International production company Copper Island launches in Cyprus (pics)

Copper Island officially launched its operations in Cyprus with a red-carpet event at its newly established post-production facility in Limassol’s historic old town.

The launch marks a significant investment in Cyprus’s creative sector and highlights the country’s growing role as a dynamic player in the international film industry, an announcement from the company noted.

Copper Island, a Cypriot company founded by Matt Murphie, has quickly gained global recognition, contributing to film projects with a total production value of over $100 million in the past two years alone.

With a growing international network of collaborators, the company has worked on major productions with directors such as Ron Howard, Gus Van Sant, and Simon West, and with actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Jude Law, Bill Skarsgård, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, Shia LaBeouf, and Colman Domingo.

The evening launch event welcomed guests including the Deputy Minister of Culture Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, representing the President of the Republic of Cyprus, the Mayor of Limassol Yiannis Armeftis, representatives of the Embassies of the United States and Greece, members of the Cyprus Film Commission and key figures from the cultural, academic, media, and business communities.

Matt Murphie and Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou

Yiannis Armeftis and Matt Murphie

The choice to establish operations in Cyprus was a strategic and deliberate one. Copper Island’s founder, Matt Murphie, a long-time resident of the island, identified early on the untapped cinematic potential Cyprus holds. After years of investing in the country, he saw in Cyprus not just a beautiful location, but a vibrant and growing creative ecosystem. Rich in talent, diverse in landscapes, and supported by evolving infrastructure, the island presented itself as an ideal springboard for world-class film production.

Murphie commented, “Copper Island’s vision is to raise Cyprus’s profile internationally as a first-class film destination and to showcase the incredible and varied, diverse natural beauty of the island as well as increase investment into the Cypriot economy. This evening not only celebrates the launch of our post-production facility, but it also puts a spotlight on the abundant opportunities in Cyprus and the local talent on our doorstep.”

Matt Murphie

Deputy Minister of Culture Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, representing the President of the Republic of Cyprus, mentioned, "Witnessing the state-of-the-art facilities and focused commitment of its management, I remain confident that Copper Island will actively contribute to the establishment of Cyprus as a point of reference in international creative production."

Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou

Acclaimed Cypriot director and producer Stelana Kliris spoke about her collaboration with Copper Island, confirming through her personal experience the meaningful impact of the company’s presence in Cyprus, "Copper Island became an integral part of my latest production, the film Apart from Her, both in terms of financing and creative support, as well as through the use of their excellent post-production facilities. The Copper Island team stepped in at a particularly critical moment for our production, and the collaboration was outstanding. I am truly grateful for the trust they placed in me. Through their actions, they demonstrate that they are here to support the local film industry, help it grow, and attract international productions to Cyprus."

Stelana Kliris

Copper Island’s upcoming film releases for 2025 include:

- Action-comedy 'Bride Hard', directed by acclaimed director Simon West and starring Australian actor Rebel Wilson, which is set to be released 20th June 2025 and shown in 2,500 cinemas in the US.

- 'Dead Man’s Wire' directed by Gus Van Sant starring Bill Skarsgård and Al Pacino, which will be debuting at the Venice Film Festival in August 2025; and

- 'Eden', starring Jude Law and Anna de Armas and directed by Ron Howard premiered at Toronto Film Festival in September 2024 and is set for general release in summer 2025.

Closer to home, Copper Island is delighted to have been given the opportunity to collaborate with two Cypriot productions namely:

- 'Apart from Her', written, directed and produced by Stelana Kliris who was responsible for the highly successful ‘Find me Falling', filmed in Cyprus, and was the most-watched film on Netflix globally for three weeks upon it's release; and

- 'The Well', written, directed and produced by Marios Piperides and Janine Teerling, also filmed in Cyprus and which will be post-produced in Copper Island’s studio in Limassol.

Nikos Kyrzis and Matt Murphie