The Reels Are Turning For The Island’s

Brand New Film Festival

“Golden Island International Film Festival”

Over 100 films from around the world have now been submitted for showing or competition at the Golden Island International Film Festival which takes place in locations around North Cyprus, from November 7th to 13th this year.

A first for North Cyprus, the festival which is sponsored by Creditwest Bank and Girne American University, is now beginning to take shape and there will be a host of events including Gala Evenings, Film Showings and much much more at venues in Kyrenia, Lapta, Nicosia, Famagusta and the ‘Buffer Zone’.

Full details of the festival programme and locations will be announced a little later.

Meanwhile, the festival organisers have added a new TRNC based member to their team.

Peter Wills from Karsiyaka, himself no stranger to the film industry joins as the Cyprus based administrative representative with a special responsibility for expat involvement in this exciting project.

In England he could regularly be seen as an extra in TV soaps and dramas as well as having minor roles in two feature films.  Here in Cyprus, he played the British Chief of Police in the Tamer Garip directed film, “Code Name Venus”.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for film lovers of all types to become involved with the festival,” says Peter.  “In addition to being able to view a myriad of films from documentaries, special interest and full length features in a wide number of local venues, there will be the chance of winning a super prize for taking part in a simple reseach questionnaire which will be available on-line and via leaflets distributed at all of the major ex-pat congregating places.

“We also need festival volunteers.  Many hundreds of visitors are expected to arrive in Cyprus for the festival and to ensure that everything runs smoothly, we need people to assist with check-in procedures, meeting and greeting, transportation, couriers and general administrative duties.”

There are two ways you can register your interest in becoming a festival volunteer.  You can either go on-line to the festival website: click here where you will find everything there is to know about the festival and scroll to the bottom of the page, click the volunteer box, fill in some simple contact details and press send or you can contact Peter Wills by emailing him at : peter@goldenislandfilmfestival.org and leave your name, email address and telephone number and he will get back in touch with you.

Peter is looking for expats of all nationalities.  “We already have comfirmation that there have been film entries from many countries including France, Germany, Cyprus, Spain, the UK, Greece, Turkey, Japan, Russia, Hungary, Iraq and the USA.”

Peter says that you don’t have to be available for the entire festival but a commitment is essential.  “The festival language will be English but there will be times when translation by a native tongue could be very useful so I encourage anyone with an interest in films to become part of the ‘buzz’ of this event.  You never know, you might even get to meet a film star”, says Peter.