In a historic achievement for Cypriot cinema, director Myrsini Aristidou’s feature film Hold Onto Me (Krata Me) has been honoured with the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, one of the world’s premier venues for independent film.
The award was announced today at 8:30 pm during the official closing ceremony in Utah. The film was selected as the crowd favourite among global entries, marking the highest form of recognition from the festival’s attendees. Aristidou’s work was notably one of only ten films worldwide chosen to compete in the prestigious “World Cinema Dramatic Competition” category.
The victory marks several milestones:
- First of its kind: It is the first Cypriot, Greek-language feature film to ever participate in Sundance.
- Critical acclaim: The film held its world premiere last Monday to a sold-out crowd, receiving a double standing ovation and warm reviews from both viewers and critics.
- International momentum: Winning the Audience Award confirms a powerful emotional connection with viewers, setting the stage for a strong international release.
The film’s success is considered a pinnacle moment for contemporary Cypriot filmmaking, bringing unprecedented global visibility to the island’s creative industry. For local audiences, Hold Onto Me is scheduled to make its Cyprus debut this April during the “Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2026.”
Watch Myrsini Aristidou’s acceptance speech:
View highlights from the cast and crew’s presence at the Sundance Film Festival:
