Cypriot director Myrsini Aristidou’s film ‘Hold Onto Me’ has been nominated for the European Film Academy’s European Young Audience Award 2027, the Deputy Ministry of Culture said. The winner will be announced at the 39th European Film Awards ceremony in Athens on 16 January 2027.
The award is aimed at young audiences and recognises films that explore young people’s experiences and concerns.
‘Hold Onto Me’ is also on the official shortlist for the European Film Awards 2027, among the European productions competing for a place in the final nominations. The European Film Academy will announce the nominations at the Thessaloniki film festival on 14 November 2026.
The film has already been selected as Cyprus’s official submission for best international feature film at the 99th Academy Awards.
A second Cypriot film is also in the running for an Oscar nomination. Alexandra Matthaiou’s short ‘Free Eliza (Notes on an Anatomical Imperfection)’ won the Grand Jury Prize for live action short at AFI Fest 2026, organised by the American Film Institute (AFI), making it eligible to compete for the 100th Academy Awards.
‘Free Eliza’ is also on the European Film Awards 2027 shortlist for short films.
