The 12th International Short Film Festival of Cyprus concluded on Friday, 14 October 2022 with the awards ceremony that took place at Rialto Theatre.
The International Jury was chaired by Yannis Sakaridis, film director and artistic director of Drama ISFF. This year’s Jury also included: Mathieu Janssen, Artistic Coordinator at ‘Go Short’ International Short Film Festival, Rona Segal, filmmaker and journalist, Erdogan Kavaz, actor, producer and director, and Alexandra Matheou, writer & director.
Below are the rationales for the awards as stated by the Jury:
ISFFC – INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS
FIRST PRIZE FOR BEST SHORT FILM [€4,000]
The First Prize for Best Short Film, accompanied by the amount of 4000 euro was awarded to The Seine’s Tears directed by Yanis Belaid, Eliott Benard, Nicolas Mayeur, Etienne Moulin, Hadrien Pinot, Lisa Vicente, Philippine Singer, Alice Letailleur from France, for the filmmakers’ courage to imagine an alternative, surreal ending to a brutal massacre, and for allowing us to mourn the loss of those who dreamt of a better reality. The directors skilfully create an animated world with refreshing digital techniques, while praising the human spirit.
BEST DIRECTOR AWARD [€2,500]
The Best Director Award accompanied by the amount of 2500 euro was awarded to Hessam Hamidi for Daily Massacre in Tehran from Iran, for managing to extract stellar performances, not only from its protagonist, but from all peripheral actors too, in order to create a finely tuned film that stole our hearts. An optimistic character of a boy that never gives up.
SECOND PRIZE FOR BEST SHORT FILM [€1,500]
The Second Prize for Best Short Film accompanied by the amount of 1500 euro was awarded to Handstand by Ovsanna Shekoyan from Armenia. The film is the product of a confident directorial voice that transposes the viewer into an icy cold universe yet masterfully maintains the heat on. A suspenseful story that utilises its every second to remind us that the proverbial truth is hardly pure or ever simple.
BEST DOCUMENTARY AWARD [€3,000]
The Best Documentary Award accompanied by the amount of 3000 euro was awarded to Aralkum by Mila Zhluktenko and Daniel Asadi Faezi from Germany and Uzbekistan. The film shows us a new perspective by highlighting the day-to-day consequences of an environmental disaster. With a poetic approach and by combining different visual formats, the directors effectively connect past and present in both image and sound.
HONORARY DISTINCTIONS
An honorary distinction was given to Mulika by Maisha Maene from the Democratic Republic of Congo, for displaying an afronaut returning to his roots while seeking a fresh visual language to highlight a relevant topic.
An honorary distinction was given to Hellspawn by Michael Demetriou, for witnessing the effort of the filmmakers to formulate a “good film”, with a purely fresh-blooded sense of comedy.
ISFFC NOMINATION FOR THE EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY AWARDS 2023
The International Jury of ISFFC 2022 selected the film Airhostess-737 by Greek director Thanasis Neofotistos as a candidate in the category ‘European Short Film’ at the European Film Awards 2023, for a captivating story in which the director consistently depicts a magnetic and ‘turbulent’ character from start to finish, while showing a truly innovative directorial style.
The award was presented by Ms Georgia Doetzer, Chief Executive of Rialto Theatre.
ISFFC - NATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS
FIRST PRIZE FOR BEST CYPRIOT SHORT FILM [Distribution by Radiator IP Sales and €4,000]
The First Prize for Best Cypriot Short Film, accompanied by the amount of 4000 euro and distribution services, presented by Mr Ben Bekke Vandendaele, Representative of Radiator IP Sales, was awarded to Daphne by Tonia Mishiali. The Jury members unanimously agreed that the film was deserving of the main award. A modest, simple, honest, touching film, a character study of a woman, whose journey to reclaim herself becomes a reflective and inspiring testimony of a time period that we will collectively remember as a traumatic dive into loneliness.
The award for Best Cypriot Short Film was presented by Mr Yiannis Toumazis, Deputy Minister for Culture.
SECOND PRIZE FOR BEST CYPRIOT SHORT FILM [€2,500]
For the intimate depiction of life and dreams that were stolen. The director cleverly uses editing to shift our preconceptions and judgements towards a woman with a layered back story that represents an entire generation of women. The Second Prize for Best Cypriot Short Film, accompanied by the amount of 2500 euro, was awarded to Rêve/Dream by Nikolas Kasinos.
The award was presented by Ms Elena Christodoulidou, Senior Cultural Officer in the Deputy Ministry of Culture – Cultural Services.
BEST DIRECTOR AWARD DINOS KATSOURIDIS [€2,500 plus technical equipment for the director’s next short film]
The Best Director Award accompanied by the amount of 2500 euro and provision of technical equipment for the director’s next short film was awarded to Tonia Mishiali for her film Daphne, for the nuanced portrayal of a character’s desperate longing for connection in a world that is making it an increased practical impossibility; and for bringing to life a story that examines the complexities of the female experience with empathy and precision.
The award was presented by Ms Isabella Mavraki.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD [post-production services, colour correction & DCP in HD by SteFilm]
The Best Cinematography Award accompanied by post-production services, colour correction & DCP in HD was awarded to Thomas Tsiftelis for his cinematography in Exploitation, directed by Marina Symeou. The jury was charmed by this film that is very aware of its genre. Especially in image, where the main characters and environments are not only depicted beautifully, but also with the appeal of a local Thelma and Louise.
The award was presented by Mr Angelos Argyroulis, Director of SteFilm.
BEST ACTRESS AWARD [€500 offered by Limassol Municipality]
The Best Performance Award accompanied by the amount of 500 euro was awarded to Niovi Charalambous for her performance in Daphne directed by Tonia Mishiali. Charalambous consistently, convincingly and generously performed the lead role and incarnated the fragile state of the heroine.
The award was presented by Mr Elias Ioakim, Member of the Cultural Committee of the Limassol Municipality.
HONORARY DISTINCTION
An honorary distinction was given to Sunday by Dinos Gregoriou for highlighting an extremely relevant ‘glocal’ issue about the inheritance of patriarchy.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO PRIZE IN THE "AMAZE ME" CATEGORY [€500]
As selected by the Student Jury from the Department of Multimedia and Graphic Arts of Cyprus University of Technology.
The Best Music Video Prize was awarded to Max Cooper's Everything, directed by Nick Cobby from the UK, for the way it visualises the song’s surge of emotions and ideas.
The award was presented by Ms Nicolina Antoniou, Representative of the Student Jury.
The Festival's 13th edition will take place in October 2023.
Organisers: The festival is an institution of the Deputy Ministry of Culture (Cultural Services) held at Rialto Theatre.
Information: Rialto Theatre 77 77 77 45
Facebook: @Int’l Short Film Festival of Cyprus
Instagram: isffc_filmfestival
Twitter: #RialtoTheatreCy /#isffc22
www.isffc.com.cy / www.rialto.com.cy
Ιn Collaboration with: Limassol Municipality
Award Sponsor: SteFilm
Μedia Sponsors: CyBC, Check in, City
Technical Partner: Event Pro
Hospitality Sponsor: Mediterranean Beach Hotel
Supported by: Embassy of Israel in Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, University of Cyprus, Limassol Today, Efimerida Lemesos, Lemesos blog, Limassol Cine Club, Limassol Tourism Board, Vestnik, Mitos, Vivliotropio, Art Studio 55.