Psychological Horror, Dark Folklore Gothic “Motherwitch” Wows Audiences at International Film Festival Rotterdam Before Heading to EFM on February 16th
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, February 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Acclaimed and prolific Emmy award-winning filmmaker Minos Papas (Shutterbug, Tango on the Balcony, A Short Film About Guns, The Harvester Generation) thrilled audiences at his sold-out world premiere screenings of his psychological horror, dark folklore gothic MOTHERWITCH at International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film began screening with an electric world premiere Tuesday February 3rd at 6pm, with additional packed screenings on February 5th and February 6th. International audience can next see Motherwitch at the EFM Market with multiple screenings on February 16th. Embracing myth and grief Motherwitch joins Papas work as a producer on the recent Sundance world premiere of the award-winning Take Me Home. Take Me Home (a poignant navigation of caregiving for a cognitively disabled adult) will continue its film festival run at the Berlinale in the Perspectives program.
Papas continues to offer powerful narratives as a director and cinematographer where his films move between the worlds of myth and memory, offering a perfect juxtaposition of realism and the uncanny. His work draws audiences in with empathy and knowledge, while empowering his characters to overcome all that works to destroy us. Papas’ rich cinematic influences include Jennifer Kent (The Nightingale, The Babadouk), Andre Tarkovsky (Mirror, Stalker), Robert Eggers (The Witch), Goran Stolevski (You Won’t Be Alone), among others.
“Motherwitch is a dark fairy tale that deals with primordial feelings and issues we can all identify with. It is a journey into a past which revives the landscape, the scent, the manner and morals of a Cyprus that no longer exists. It derives inspiration from the ancient Greek myths of the eternal cycle of life, birth, death and rebirth. I found it very touching to recall memories and sounds of my childhood from the old Cyprus… such as the lullaby of our mothers entrusting their children to a benevolent superior force, in that case Saint Marina, to keep them safe asleep and help them grow up protected from harm, which is heard in the film. I am very grateful to the filmmakers for this powerful and touching movie and I wish them every success in the future,” statement from Ambassador HE Mr Spyros Attas
Motherwitch is a co-production collaboration Cyprus, (Caretta Films) North Macedonia (Focus Pocus), Canada and the USA, few films have such richly textured collaboration originated in Cyprus to span the globe. Motherwitch is very much a love-letter to Cyprus—to its captivating beauty, its clouds wept mountains and blood-red earth, its lullabies, superstitions, and stories whispered from grandmother to child. A film born from Papas years spent listening to those who carry unspeakable grief—bereaved parents, healers, artists, veterans whose memories echo long after war. In the shadow of loss, voices who are brave enough to speak can turn pain into art for survival. Working between Los Angeles and Cyprus, he crafts atmospheric, character-driven stories that explore grief, trauma, and how we use mythology to map the inexplicable. His work has screened at Tribeca, SXSW and Sundance, and draws on folklore, psychology, and lived experience to create intimate, haunting, and emotionally resonant stories.
Motherwitch World Premiere
Tuesday FEB 3rd 2026
Official Selection, International Film Festival Rotterdam
Website: https://iffr.com/en/iffr/2026/films/motherwitch
Annie Jeeves
Cinematic Red
+1 310-995-3834
annie@cinematicredpr.com
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