Minos Papas' Motherwitch presented in Cannes
11:53 - 21 May 2025

Acclaimed Cypriot director Minos Papas has presented his film Motherwitch at the Frontières Platform in Cannes.
Described as “a captivating folk horror story based on never-before-seen Cypriot folklore, told in a Gothic fairy tale style”, Motherwitch was filmed in March-April 2024 and was supported by the Cyprus Audiovisual Incentive Scheme of the Cyprus Film Commission.

Produced by Caretta Films and co-produced by Focus Pocus (N. Macedonia) and Cyprian Films, New York, Motherwitch is set in the abandoned 15th-century stone village of Parsada, in 1888 Cyprus. Eleni, a painter, tries to resurrect her dead children, but instead unleashes a horde of Kalikantzari – Cypriot folklore creatures that appear during the Twelve Days of Christmas – upon her village. Only by becoming a good mother to a talented, but abused boy can she bring natural order to the world again.
- Read more: Minos Papas’ Motherwitch, filmed in Cyprus, selected for the Frontières Platform in Cannes

"Congratulations to Minos Papas for showcasing 'Motherwitch' at the Cannes Festival during the Frontiers co-production market," said Lefteris Eleftheriou, Chairman of the Cyprus Film Commission, posted on LinkedIn. "The film, shot entirely in Cyprus under the Cyprus Film Scheme, highlights the talent and creativity of the team involved. Best wishes for the success of the movie and recognition for the hard work put in by Minos Papas, line producer Constantinos Nikiforou, and all the contributors to this remarkable achievement."