film Days 2023 will begin to unfold its rich programme of screenings and events starting on the weekend of 22 and 23 April in both Limassol and Nicosia.

In Limassol, on Saturday, April 22 at 11 am, the jury president, French film director Julie Bertuccelli, will be attending the screening of her documentary film Jane Campion, La Femme Cinéma, which will be followed by a Q&A.

In Nicosia, following the 8 pm screening of The Eight Mountains, directed by Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch, guests are invited to an open party at the neighbouring S//IP Club.

*The Festival’s programme is available at www.cyprusfilmdays.com.

Tickets:
• €5 per film
• €30 festival pass (for all screenings)
• Free entrance for students upon display of student card

The creatives of the opening ceremony:
Concept, written and directed by: Dimitris Chimonas
Production coordination: Lex Gregoriou

Scenic design: Demetris Shammas
Installation & costume design: Orestis Lazouras
Lighting design: Karolina Spyrou
Music & sound composition: Maria Spivak, Emiddio Vasquez
Cinematography & editing: Nikolas Karatzas
Props: Stephani Mourouzi
Drone operator: Charis Varelias
Performers: Elena Kallinikou, Belinda Papavassiliou, Eva Papavassiliou, Chryso Cosma, Panayiotis Pavlides, Stephani Mourouzi, Andreas Patsias

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Cyprus Film Days returns with awarded selections