02/05/2018 - The first-time directors of the films, Rungano Nyoni and Alberto Monteras, also split the Best Director Award, while Simon Farmakas’ Sunrise in Kimmeria was Best Cypriot Film

Christos Georgiou receiving the Best Cypriot Director Award for Happy Birthday

The 16^th edition of the Cyprus Film Days International Festival wrapped on 28 April with the awards ceremony, which was held at the Rialto Theatre in Limassol. The largest event on the island, which ran from 19-28 April in Limassol and Nicosia, awarded two films in the main international competition, Glocal Images. The Directors' Fortnight discovery I Am Not a Witch [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rungano Nyoni
film profile], directed by Rungano Nyoni, and Rotterdam’s Bright Future-premiered Respeto, directed by Alberto Monteras II, received the Best Film Award ex aequo, accompanied by a €6,000 prize.

The international jury, headed up by acclaimed director Abel Ferrara, and comprising filmmakers Ralitza Petrova, Elina Psykou, Petros Charalambous and film critic Olivier Clinckart, also handed the €1,000 Glocal Best Director Award to the helmers of the aforementioned films, Rungano Nyoni and Alberto Monteras. It’s worth noting that Respeto also won the Audience Award, and was thus the first international film to do so. Furthermore, the Special Jury Award was bestowed upon another debutant, Vasilis Christofilakis, for his comedy Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. The gong was also accompanied by a cash prize of €3,000.

The jury also delivered three Honorary Distinctions to The Marriage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Blerta Zeqiri
film profile] by Blerta Zeqiri, “for daring to tackle an important topic in the conservative society of Kosovo”, to Men Don’t Cry [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alen Drljević
film profile] by Alen Drljević, “for the authentic performances of the cast”, and to More [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Onur Saylak, “for its strong cast and cinematography”.

In the National Competition, three awards were given out by the international jury. Simon Farmakas was the recipient of the Best Cypriot Film Award for his comedy Sunrise in Kimmeria, which also received a €4,000 prize. Christos Georgiou received the Best Cypriot Director Award, which comes with a DCP mastering, deliverables and subtitling prize worth €3,500 in technical services, sponsored by Authorwave, for his film Happy Birthday. Finally, Vladimiros Subotic snagged an Honorary Distinction for his cinematography in the film Chinatown: The Three Shelters [+see also:
trailer
film profile], directed by Aliki Danezi-Knutsen.

Here is the complete list of winners at the 16^th Cyprus Film Days:

Best Film (ex aequo)
I Am Not a Witch [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rungano Nyoni
film profile] – Rungano Nyoni (UK/France/Germany)
Respeto – Alberto Monteras II (Philippines)

Special Jury Award
Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Vasilis Christofilakis (Greece)

Best Director (ex aequo)
Rungano Nyoni – I Am Not a Witch
Alberto Monteras II – Respeto

Honorary Distinctions
The Marriage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Blerta Zeqiri
film profile] – Blerta Zeqiri (Kosovo/Albania)
Men Don’t Cry [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alen Drljević
film profile] – Alen Drljević (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Slovenia/Germany/Croatia)
More [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Onur Saylak (Turkey)

Best Cypriot Film
Sunrise in Kimmeria – Simon Farmakas (Cyprus)

Best Cypriot Director
Christos Georgiou – Happy Birthday (Greece/Cyprus/France/Germany)

Honorary Distinction
Vladimiros Subotic – Chinatown: The Three Shelters (Cyprus/Greece)

Audience Award
Respeto – Alberto Monteras II