The 24th edition of Countryside Animafest Cyprus had its award ceremony on Sunday, August 10, in the village of Salamiou, Paphos, after three days of screenings, concerts, workshops, and exhibitions. This year’s edition included 33 international and 5 Cypriot films in competition, as well as 8 films in the children’s competition program. The jury consisted of Miloš Tomić (Serbia), Avgi Lilli (Cyprus), and Dimitris Alithinos (Greece).

The Full List of Animafest Cyprus 2025 Awards

The Grand Prix Dimitris Eipides for a narrative film is awarded to It Shouldn’t Rain Tomorrow, by Maria Trigo Teixeira (Portugal).

Jury statement: For a film that draws us into a relationship between a mother with dementia and her daughter — a relationship difficult to retell — which touches on the themes of fading memory and identity, as well as the awareness of one’s own transience reflected in the mirror of one’s aging parent. For the subtle psychological nuances in the sensitive relationship between mother and daughter full of care and feeling of burden, for the carefully chosen details that, in a short time, draw us into their characters, states, and problems.
And finally, for the rarely seen, dignified depiction of dementia — portraying without pity a character who remains only in traces, in minimal reactions.

The Grand Prix Dimitris Eipides for a non-narrative film is awarded to A Round of Applause for Death, Stephen Irwin (United Kingdom).
Jury statement: For the originally ironic way in which it sharply comments—through the creative function of repetition—on today’s death-obsession and the collapse of collective empathy.
 
The winner of the National competition is the film Reflected Lines by Sebastian Konstantinou.
Jury Statement: For its approach to the existential theme of accepting the multiple facets of our identity, as well as for the sensitivity and simplicity with which it portrays the issue of mental health.

The jury also gave three special mentions:

Glass House Boris Labbé (France)

Jury statement: Composed of thousands of images, in constant, elusive metamorphoses, like a portal into a boundless, wild, and yet somehow internally logical micro-world, an invitation into a ceremonial, vibrant, and—without exaggeration—otherworldly realm... Imagine this as a stained-glass window, a rose window in the temple of some new religion. What would that religion be like? Miloš Tomić awards a special mention to the film Glass House by Boris Labbé.
 
Carmela, Vicente Mallols (Spain)
Jury statement: In an era where violence, fear, terror, and often despair are overwhelmingly present, the film Carmela unexpectedly offers, in its ending, the hope of a new
world. Therefore, the Dimitris Alithinos Special Mention is awarded to Vicente Mallols for his film Carmela.
 
There’s a robbery in progress, Morgan Miller (United States)
Jury statement: For the director’s courage in turning to the comedy genre, engaging with issues of form in a fascinating way that creatively surprises the viewer—such as the dynamic and unpredictable relationship between the artist and their work, self-referentiality, and (self-)irony—the Avgi Lilli Special Mention is awarded to Morgan Miller for his film There’s a Robbery in Progress.
 
The children’s jury awarded first prize in the children’s film competition to Swallow’s Tonada by Daniela Godel (France).
Jury statement: Swallow’s Tonada captivated us with its rich, warm colors and music that feels like it’s part of the story’s heartbeat. Every note and shade works together to create a mysterious atmosphere and a sense of wonder.

AUDIENCE AWARDS
Three audience awards were also presented. The audience award for the Ιnternational competition to 'Hurikán' by Jan Saska (Czech Republic, France, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina), for the National Competition to the film 'To Your Hands' by Ana Mouyis (Cyprus), and the Young Audience and Children’s films competition to the film 'Cabyparas' by Alfredo Soderguit (France).

 
The festival closed on Sunday, 10 August, with a screening of the film The Tower by Mats Groud, a special screening which is part of the solidarity project “Palestine animated”.

Animafest Cyprus 2025 Award Ceremony

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