AGORA Talks & Parallel Events: November 4 - 9
AGORA Talks & Parallel Events are industry-focused open discussions and presentations aiming to offer best practices and practical information to ΑGORA and Festival accredited guests.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 16.30 - 17.30 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Series Talk - Storytelling : A Narrative Bridge Between Film and Series
Creators from the broader Mediterranean region Lefteris Charitos of local sensation The Witch, Nima Javidi, winner of this year's Series Mania award for The Actor and Berkun Oya, creator of the successful Netflix series Ethos discuss the creative process of developing scripts for series. Through the discussion, a bridge between cinema and series emerges.
Intro by Alexandra Gabrižová, MIDPOINT Institute (CZ)
Speakers:
Lefteris Charitos, Director / Showrunner (GR)
Nima Javidi, Writer / Director (IR)
Berkun Oya, Writer / Director (TR)
Moderator: Müge Ozen, Producer (TR)
Under the auspices of MIDPOINT Institute
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 17.45 - 18.45 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Series Talk - From Script to Screen: Does IP Matter?
Co-curated with the European Producers Club, this panel of speakers engages the audiovisual sector in a discussion on the European regulations which aim to protect the works’ copyright.
Speakers:
Dr. Ferdinand Dohna, Producer, Beta Film (DE)
Elli Filippopoulou, Lawyer / IP Expert (GR)
Julien Leroux, Founder / CEO Paper Entertainment (UK)
Amanda Livanou, Producer, Founder, Neda Film / Member of the Board, Audiovisual Producers’ Association of Greece SAPOE (GR)
Alex Traila, Programme Manager, Council of Europe (FR)
Moderator: Alexandra Lebret, Managing Director, European Producers Club (FR)
Co-curated with the European Producers Club 
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 12.00 - 13.00 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Series Talk - How the Greek Audiovisual Ecosystem Embraces Creativity
Greek industry experts and institution representatives are contributing to a discussion on the strategies to strengthen and transform the local audiovisual sector.
Speakers:
Leonidas Christopoulos, President and CEO, EKOME (GR)
Fenia Cossovitsa, Producer, Blonde / Vice President, Audiovisual Producers’ Association of Greece SAPOE (GR)
Markos Holevas, President, Greek Film Centre (GR)
Faye Tsitsipi, Senior Manager Market Insights & Content Production COSMOTE TV (GR)
Moderator: Eleni Chandrinou, Producer, Audiovisual Consultant / Eurimages Greek Representative (GR)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 14.30 - 15.30 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Series Talk - Series Content: Leading the Way to Diversity and Inclusion
Α discussion about inclusion and diversity at the content level in series. The goal of the panel is to highlight best practices of representation and inclusion in series, and how these can be ensured, from the conception of the idea to the implementation of production and the dissemination to the audience.
Speakers:
Peter Carlton, Producer / CEO Warp Films (UK)
Yiannis Donos, Original Content Manager & Head of Acquisition, ANT1+ (GR)
Caroline von Kühn, Executive Director, Oxbelly (GR)
Konstantinos Sousoulas, Chief Content Officer, Mega TV (GR)
Moderator: Zac Ntim, Journalist, Deadline (US)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 16.00 - 17.00 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Talk - Bridge to the North: Co-production Opportunities with Lithuania
The Bridge to the North is the Festival’s new synergy initiative between the South and the North of Europe and each year we will be hosting a different guest country from the Baltic or Scandinavian region.
In this edition we welcome Lithuania and, in this discussion, we explore new opportunities in financing and artistic ideas. Professionals who have had the opportunity to co-produce with Lithuania share their experience and focus on the prospects and benefits which derive from the collaboration. This is a chance to create a fertile ground for co-productions, partnerships and cultural exchange with Greece.
Speakers:
Athena Kartalou, Managing Director at Greek Film Centre (GR)
Marija Razgutė, Producer, M-Films (LT)
Laimonas Ubavičius, Lithuanian Film Centre Director (LT)
Moderator: Yorgos Tsourgiannis, Producer, Horsefly productions (GR)
In collaboration with with the Lithuanian Film Centre 
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 17.15 - 18.15 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Talk - Audiovisual Producers' Association of Greece presents - Selective Funding and Financial strategies in Greece
Updates, Challenges and Lessons to be Learned from the European Experience
Speakers:
Konstantinos Kontovrakis, Producer / Co-Founder, Heretic & SAPOE General Secretary (GR)
Vicky Miha, Producer / Founder, Asterisk* & SAPOE Member (GR)
Maria Laskaridou, Producer, Argonauts Productions & SAPOE Member (GR)
Invitees/Key speakers:
Ιrma Simanskyte, Head of Film Production Department at Lithuanian Film Centre (LT)
Milan Stojanovic, Producer / CEO, Sense Production (RS)
Moderator: Amanda Livanou, Producer, Founder, Neda Film / Τreasurer, Audiovisual Producers’ Association of Greece SAPOE (GR)
Hosted by the Audiovisual Producers’ Association of Greece (SAPOE) 
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 16.00 - 17.00 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Talk - Human & Company Sustainability in Film Production
In the last few years, the mental health crisis in the film industry has become alarmingly clear, and initiatives are starting to take place to raise awareness and spur action. At this year's AGORA, we will take the next step from the focus on human to company sustainability: How are the two interconnected, and how can we as film professionals effectively deal with our industry’s systemic errors when it comes to securing a safe and healthy industry for our teams and ourselves? Here’s a chance to engage in a conversation with two independent European production companies, which also offers a strategic business perspective.
Speakers:
Jean- Laurent Csinidis, Producer, Films de Force Majeure (FR)
Vicky Miha, Producer / Founder, Asterisk* (GR)
Juliane Schulze, Strategic Creative Economy Expert (DE)
Moderator: Louise Højgaard Johansen, Sane Cinema (DK)
Co-organized with ACE Producers 
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 17.15 - 18.15 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Talk - Take the Money and Run: State and Private Financing Tools
In times of quick changes in the international audiovisual landscape and the prospect of relying only on public support and local broadcasters may not be enough to fund a film, producers find themselves, more often than not, in the situation of having to find other sources of financing. On this premise, we will discuss the tools currently available and if private financing is a way to go. Another aspect of the conversation will focus on if and how public funding and private financing can be combined. Are these compatible? Which kind of projects are suitable for such a scheme? Private financiers need to be drawn in to participating but there are certain risks in having private financing in our financing plan. What does this imply? This panel has the aim of initiating the talk on the diversity of financing tools the producers may play with for their different projects.
Speakers:
Caroline von Kühn, Executive Director, Oxbelly and Director, Faliro House (GR)
Julie-Jeanne Régnault, Secretary General - European Film Agency Directors Association (BE)
Moderator: Arkaitz Basterra , Producer & Economics Consultant, Moby Dick Investment (ES)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 15.30 - 16.30 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Talk - Climate Storytelling: A Conversation
As the climate crisis progresses, the role of art, and especially cinema, becomes increasingly critical. The Climate Storytelling conversation provides a framework where creators can explore how to incorporate elements of environmental awareness into their scripts. How environmental elements are integrated into narratives influences audience perception and contributes to the creation of an emotional and informed social dialogue. The inclusion of the climate crisis at the script level is not only a matter of technical nature but also has a deeper social significance. This discussion aims to highlight this importance through an active discussion and enable creators to exchange ideas, be inspired and draw emotional awareness around this subject matter.
Speakers:
Bassam Alasad, Producer, Creative Media Solutions, Greener Screen (JO)
Emma Doxiadi, Filmmaker and Sustainability Coordinator, Everybodies (GR)
Isabelle Fauvel, Development advisor - CEO of Initiative Film (FR)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 17.00 - 18.00 @ MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
AGORA Talk - Going "Glocal": Building Strategies for Networking in the Audiovisual Industry
What does it really mean to belong to the film community? How do you ensure and sustain this advantage? Accessing, positioning and establishing yourself as a professional in the audiovisual industry requires to act bold in terms of visibility and connectivity. This panel will refer to the significance of networking strategies and the use of innovative tools by professionals who wish to break the borders of their local community in order to be active in an international environment. Representatives from the Film Office-Central Macedonia and the online networking platform Crew United, together with German producer Felix Gerd Schneider, discuss how film professionals can benefit and boost their career through networking; hence going “glocal”.
Speakers:
Dionysia Arvanitou, Production support advisor & project coordinator, Film Office-Central Macedonia (GR)
Lina Milonaki, Head of Film Office Central Macedonia (GR)
Felix Gerd Schneider, Producer, Avriofilms (GR)
Venia Vergou, Crew United Greece (GR)
In partnership with Film Office Central Macedonia & Crew United 
Parallel Event
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 10.30 - 13.00 @ Greek Film Centre Stand, Warehouse C
Green Filming in the Quiver of Producers: Innovative Training Actions and Strategic Partnerships of the Greek Film Centre
Greek Film Centre and its Directorate Hellenic Film Commission collaborates with Torino Film Lab to provide innovative training programs in the field of green production practices for film and audiovisual works. Launch of the Green Film Workshop call, Athens 2024
Speakers:
Gionanni Pompili, Head of Studies, Torino Film Lab (IT)
Alexander Georges, Location Manager, (USA)
Μoderator: Stavroula Geronimaki, Acting Director Hellenic Film Commission of Greek Film Centre (GR)
Hosted by the Greek Film Centre - Hellenic Film Commission 
Other Industry Events
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 16.00 - 17.00 @ Warehouse C, Greek Film Centre stand
The Greek Film Centre Launches Five New Funding Programs Offered Through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0.
Presentation by Katerina Grammatikopoulou, Project Manager - GFC (GR)
The presentation will be in Greek.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 11.00 - 13.00 @ Warehouse C, Greek Film Centre stand
Training Day for the Local Industry - Film Office Central Macedonia & Greek Film Centre
Speakers:
Zoe Kandyla, Director of Production & Development GFC (GR)
Yianna Sarri, Director of Promotion GFC (GR)
Stavroula Geronimaki, Acting Director Hellenic Film Commission GFC (GR)
Αnna Kasimati, Head of Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Greece (GR)
The presentation will be in Greek.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 11.00 - 13.00 @ Warehouse C, Greek Film Centre stand
CINEDU: A Year in Greek Schools (NSRF 2014-2020)
Speakers:
Ilias Tasopoulos, Project Manager, CINEDU (GR)
Theodora Malliarou, Platform Coordinator & School Screenings Supervisor, CINEDU (GR)
The presentation will be in Greek.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 10.00 - 15.00 @ Warehouse A, Thessaloniki Cinema Museum, Takis Kanellopoulos Theater
Conference: Find your Fund
Organized by North Greece Union of Cinematographers.
