Film Commission to announce projects “of a scale and nature that have never before taken place in Cyprus”

This Cannes Film Festival this year was a good one for Cyprus: not only did the highly prestigious event feature two films produced on the island under the Cyprus Film Scheme, but it also included key discussions with international filmmakers and producers for more to come.

“This year’s Cannes Film Festival was a great success for Cyprus, marked by a strong presence with two outstanding films—both pre-approved under our Cash Rebate Programme,” Lefteris Eleftheriou, Chairman of the Cyprus Film Commission and Head of Filming at Invest Cyprus, who represented the country at the festival, told CBN.

He is of course referring to YES, a drama film written and directed by Nadav Lapid which premiered on 22 May 2025 in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival; and Motherwitch, written and directed by Minos Papas, which featured at the prestigious Frontières Platform, generating significant buzz among international industry professionals.

• Read more: Minos Papas' Motherwitch presented in Cannes

But that wasn’t all. Invest Cyprus co-organised the Cyprus Film Commission Networking Party in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Culture, bringing together global industry leaders, producers, and creatives to explore opportunities in Cyprus.

“During the Festival, we held productive meetings with numerous producers from around the world, particularly from the United States and the United Kingdom,” Eleftheriou revealed. “I’m confident that we will soon be able to announce projects of a scale and nature that have never before taken place in Cyprus. These developments are a direct result of the efficiency of our incentive schemes, our clear and straightforward procedures, our status as one of the fastest-paying jurisdictions in the EU, and, of course, the exceptional talent of our local professionals.”

Invest Cyprus was also excited about the meetings, posting on LinkedIn: “Engaged in a series of fruitful meetings with international producers expressing strong interest in filming in Cyprus, thanks to our attractive incentives, stunning locations, and growing production ecosystem.”

It added that “Cyprus continues to establish itself as a reliable, creative, and competitive filming destination for international productions”.

(Main photo: Minos Papas, second left, and Lefteris Eleftheriou, third left)