Standard News Monday, 6 April 2026
Screening of the Award-Winning Documentary Varosha, the Hostage City
Experience the Haunting History of Cyprus through the Award-Winning Film "Varosha, the Hostage City"
Nicosia, April 28, 2026
We are proud to present a special screening of the critically acclaimed documentary "Varosha, the Hostage City" (2024). Directed by the award-winning filmmaker Sylvie Deleule, the film recently earned the prestigious Best Documentary Award at the Ciné Paris Film Festival (September 2025).
About the Film "Varosha, the Hostage City" offers a profound geographical and historical dive into the recent history of Cyprus through the lens of its most symbolic paradox: Varosha. Once one of the Mediterranean's most glittering seaside resorts in the late 1960s, Varosha has spent the last 50 years as a ghost town frozen in time under the control of the Turkish army.
Through intimate meetings with individuals from both the North and the South, Deleule explores the raw emotional landscape of a divided island. The documentary follows characters fighting to preserve a disappearing memory and those striving for reconciliation. At its heart, the film asks a universal, piercing question: How do you build a life for yourself and your children while being deprived of part of your history?.
Event Details:
Date: April 28, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Pantheon Theatre
Admission: Free
The screening is held under the auspices of the Municipality of Famagusta
About the Director: Sylvie Deleule
Sylvie Deleule is a distinguished documentary filmmaker with a background in urban sociology (Master’s from Nanterre University) and journalism (DESS from the French Press Institute). Her work is characterized by deep historical and environmental investigations, as well as intimate, human-centric portraits.
Throughout her career, Deleule has received international acclaim for her storytelling:
2025: Best Documentary Award, Ciné Paris Film Festival for "Varosha, the Hostage City".
2022: Two international awards for "Climate Change: The Brain Paradox" (Arte), including the Grand Prize at the IFF Ekotopfilm.
2012: Best Documentary Award at the Festival de Vébron for "Luis Sepúlveda, the Writer of the End of the World".
2005: Grand Prix International du Film d'Environnement (FICA) for "Asbestos, the Slow Death".
Her diverse filmography includes investigations into global health, such as the documentary "69, a Pandemic Year" and its accompanying book, "The Silent Pandemic" (2021). Her upcoming project, "The Montessori Revolution in Nursing Homes," is set for release in 2026.
