Open-air movie nights light up Nicosia

Where to catch independent and blockbuster films in the capital this AugustSummer cinema is still here, dominating the season’s cultural agenda as several organisers host their annual open-air film nights. Screenings of independent cinema from international and local productions sit alongside new blockbuster releases from Hollywood and family-friendly animation films, offering something for everyone to enjoy on the big screen. So, if you are staying in Nicosia this month as the city empties, you can rest assured that there are cinematic evenings to fill your agenda. The 27th Constantia Summer Film Marathon continues with its weekly screenings at the Constantia Open Air Cinema, every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Up next is the award-winning film Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which portrays a powerful and intimate testimony to the harsh reality, survival and resilience of life in the besieged Gaza Strip. It is a documentary that unfolds through daily video calls and messages exchanged between an Iranian filmmaker and a young, fiercely optimistic Palestinian photojournalist, Fatima. The film gained tragic historical resonance when Fatima was killed in an airstrike just one day after its Cannes selection was announced. On August 12, the crime, comedy and mystery film Who Killed Lady Winsley? will be screened at Constantia about the murder of an American novelist on an isolated island in Turkey’s Princes Islands. As the renowned, yet eccentric Inspector Fergan arrives to investigate, he uncovers the deeply buried secrets, prejudices and taboos of the island’s close-knit community. Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk Another award-winning film arrives on August 13. It Was Just an Accident tells the story of a family road trip through the Iranian countryside turned sour when a group of former Iranian political prisoners are confronted with a profound moral dilemma: whether to take revenge on a passing man they recognise and believe to have been their former prison torturer. At Rio Cinema at the Nicosia Mall, several blockbuster films are screened this month. They include Spiderman: Brand New Day, Moana, The Odyssey and Toy Story 5. The animated films have screenings dubbed in Greek as well as in its original language (English), while The Odyssey is also screened outdoors as the Mall presents its annual summer Open-Air Cinema Nights. A cinema night with free entrance arrives at the heart of the old town towards the end of this month as the Faneromeni26 Arts Festival continues. A big screen will be set up in the courtyard of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation for the final time this summer on August 27, welcoming viewers of all ages to watch Tim Burton’s Dumbo. The children’s fantasy film (dubbed in Greek and with Greek subtitles) is based on the well-known tale of Dumbo, The Flying Elephant by Helen Aberson and is loosely inspired by the 1941 Walt Disney film of the same name. It stars Colin Farrell, Eva Green, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito and Alan Arkin. The screening starts at 8pm, offering Nicosia cinephiles one more opportunity to enjoy a summer film night in the city. Moana 27th Constantia Summer Film Marathon Summer film screenings from the international and local cinema world. Until September 13. Constantia Open Air Cinema, Nicosia. Wednesday-Sunday. 9pm. €5 or €55 season pass. Tel: 22-348203. www.theatroena.com.cy, www.cypruscinemaoffice.cy Rio Cinema – Nicosia Mall Screenings of Spiderman: Brand New Day, Moana, The Odyssey and Toy Story 5. Throughout August. Nicosia Mall, Nicosia. www.premiercinemas.com.cy Open-Air Cinema – Faneromeni26 Arts Festival Screening of Tim Burton’s Dumbo. August 27. Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation Courtyard, Nicosia. 8pm . Free entrance. Tel: 22-128157, www.boccf.org