Final call for submissions to the Mediterranean’s newest international film festival

NEWS/TRNC

Just two days remain before submissions to the Golden Island International Film Festival (GIIFF) close on 14 August 2014. The festival is open to filmmakers from around the world, who can submit their films to GIIFF free of charge. The process starts online: GoldenIslandFilmFestival.org – hard copies are also required and festival rules apply.

Organised by UK-based Balik Arts and the Golden Island Culture and Arts Association, and backed by Creditwest Bank and the Altınbaş family, the new film festival was launched in the UN Buffer Zone in Nicosia earlier this year. The inaugural event will take place in Cyprus from 7-13 November 2014. The seven-day event will screen a high quality selection of international fiction and documentary films, both short (up to 20 minutes long) and feature length (60 minutes and over) in venues across the island.

GIIFF patrons Meral Ece & actor Tamer Hassan. Photo: David James

Taking place annually, GIIFF intends to become an important launch-pad for home-grown talent in the Eastern Mediterranean, while helping to bring the best of world cinema to local audiences. Currently, North America dominates the film festival market: 70% of the world’s 3,000 annual film festivals are hosted there, with Europe hosting 18%. 

At an event in North London last month festival patron Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece OBE said GIIFF aims to: “Give a bigger share of voice to the other 12%”.

Cypriot Cinema will be an ever-present at the festival, alongside annually-changing themes. For 2014, the five strands are: UK Cinema (guest country), the Environment, Human Rights, Women, and “Journeys” (both emotional and physical). Other than for entries to Cyprus Cinema, all films submitted to GIIFF should have been completed after 31 December 2010.

As part of its commitment to support the Cypriot film industry, GIIFF is also offering cash prizes for the Best Short Fiction work and the Best Documentary that involves Cypriot filmmakers or foreign-born/overseas producers whose movie was largely filmed in Cyprus. The competition will be overseen by two separate juries, with prizes of €2,000 awarded to the best film and best newcomer in each category.

To submit a film, filmmakers should visit the Submissions section of the GIIFF website, which includes both entry rules and the online form. The form should be completed in full, printed for signing and then submitted online for immediate registration, Filmmakers should then send a hardcopy of the form together with three hard DVD copies of their film entry, all clearly marked, to one of GIIFF’s two offices, either in the UK or in North Cyprus (full addresses are under Submissions). 

GIIFF is backed by the Independent Film Trust, Raindance Film Festival, the University of East Anglia (Film Dept), the Home for Co-operation and Youth Power (both in the UN Buffer Zone, Nicosia), along with Movie Matters and the Turkish Cypriot Communication Association (UK). Sponsors include Girne American University, state broadcaster BRT and the Kibris Media Group.

Related articles: 

Filmmakers invited to UK launch of new international film festival in Cyprus 7 July 2014

Tamer Hassan helps launch new Cyprus film festival, 29 May 2014