International Competition Programme

Celebrating its fifteenth edition this year, the International Short Film Festival of Cyprus invites audiences to the Rialto Theatre in Limassol from 11 to 17 October to celebrate the power of cinema through a rich and multifaceted programme of screenings and parallel events.

Lying at the heart of the Festival, the International Competition Programme, carefully curated by Artistic Directors Keti Papadema and Diomedes Koufteros, showcases short films from across the globe. Filmmakers from Cyprus, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas meet in Limassol, bringing with them stories that reflect diverse cultures, contemporary concerns, and fresh artistic perspectives.

From the opening and closing ceremonies to the daily screenings, the programme includes fiction, documentary and animation films that dare to experiment with the short film form, tell new stories, and address the pressing issues of our times. This year’s anniversary edition highlights the festival’s global character and its role as a meeting point for filmmakers and audiences alike: a space where short films come to life through collective experience, where a community is built on resilience and hope.

Man Number 4, directed by Miranda Pennell, United Kingdom 

Pigeons on the Rooftop, directed by Miruna Ursache, Romania 

Fish River Anthology, directed by Veera Lamminpää, Finland

Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites, directed by Chheangkea, Cambodge, France, USA

Vultures, directed by Dian Weys, France, South Africa

Notes From Planet Three, directed by Simon Ellis, United Kingdom 

The Crumbs, directed by Michael Mellemløkken Renjo, Norway

All That Remains, directed by Andrei Redinciuc, Romania 

Because Today is Saturday, directed by Alice Eça Guimarães, Portugal, France, Spain

Dear Mother, directed by Theodor Solin, Sweden 

Almost Certainly False, directed by Cansu Baydar, Turkey

Shadows, directed by Rand Beiruty, France, Jordan

The Devil and the Bicycle, directed by Sharon Hakim, France

Challenges of a Solitary Mind, directed by Astrid Rothaug, Austria 

Blue Heart, directed by Samuel Suffren, Haiti, France

Little Monsters, directed by Pablo Léridon, France

A South Facing Window, directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir, France, Mongolia

Unreal Estate Agent, directed by Bodhi Le Belle, The Netherlands

The Motherfucker's Birthday, directed by Saif Alsaegh, USA

Their Eyes, directed by Nicolas Gourault, France  

I Died in Irpin, directed by Anastasiia Falileieva, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine

God is Shy, directed by Jocelyn Charles, France

Vox Humana, directed by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, Philippines, USA, Singapore

Apocalypse, directed by Benoit Méry, France 

Fetish Eurovision-Greece 1991, directed by Menelas, Greece  

Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts, directed by Rein Maychaelson, Indonesia 

Melanochaita, directed by Niko Avgoustidis, Greece   

Quota, directed by Studio Job, Joris & Marieke, The Netherlands

Rhubarb Rhubarb, directed by Kate McMullen, United Kingdom

Through the Window, directed by Daniel Stopa, Poland

The Canon, directed by Martín Seeger, Chile  

Hush Now, directed by Laen Sanches, France

No Mean City, directed by Ross McClean, United Kingdom, USA

Skin on Skin, directed by Simon Schneckenburger, Germany 

Being John Smith, directed by John Smith, United Kingdom

Along the Beautiful Danube, directed by Jan Soldat, Austria, Germany

Noi, directed by Neritan Zinxhiria, Greece  

Birds of Paradise, directed by Tomek Ducki, Poland, France

What If They Bomb Here Tonight?, directed by Samir Syriani, Lebanon

I'm Glad You're Dead Now, directed by Tawfeek Barhom, Greece, France, Palestine

All films are suitable only for viewers aged 18+.

Films will be screened in their original language with Greek and English subtitles.

Information: Rialto Theatre 77 77 77 45Facebook: @Int’l Short Film Festival of CyprusInstagram: isffc_filmfestivalwww.isffc.com.cy / www.rialto.com.cy

Tickets:€5 day pass€25 festival pass

Free admission for students upon presentation of their student ID, as well as for holders of a disability card.

ORGANISERS: 

Deputy Ministry of Culture – Department of Contemporary Culture and Rialto Theatre

In collaboration with Limassol Municipality 

Major Sponsors: APC Audit TAX Auditors, Green Olive, Digital Tree 

Technical Support: EventPRO

Awards Sponsors: SteFilm, Full Moon, Dinos Katsouridis Award

Hospitality Sponsor: Αlinea 

Media Sponsors: Check In, City.com.cy, CyBC

Supported by: Organisation of European Programmes and Cultural Relations, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), University of Cyprus Alumni Office, Lemesos Newspaper,Limassol Cinema Club, Larnaca–Famagusta Cinema Club, Limassol Today, Lemesos Blog,  Limassol Public Transport Company, Vestnik Kipra, Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company.