The presentation of the projects participating in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, TiDF’s co-producing and co-financing platform, took place on Monday, March 6th, at Pavlos Zannas theater, within the framework of the 25th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival's Agora. The platform offers the chance to participants to pitch their project, receive useful comments and tips, as well as to polish up their material during a two-day online workshop
The tutors of the group workshops are the following:
Philippa Kowarsky, Producer & Documentary consultant, Israel
Brigid O'Shea, Documentary consultant, Documentary Association of Europe - DAE, Germany/Australia
Ove Rishøj Jensen, Producer & Documentary consultant, Paradiddle Pictures, Denmark
Mila Turajlić, Director & Producer, Poppy Pictures, Serbia
Natalia Libet, Producer, Ukraine
Subsequently, the participants present their projects during the one-day Forum to experts from all over the world, with whom they arrange meetings. The event was kicked off by Angeliki Vergou, Head of Agora. "We are experiencing difficult days around the world, especially in Greece in the aftermath of a national tragedy in Tempi. However, I know that you, the people of the documentary, know a lot about difficult times."
Ms. Vergou gave the floor to the Festival’s General Director, Elise Jalladeau: "I would like to thank the participants. I see before me many friendly and enthusiastic faces, which cheer us up. Despite the sorrow and difficulties, we are happy that you are here with us. I want to thank the panelists, the committee of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, of course the creators and their wonderful projects, the Head of Agora, Angeliki Vergou, as well as our sponsors and partners,” she stated.
Ms. Vergou referred to the close cooperation with the DAE (Documentary Association of Europe) with whom they are curating the program for the upcoming days. Next, she gave a brief presentation of the various activities of Agora, such as the Agora Lab, Works in Progress, as well as the daily speeches and discussions of Agora Talks. She also referred to the projects presented at last year's Evia Film Project, the festival's first attempt to raise awareness of sustainability issues among the audience and film industry professionals. Furthermore, she stated that this year's Agora hosts the Ukrainian project Listening to the World by Yelizaveta Smith that won the Networking Award last May at the Beldocs Industry of the Beldocs International Documentary Festival. Finally, she thanked the production, the volunteers, and the audiovisual department of the Festival, concluding with a reference to Agora’s awards, which will be presented on Wednesday, March 8th.
Here’s the full list of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum awards:
The newly established Dok Leipzig Accelerator Award offers two Co-Pro Market accreditations and accommodation (October 2023).
The international jury of Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is composed of:
Eleni Chandrinou, Consultant & Producer - Cigale Films, Belgium
Nevena Milašinović, Sales and Acquisitions Executive - Lightdox, Switzerland
Sara Rüster, International Distribution Manager - Swedish Film Institute, Sweden
The projects will be showcased also through the talks conducted between the filmmakers and an international panel of top-notch professionals:
A total of 17 experts take part in the 25th TiDF’s Agora panels, among whom stand we encounter:
Adel Ksiksi, Al Jazeera
Soleil Gharbieh - AFAC - Arab Fund for Arts & Culture, Lebanon
Magdalena Borowska, TVP, Poland
Devin Karambelas, WGBH/PBS, USA
Sanam Gharazoglou - MUBI, UK
Here’s the full lineup of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum projects:
HOLY HUMAN ANGEL
Director: Angeliki Aristomenopoulou, Producers: Yuri Averof, Rea Apostolides - Anemon Productions, Vicky Miha- Asterisk*, Heather Millard - Compass Films, Greece, Iceland
THE MAN WITH THE BROKEN ARM
Director: Athanassios Vassiliou, Producers: Orlane Dumas - Les films de l'Aube Sauvage, Konstantinos Vassilaros - StudioBauhaus, France, Greece
PARADISE LOST
Director-producer: Yolanda Markopoulou - Polyplanity Productions, Co-scriptwriter: Ioanna Valsamidou, Greece (VR Interactive Documentary)
BEYOND THE BORDER
Director: Ana Otasević, Producer: Ana Otasević - Dar Mar Films, Serbia
DAD’S LULLABY
Director: Lesia Diak, Producers: Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, Elena Martin - FILMWAYS, Ukraine, Romania
FAR FROM MAINE
Director: Roy Cohen, Producers: Roy Cohen - Roy Cohen Films, Serge Gordey - Temps Noir, Israel, FranceHOLY FAMILY
Director: Sacha Biazzo, Co-scriptwriter: Chiara Freddi, Producer: Francesco Piccinini - Deepinto Srl, Italy (Docuseries)
IRONMAN
Directors: Kiril Karakash, Svetislav Podleshanov, Producers: Kiril Karakash, Svetislav Podleshanov - OPIUM Film, Ieva Ūbele, Baltic Balkan Productions - Latvia, Eno Milkani - Bunker Film+, North Macedonia, Latvia, Albania
JANA
Director: Muhammad Reza Azadi, Producers Ali Haider - Filmkhaana, Maaria Sayed - Draw4Films, Pakistan, Italy
MAOMI - LARGER THAN LIFE
Director: Judit Oláh, Producers: Inez Mátis - Pi Productions, Annika Mayer - Majmun Films, Anna Stylińska, Katarzyna Slesicka - My Way Studio, Hungary, Germany, Poland
THE NATIVE DANCE
Director: Alaa Dajani, Producers: Kesmat El Sayed, Laura Kloeckner - SEERA FILMS, Egypt, Germany
OUR FEMININE WARS
Director: Zaina Erhaim, Producer: Brian Hill - Century Films, UK, Syria
In collaboration with CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator
QUEENS OF JOY
Director: Olga Gibelinda, Producer: Ivanna Khitsinska - Quatros Group, Ukraine
THREE TIMES A REBEL
Director: Anna M. Bofarull, Producers: Anna M. Bofarull - KABOGA Art and Films, Rok Biček - CVINGER FILM, Spain, Slovenia
