The last day of film projections at the 5th Cyprus International Film Festival began with the projection of Medea (Natalia Kuznetsova, Russia) followed by I, Giannoulis Halepas (Stella Arkenyi, Greece).
The Golden Aphrodite projections included the films Birds of Prey (Rakesh Mehta, India) and Love in a Different Language (Ilksen Basarir, Turkey).
Producer “Love in a Different Language”
The night ended with the much awaited Strella (Panagiotis Koutras, Greece).
Closing Ceremony
The Awards Ceremony, which took place on the 18th of October, at Pallas Theatre in Nicosia,represented a glamorous event, attended by some significant personalities in the film industry and other fields as well. Mrs Aigli Kammitsi, President of the Cultural Committee of the Municipality of Nicosia, Mr Fotis, Fotou, Mr George Iliopoulos for the European Committee Bureau in Cyrpus, Mrs Evi Rizou Greek Embassy in Cyprus Press Office representative, Mr Constantinos Christofides , Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs in the University of Cyprus and chairman of UCY Voice, Mr Vassilov, President of the Russian Cultural Centre in Cyprus, fashion designer Sia Dimitriades, Cyprus Tourism Organization Official Bakis Loizides, Marios Filippou and Onisilos Pavlides from Cyprus University Film Association as well as Micky Georgiou from PLUS TV. In 2006 Mr Fotis Fotou, former Chariman of Cyprus Tourism Organization along with former Minister of Education and Culture Pefkios Georgiades, whose memory and spirit is still alive, found and supported the festival. Mr Fotiou underlined the fact that the Festival has now become an acclaimed organization.
The event was also attended by some of the Jury Committee Members who for this festival’s edition were: the Cypriot actor and director Costas Demeitriou, the Greek actress and director Alexandra Pavlidou, the songwriter Kostas Cacogiannis, the film producer George Stefanopoulos, and the film critic Alexandros Romanos Lizardos.
Award presentation was made by Cypriot actress Maria Filippou. During the event a special screening of the short film took place, which was made during the workshop “Actor in front of the camera” organized and carried out by Thanassis Sarantos. Nicosia’s University Cinema Club awarded the best short and animation films.
Highly important is the fact that a Turkish film, Love in a Different Language, was not only much awarded in multiple categories (Best Leading Actor in a Feature Film, Best Script in a Feature Film, Best Director in a Feature Film), but also received the Golden Aphrodite, proving thus that art has no political borders.
Awards
Τhe “Best Cinematography in a Short film” award winner is French director:
Antoine Carpentier for his extraordinary work in the Short Film Caron (France)
The “Best Short Film” award winner is the director:
Michal Szczesniak for the Polish film Boat (Lodka) (Poland)
“Nostimon Imar” award winner is:
Greek descendant citizen of Germany Costa Kalogiros for the film Apology (Germany)
Τhe “Best Antiquity film” award winner is the director:
George Petritsis for the documentary film The Seven Sages of Antiquity (Greece)
BEST ANTIQUITY – SPECIAL MENTION for the Music Score to the feature film MEDEA directed by Natalia Kuznetsova(Russia)
Τhe “Best Animated Film” award winner is the director:
Tomek Bagiński for the magnificently tender yet provoking world he created through his film The Kinematograph(Poland)
Τhe “Best Dance Film” award winner is the director:
Kimmo Alakunnas for the metaphorical view of modern life through the film An Ant (Finland)
Τhe “Fair Play” award winners are the directors:
Britney Oldham, Sara London and Talia London for their outstanding film Canoe Pulling – A Lummi way of life(U.S.A.)
The “Best Greek- Cypriot Film” award winner is the director:
Nick Kapros for the short film Trachoni (Austria/Cyprus)
The “Audience Short Film” award was given to:
Aghis Paikos for the film Ashes of Summer (Cyprus)
Veteran’s Award:
An innovative Award for filmmakers who have directed more than three films. This year’s veteran’s award was given to the film «Pile Up» by Ferenc Torok (Hungary). The film was selected for this award by Festival’s Artistic Director, Tony Srour.
Golden Aphrodite Awards
Significantly important were the films in Competition for Golden Aphrodite. Deriving from different origins, describing entirely different worlds but equally exciting, these films competing for the Festival’s grand Prize, stand out as exemplary creative films.
“Best Cinematography in Feature film” award winner is: Jose Manuel Roig for the film Golden Gag (Spain)
“Best Leading Actor in Feature Film” award winner is:
Mert Firat for the performance he delivered in the film Love in a different language (Turkey)
“Best Leading Actress in Feature Film” award winner is:
Efi Logginou for the performance she delivered in the film 45m2 (Greece)
“Best Editing in Feature Film” award winner is:
Moek de Groot for editing the film Bollywood Hero (The Netherlands)
“Best Script in Feature Film” award winner is:
İlksen Başarır for writing the script of the film Love in a different language (Turkey)
“Best production design in Feature Film” award winners are:
Anton Smit & Hanneke Niens for the production design of the film Bollywood Hero (The Netherlands)
“Best sets/costumes in Feature Film” award winner is:
Monica Celeste for the sets and costumes designed for the film Iago (Italy)
“Best Music score in Feature Film” award winner is:
Michele Braga for composing the music score of Iago (Italy)
“Best Director in Feature Film” award winner is:
İlksen Başarır for directing the film Love in a different language (Turkey)
THE AUDIENCE AWARD FOR FICTION FILM WAS GIVEN TO STRATOS TZITZIS FOR HIS FILM 45m2
All in all, this was the 5th edition of Cyprus International Film Festival! The biggest, most anticipated film festival not only in Cyprus but in a wide area was organized for another time in order to move, encharm, entertain and present the most auspicious film trends to the die-hard cinemagoers and to first- timers in getting to know significant pieces of the Seventh Art.
See you at CYIFF 6th Edition!
Thea,
At Your Culture!
Kinodefinirea 
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