Α. GENERAL INFORMATION
Α1. Cyprus Film Days International Festival is the official international film festival of Cyprus, an institutional event of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus. It is organised by the Department of Contemporary Culture and the Rialto Theatre.
The selection of films and the programming of screenings and parallel events are undertaken by the Artistic Directors who are appointed by the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
Α2. The Festival aims:
- at contributing to the development, promotion, and mobility of the art of Cinema in Cyprus and the wider region;
- at screening the work of filmmakers from across the world and introducing their work to the audience of Cyprus;
- at serving as a meeting hub for films originating from the three neighbouring continents of Cyprus.
Α3. The Festival is annually held and takes place simultaneously in Limassol and in Nicosia. Its 23rd edition will take place from the 4th to the 12th of April 2025.
Α4. For 2025, the Festival shall incorporate the following sections:
- Glocal Images International Competition Section: fiction feature films participate in this competition section. The films selected by the Artistic Directors originate from Cyprus and the world with emphasis on films originating from the neighbouring continents of Cyprus, which promote Cinema as an art form and a tool for intercultural dialogue. Moreover, Glocal Images seeks to showcase films that highlight the diverse “colours” of local filmmaking, while drawing on themes and styles of contemporary international filmmaking. Every film participating in this section shall be screened once in Limassol and once in Nicosia.
- Viewfinder – A Close-up of Contemporary World Cinema: the Artistic Directors select and invite fiction feature films that have received awards and distinctions during the festival year. They are selected and invited based on criteria set by the Artistic Directors. The main objective of this section is to showcase a selection of films from important festivals to the audience of Cyprus.
- Parallel Programmes: these include special screenings, thematic sections and tributes to the work of acclaimed film directors from across the globe.
- Parallel Events: these include workshops and masterclasses for film professionals.
Β. REGULATIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE “GLOCAL IMAGES INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION SECTION”
Β1. All films participating in the Glocal Images International Competition Section are selected and invited by the Festival’s Artistic Directors.
B2. The number of selected films is determined by the Artistic Directors according to the programming needs.
B3. Selection Criteria
All films participating in the Glocal Images International Competition Section must:
a) be fiction feature films;
b) be Cyprus premieres;
c) be produced in 2023 or 2024 or 2025;
d) be available in Digital Cinema Package (DCP). No other format shall be accepted;
e) have a running time of at least 60 minutes.
Β4. Procedure
All films applying to this section must be submitted via www.filmfreeway.com/cyprusfilmdays.
Films must be submitted with secure online screeners and remain available for viewing until 1st March 2025. All films must be subtitled in English.
The entry fee for each submitted film is €20 (twenty) euro.
Β5. Conditions
Films selected to be screened in the Glocal Images International Competition Section must be in their original version with English subtitles on print.
The Festival undertakes the translation and preparation of electronic subtitles in Greek. Therefore, a dialogue list in English must be submitted for translation purposes within ten days from the selection of a film. Any other arrangement in relation to the subtitling of the film must be made in consultation with the Festival. Any other promotional material regarding the film such as posters, photographs, press kit, trailers etc. must be sent together with the dialogue list.
Β6. The Jury
The Festival’s Artistic Directors appoint a five-member Jury consisting of personalities from the international film industry who shall decide on the awards.
The Artistic Directors also appoint the Jury President. The decisions of the Jury are made by simple majority. Persons related professionally, financially or having any other relation or involvement in the films participating in this section may not serve as jury members.
Β7. The Jury awards the following prizes in the Glocal Images International Competition Section:
Best Film Award: this Award is accompanied by the amount of €6,000 (six thousand euro), which is paid in half (ex aequo) to the Producer (€3,000 euro) and the Director of the film (€3,000 euro).
Special Jury Award: this Award is accompanied by the amount of €3,000 (euro), which is paid in half (ex aequo) to the Producer (€1,500 euro) and the Director of the film (€1,500 euro).
Best Director Award: this award, which is paid to the Director of the film, is accompanied by the amount of €1,000 (euros).
Best Cinematography Award: this award, which is paid to the Director of Photography/Cinematographer of the film, is accompanied by the amount of €500 (euros), offered by Caretta Films.
The Jury may also give up to three Honorary Distinctions. These distinctions are not accompanied by a monetary prize.
Each prize is awarded to one film only.
Monetary prizes may be sponsored by other organisations.
The payment of the monetary prize accompanying the award is made in euro.
Β8. The deadline for submissions to the Glocal Images International Competition Section is the 31st of December 2024. Applicants shall be informed by the 1st of March 2025.
Β9. During the Festival days, no public screening of a film participating in this section is permitted in Cyprus.
B10. The Festival reserves the right for an extra screening in Cyprus for each of the three awarded films. The additional screenings shall take place at a venue chosen by the Festival and within a timeframe that does not exceed the period of 7 days after the end of the Festival.
B11. The sender bears the shipping cost and postage insurance for the print of the film participating in the Glocal Images International Competition Section. The Festival bears the cost for returning the print to the sender. Standard procedures are followed when the print is sent by or to another festival. The Festival bears all costs related to the insurance of a film print against damage or loss for the period after the Festival has received it until the time it is delivered to the post office or courier (transport agent) for return or given directly to a representative of the film. Any damage to the print of a film must be reported in writing within one week from its receipt and prior to its next screening. Any claims shall be dealt with on the basis of the complainant's relevant report. In case of loss or complete damage of the visual material, the Festival only bears the cost of its replacement.
B12. The Festival Organisers reserve the right to decide upon any issue or matter that is not provided for under these Rules and Regulations governing the Glocal Images International Competition Section of Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2025, on a case-by-case basis.
B13. The Festival may cover part of the travel and accommodation expenses of the director or of any other member of the cast and crew of the selected films. The amount of the covered expenses may vary according to the number of the interested parties, the country of origin, the ticket cost, and the duration of accommodation.
B14. Participating in the Glocal Images International Competition Section of Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2025 implies full acceptance of these rules and regulations.
C. REGULATIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE “VIEWFINDER – A CLOSE-UP OF CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA” SECTION
C1. In this section, no procedure for film submission applies. All films participating in this section are selected and invited directly by the Artistic Directors. Every Viewfinder film is screened once in Limassol and once in Nicosia.
C2. A film participating in this section must:
a) be a fiction feature film;
b) be a Cyprus premiere;
c) be produced in 2023 or 2024 or 2025;
d) have a running time of at least 60 minutes.
Exceptions in relation to the above may be made at the discretion of the Artistic Directors.
C3. Any matters related to the participation of a film in this section such as postage, screening, subtitling etc. shall be arranged in direct consultation between the Festival and the holder of the film rights.
C4. During the festival, no public screening of a film participating in this section in Cyprus is permitted.
C5. The Festival Organisers reserve the right to decide upon any matter or issue not provided for under the Regulations governing the “Viewfinder - A Close-Up of Contemporary World Cinema” Section of Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2025.
C6. Participating in the “Viewfinder - A Close-Up of Contemporary World Cinema” Section of Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2025 implies full acceptance of these Rules and Regulations.
D. PARTICIPATION OF CYPRIOT FILMS
D1. The participation of Cypriot films in the two Festival sections is subject to the rules and regulations of the Festival as described above.
D2. The Artistic Directors may, in addition to the two official festival sections, introduce a Cypriot Films Competition Section. The minimum number of films required in this section is three (3).
D3. Cypriot Films participating in the Cypriot Films Competition Section must meet the six following criteria:
a) the film director must be a Cypriot citizen. Filmmakers must submit a copy of their Cypriot ID card/passport. Films directed by Cypriot filmmakers that are not Cypriot productions or co-productions are only eligible for the Best Director Award in the Cypriot Films Competition Section;
b) they must be Cypriot productions or co-productions with Cyprus being the main production country. If Cyprus features as a secondary co-producing country, the final decision regarding its eligibility for the Best Cypriot Film Award remains at the discretion of the Festival’s Artistic Directors. This decision depends on the extent of the Cypriot creative contribution, the frequency of use of one of the two official languages of the Republic of Cyprus, and the use of filming locations in Cyprus;
c) be produced in 2023 or 2024 or 2025;
d) they must be Cyprus premieres;
e) they must be available in Digital Cinema Package (DCP). No other format shall be accepted;
f) they must have a running time of at least 60 minutes.
D4. Procedure
See B4.
D5. Conditions
Films selected for screening in the Cypriot Films Competition Section are also subject to the conditions outlined in B5.
D6. The Jury
The Jury that decides on the awards of the films participating in the Cypriot Films Competition Section is the same five-member jury, appointed by the Artistic Directors, that decides about the Glocal Images International Competition Section awards. See B6.
D7. The Jury awards the following prizes in the Cypriot Films Competition Section:
- Best Cypriot Film Award: this award is accompanied by the amount of €4,000 (euro), which is paid in half (ex aequo) to the Producer (€2,000 euro) and the Director of the film (€2,000 euro).
- Best Director Award in the Cypriot Films Competition Section
- Best Performance Award in the Cypriot Films Competition Section: this award is accompanied by the amount of €1,000 and is offered by Limassol Municipality.
The Jury may also give up to three Honorary Distinctions. These distinctions are not accompanied by a monetary prize.
Cypriot Films participating in the Glocal Images International Competition Section automatically participate in the Cypriot Films Competition Section (where applicable in accordance with these regulations), namely for the Best Cypriot Film Award, Best Director Award and Best Performance Award. Cypriot Directors whose films participate in the Glocal Images International Competition section, which, however, are not considered Cypriot productions according to the Festival’s criteria (see D.3), are only eligible for the Best Cypriot Director Award.
Each prize is awarded to one film only.
Some of the monetary prizes may be sponsored by other organisations. The monetary prizes are paid in euros.
D8. The participation of Cypriot films in the Cypriot Films Competition Section is subject to the Festival’s rules and regulations as described under B8-B13.
D9. Since one of the Festival’s objectives is to promote and screen local films, Cypriot fiction feature films that previously screened in theatres or other festivals in Cyprus, may be screened as part of out-of-competition special screenings. Τhe selection of these films shall be made by the Artistic Directors.
Any Cypriot films showcased as special screenings (out of competition) are subject to the following terms:
a) they must be Cypriot productions or co-productions with Cyprus being the main production country;
b) they must be 2023 or 2024 or 2025 productions,
c) they must be screened at the Festival for the first time;
d) they must be available in Digital Cinema Package (DCP). No other format shall be accepted;
e) they must have a running time of at least 60 minutes.
Ε. AUDIENCE AWARD
Ε1. Films participating in the two official competition sections, the Glocal Images International Competition Section and the Cypriot Films Competition Section (where applicable), are automatically eligible for the Audience Award.
Films participating as special screenings may also be eligible for the Audience Award provided that they have not been commercially screened in Cyprus in the past, and that they were produced in 2023 or 2024 or 2025.
The final decision regarding their eligibility remains at the discretion of the Festival’s Artistic Directors.
F. MISCELLANEOUS
F1. The Festival Organisers shall decide upon any matters not provided for under these rules and regulations in accordance with international practices and on a case-by-case basis.
F2 Participation in the Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2025 implies full acceptance of these rules and regulations.
