Parallel Events & Special Screenings at the 15th International Short Film Festival of Cyprus

The International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, celebrating its 15th edition this year, returns to Limassol from 11 to 17 October 2025 with a diverse programme that extends beyond the screenings of the international and national competition sections. Parallel events, workshops, discussions, and special screenings create a dynamic environment for dialogue and exchange, where the art of cinema meets mental health, education, tradition, society, and the future.

The Festival appeals to a diverse range of audiences, including the very young — from children and students to researchers, artists, and citizens — reaffirming its role as a cultural institution that inspires, provokes thought, and fosters connection.

Through its parallel events and special screenings programme, the 15th International Short Film Festival of Cyprus gives voice to emerging filmmakers, opens up dialogue on pressing social and existential issues, brings together generations and communities, and reaffirms its position as a celebration of the art of Cinema that transcends borders.

PARALLEL EVENTS

What’s the Story? Cyprus – Talents Generator Factory📍 13–17 October, RESET multifunctional social space

An intensive, five-day short film development writing workshop for eight directors and screenwriters from Cyprus and the neighbouring Mediterranean countries.

Cinematherapy by Ε.Κ.Κ.Ο.ΜΕ.Δ📍 12 October, Sunday, 17:00 – Rialto Theatre On Stage

The innovative programme that combines the cinematic experience with the therapeutic process returns to the ISFFC.

Shoot’n’Run 2025📍 15 October, Wednesday, 18:00 – Rialto Theatre On StageA filmmaking challenge that invites students living in Cyprus to shoot a short film of up to 3 minutes — in just three days.

The programme is implemented by the School of Fine and Applied Arts of Cyprus University of Technology, in collaboration with the International Short Film Festival of Cyprus (ISFFC).

Panel discussion: “From Idea to Screen: Making Better Short Films”📍 16 October, Thursday, 18:00–19:30 – Rialto Theatre On Stage

A panel discussion for local filmmakers exploring the unique challenges and possibilities of short films.

Info Session: Creative Europe Media📍 17 October, Friday, 12:00 – RESET multifunctional social space

Presentation of the European programme “Creative Europe – Media” by Nenad Bogdanovic, focusing on supporting the European film production in today’s digital environment.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Shorts for Kids📍 12 October, Sunday, 12:00 – Rialto TheatreAn inspiring programme for young children, aiming to introduce them to the enchanting world of cinema through a selection of exciting short films from across the globe. 

All films have been classified as (U) “Suitable for all ages” by the Competent Committee of the Film Classification Council, in accordance with the Law on Film Classification.

Echoes of the Earth: Memory, Land, and Future📍 12 October, Sunday, 22:30 – Dusty Monkey

From vanishing forests to parched soil, from ancestral resilience to imagined tomorrows, these films trace the fragile yet unbreakable bonds between humans and the land.

Curated by Spiros Charalambous

Remembering Irena Joannides📍 13 October, Monday, 18:30 – Rialto Theatre

Irena Joannides (1964-2025) was a distinguished Cypriot filmmaker, writer, and translator who studied Film Directing at the University of Toronto before building a multifaceted career between Cyprus and Canada. This programme presents a selection of her acclaimed short films, reflecting the vision and sensitivity she brought to contemporary Cypriot cinema.

Cyprus: Once Now📍 14 October, Tuesday, 18:00 – Rialto Theatre

Each of these documentaries examines, in its own distinct way, the interplay between past and present. They delve into contemporary Cypriots’ relationship with so-called "traditional" values, the evolving social fabric, and their connection to a rapidly changing world—all within the dynamic context of Cyprus itself. 

Curated by the National Pre-selection Committee (Adonis Florides, Doros Demetriou, Yianna Americanou, Peter Cerovšek).

Between Reality and Fiction📍 14 October, Tuesday, 22:30 – Dusty Monkey

What is real, what is staged, what is constructed? Exploring the porous boundary between the real and the imagined, these films slip between documentary and fiction where genres blur and the characters’ inner worlds surface. Together, they reveal how cinema transforms lived experience into story and how it makes the imagined tangible and the real unstable. Curated by the Artistic Directors. Introduction by Νicos Synnos & Christos Panayiotou, Lemesos Cinema Club.

Queer Fragments: Desire, Memory, Survival📍 15 October, Wednesday, 22:30 – Dusty MonkeyFrom intimacy and abuse to friendship, loss, and unfinished legacies, these films confront the fragility and strength of gay men's lives. They piece together stories of desire and resilience, inviting us to reflect on what it means to inherit, endure, and imagine anew. Curated by Spiros Charalambous

Tales of the Unfortunate📍 16 October, Thursday, 22:30 – Dusty MonkeyThey were never meant for success - fate never spared them. A malignant predestination rules over the characters’ stories, in spite of them and against them. In this programme, four markedly different shorts are for those Others whom society often sidelines, but who nonetheless share the need to alter their trajectories.

Curated by Christina Andreou

Free admission to all parallel events and special screenings.

Screenings are suitable for audiences over 18, except for the Shorts for Kids programme.

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.