For five days, the 21st Cyprus International Film Festival brings a world of stories to Nicosia. The Melina Merkouri Cultural Hall will fill with filmmakers, artists, actors, photographers, cultural professionals and film lovers from September 21 to 25, as the festival events unfold.

This year, in between screenings and parallel events, the international competition programme returns with films, filmmakers and new voices from around the world, sharing stories that deserve to be discovered.

A special addition to the 2026 programme is the presence of Chinese cinema, where selected screenings and the World Premiere of La Croix (The Crossing) by Hu Xueyang will be featured.

Putting on a local lens, a special tribute exploring Cyprus and the memory of 1974 will take place this year through cinema and the personal stories of people who experienced those years and continue to carry their memories forward.

A powerful documentary by Panikos Panayiotou, Queen of Cyprus, is part of the programme, as it explores Cypriot women, loss, resilience, the meaning of home and the determination to rebuild a life.

The focus on women filmmakers and women’s stories continues through special events that celebrate female creativity, equality and the contribution of women to cinema and the wider creative industries.

The festival will also highlight a unique bi-communal initiative bringing women together through culture, environmental action, dialogue and peacebuilding, as well as spotlighting the filmmakers and artists of the global Hellenic Diaspora.

In a more participatory mood, the Things We Pass By exhibition invites the public to submit their own photos of scenes, people, places, moments and details that we normally pass by. Those interested can submit up to four photographs, taken either with a camera or a mobile phone, by September 6, by emailing [email protected].

The festival will also launch a new platform for actors and performers. The Monologue Challenge invites emerging and established performers to perform for up to ten minutes in Greek or English and present their material. If interested, applicants should send an email to [email protected] by September 16.

The grand finale of the festival is the Golden Aphrodite Awards Ceremony on September 25, where filmmakers and films that have distinguished themselves during the festival are celebrated in a closing event, open to all.

21st Cyprus International Film Festival

Film screenings, awards, photography exhibitions and much more. September 21-25. Melina Merkouri Cultural Hall, Nicosia. www.cyprusfilmfestival.org