December 21 is not just the shortest day of the year. It is also the Short Film Day that is celebrated across the world. The day originated in France in 2012 celebrating the art of short films and their diverse styles and themes and this Thursday, Nicosia will join in on the festivities.

An evening of short film screenings will take place in the capital as the International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, organised by the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Rialto Theatre, will celebrate the occasion with a cinema night at Antonakis Music Hall. Showcased on the big screen will be award-winning shorts of the festival’s 13th edition.

Films from its International Competition Awarded Shorts section and National Competition Awarded Shorts will be screened and they include films from around the world as well as local productions. Included in this Thursday’s cinema night are the Spanish film Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays, the Australian film Dipped in Black and Suddenly TV from Sudan and Qatar.

Maria Tomazou’s The Tornado Outside will also be screened after having won the First Prize for Best Cypriot Short Film. In second place is Mark Kassinos’ Acceptance which will also be screened as is Savva Stavrou’s Buffer Zone which won the Best Director Award & Best Performance Award. Also in the programme is the Cypriot film Pillars, which received the award for Best Cinematography and Aerolin, a film from Greece. Best of all, the film night is organised with free entry!

Short Film Day

Award-winning screenings of the International Short Film Festival of Cyprus. December 21. Antonakis Music Hall, Nicosia. 7pm. Free. Tel: 99-517910