International Documentary Film Festival Opens in Limassol

The 21st Lemesos International Documentary Festival will open in Limassol on Saturday, August 1.

The festival, organized by Brave New Culture with the support of the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus, will present audiences with films about social issues, human stories and events that often remain outside the spotlight.

The festival’s opening film will be the award-winning documentary One in a Million by directors Itab Azzam and Jack McInnes. The screening will begin at 20:30.

The film tells the story of Israa, a young Syrian woman who sets out from Izmir for Germany in search of a new life. Over the course of ten years, the filmmakers followed Israa and her family, documenting their journey through Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Austria and Germany, as well as their return to Aleppo.

The documentary explores migration, cultural differences, family conflicts and coming of age in difficult circumstances.

One in a Million has received a number of international awards, including the Audience Award and the Best Documentary Director award at the Sundance Film Festival 2026.

Following the screening, at 22:30, there will be a musical performance by the Ioanna Troullidou Quartet.

The festival will run for one week. Each evening, audiences will be shown three documentaries, while on the final day the programme will conclude with two screenings and a musical event.