One masterclass, four creative film workshops and five screenings of films make up this year’s programme of Cyprus Film Days for Children and Youth, which is set to take place from 12^th to 20^th April on Rialto Theatre’s screen in Limassol, Zena Palace’s in Nicosia, and this year also at UCLan Cyprus, in Larnaka. Young cinephiles will have a unique opportunity to watch world-acclaimed films and participate in a series of workshops led by film professionals.

This year’s selection of films has resilience as its central axis, which emerges through the power of imagination, friendship and perseverance. The films’ young protagonists are called to make difficult decisions and in doing so, they invite us to face life’s adversities with humor, determination, and optimism.

With an eclectic team of workshop leaders and with subjects ranging from hand-drawn animation to character exploration via acting, and from an innovative storytelling technique to cinematic self-expression, our message to young people is clear: Audiovisual media provide the platform for multiple voices to be heard and enrich the ways in which we can tell our own story.

Cyprus Film Days for Children and Youth is co-organised by the Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Rialto Theatre, in the framework of Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2023. The artistic director is Director, Producer, Writer and Associate Lecturer in Media Production at UCLan Cyprus, Athena Xenidou.

The programme of screenings and workshops is supported by Pizza Hut, Directors’ Guild of Cyprus, Cyprus Autism Association, Animafest, UCLan Cyprus and the International Center of Media, Arts & Communication.

• Movie: Searching (+12)

Storyline: After David Kim (John Cho)’s 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter’s laptop. In a hyper-modern thriller told via the technology devices we use every day to communicate, David must trace his daughter’s digital footprints before she disappears forever.

• Duration: 1h 42m
• Date & Time: Tuesday, 16 April 2024, 16:00 – 19:00
• Venue: AUD1, UCLan Cyprus Campus

Workshops for children and youth

A masterclass on the use of the Screenlife technique, led by one of the executive producers of the film Searching (2018) will follow, led by Maria Zatulovskaya, Executive Producer of the movie Searching. 

Tasty pizzas will be offered complementary by Pizza Hut. 

Film screenings (Free entrance!)