The Agora Docs of the 23rd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival innovates, aiming high with a hybrid edition
June 25 - July 4, 2021, 10:00 – 20:00, Kindergarten station (Thessaloniki Port)
More innovative than ever, the Agora Docs of the 23rd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the most important film market in Southeast Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, returns for another dynamic edition. One of the first film markets in the world that was organized digitally when the pandemic broke out, Agora Docs innovates again, by using all available tools and new technologies, in order to present new actions and to support successful initiatives in a hybrid event that will take place in physical spaces and online.
Agora Docs, with the support of Creative Europe MEDIA, presents a series of actions aiming to strengthen documentary filmmaking in the wider geographical region. Moreover, industry professionals will participate in Agora Docs in order to discover projects and films and network with filmmakers.
- Agora Doc Market will include more than 400 completed documentaries in its digital video-library (in collaboration with Cinando) available online for the Agora Docs accredited guests.
- Agora Docs in Progress: Films just before completion are presented to the invited industry professionals.
- Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the co-production and co-financing platform for creative, television and new media documentaries in the development stage.
- Agora Lab is a workshop in which renowned documentary specialists offer guidance to the Greek filmmakers whose films are on the post-production stage.
- The section Meet the Future presents up-and-coming documentary filmmakers from our wider geographical region.
- The festival presents the new service Doc Counseling which consists of one-on-one consultation meetings for filmmakers from Greece and abroad.
- Agora Talks & Masterclass: Each year, Agora Docs invites experts to share their best practices with the Festival accredited guests.
We are extremely happy to announce that ten of the films that have their premiere to the Official Selection of the 23rd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, were presented and supported by Agora Docs.
International Competition:
Days and Nights of Demetra K. by Eva Stefani, Neda Film (World Premiere) Greece
Presented at Docs in Progress 2017
Newcomers International Competition
Acts of Love by Isidore Bethel, Francis Leplay, Hutong Production, Sin Sitio Cine, France - USA (European Premiere)
Presented at Docs in Progress 2020
Land of Milk and Honey by Héctor Domínguez-Viguera, Carlos Mora Fuentes, Carlos Mora Fuentes, Gonzalo Recio, Zerkalo Films, Spain (International Premiere)
Greek Film Centre Award at the Docs in Progress 2020
Made in Vain by Michael Klioumis, EKSO Productions, Greece (World Premiere)
Presented at Docs in Progress & Thessaloniki Goes to Cannes 2020
>>Film Forward International Competition
Landscapes of Resistance by Marta Popivoda, Theory At Work, Bocalupo Films, Serbia - France - Germany
Graal Award at Works in Progress 2018
Rock Bottom Riser by Fern Silva, USA
Graal Award at Works in Progress 2020
Memento by Nikos Ziogas, Boo Productions, Greece
Selected for Agora Lab 2020
Open Horizons
Colors of Tobi by Alexa Bakony, Eclipse Film, Filmfabriq, Hungary
Presented at Docs in Progress 2019
Where Dead People Used to Live by Marios Kleftakis and Isavella Alopoudi, Neda Films Greece
Selected for Agora Lab 2020
Top Docs (the film was screened in March during the online 23rd TDF)
Lift Like a Girl by Mayye Zayed, Cleo Media, JYOTI Film, Rufy's Films, Denmark, Germany, Egypt
Presented at Docs in Progress 2016
THESSALONIKI PITCHING FORUM
Monday June 28 (09.00–14.00) / available online for the Agora guests
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the co-producing and co-financing platform of the TDF for creative and TV documentaries, as well as for new media documentaries (virtual and enhanced reality). The participants will have the opportunity to discuss their projects, to receive feedback and advice during an online two-day lab and prepare for pitching with the help of documentary professionals. Then, they will present their project at the Pitching Forum to an international panel of experts and have individual meetings with top film professionals.
The awards of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum are: The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award (2,000 euro), the ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award (2,000 euro) to a Greek project, the Mediterranean Film Institute Award (MFI Script2Film Workshop), that offers a DocLab scholarship worth 2,500 euro, as well as accommodation in Nisyros and Rhodes islands where the MFI takes place). Further awards are: the DAE - Documentary Association of Europe Award (Consultation and free membership), the Aylon Productions Digital Services Award (Digitization by Aylon Productions) and the Beldocs Award (Accommodation and Accreditation for the next International Documentary Festival Beldocs in September 2021).
The international jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum consists of:
Selin Murat, documentary consultant, DAE, France
Titus Kreyenberg, producer, Una Film, Germany
Madeleine Robert, head of industry, Visions du Réel, Switzerland
The tutors of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum are:
Mila Turajlić, director & producer, Dribbling Pictures, Serbia
Robert Bahar, director, Semilla Verde Productions, USA
Ove Rishøj Jensen, consultant, Paradiddle Pictures, Denmark
Paula Alvarez Vaccaro, producer & writer, Pinball London, U.K
The projects are:
- CADILLAC DREAMS
Director: Elene Mikaberidze, Producer: Elene Margvelashvili – Parachute Films, Co-producer: Baptiste Brunner – YN Productions, Georgia | France - CONCRETE LAND
Director: Asmahan Bkerat, Producer: Sahar Yousefi - Nava Projects, Co-producer: Bassam Alasad – Tabi360, Canada | Jordan - DEPOT-VENTE
Director: Cherine Karam, Producers: Ashley Smith, Clara Harris, Mario Adamson – Sisyfos Film Production, Sweden | Scotland - FIVE FOOTBALL DREAMS (doc series)
Directors: Bassel Ghandour, Yassmina Karajah, Producer: Hashem Sabbagh - Football Dreams Holding, Jordan - FORBIDDEN
Director - Producer: Anelise Salan - The L Studio, Romania - FREE WATERS
Director: Emilia Milou, Producer: Angelos Tsaousis - Filmografik Productions, Greece - HOME IS WHERE THE FILMS ARE
Director: More Raça, Producer: Sunaj Raça - N.SH. Arena, Co-producer: Alfredo Federico, Kosovo | Italy - POISON DIPLOMACY (doc series)
Director: Jennifer Deschamps, Producer: Valérie Montmartin - LITTLE BIG STORY, France - POST LOVE
Director: Alexis Taillant, Producer: Nadège Labé - Wendigo Films, France - PRACTICES IN HARMONY
Director: Anna Kis, Producer: Lili Horvat, Dóra Csernátony - Poste Restante, Hungary - SECOND GENERATION
Directors - Producers: Rodrigo Hernandez, Elpida Nikou - Muzungu Producciones, Co-producers: Kellen Quinn (USA), Poh Si Teng (Consulting producer - USA), Spain | Greece - SECRETS OF THE OWL
Director: Eirini Vourloumis, Producers: Leonidas Liambeys - Long Run Productions, Eirini Vourloumis, Greece - THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN
Director: Adina Sădeanu, Producers: Αna Maria Pirvan (Executive Producer), Adina Sădeanu - Axis Media Production, Co-producers: Hanka Kastelicová - HBO Europe, Iva Tkalec, Val Grégoire - Squarefish, Romania | Belgium - WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL BUS
Director: Hanna Heilborn, Producers: Elin Kamlert, Tobias Janson (Executive producer) - Story AB, Sweden
AGORA DOCS IN PROGRESS
Monday June 28, 16.00-19.00 / available online for the Agora guests.
The Agora Docs presents the Agora Docs in Progress: 10 projects from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region participate in closed sessions exclusively for Thessaloniki’s invited industry professionals, sales agents, distributors, producers and festival programmers.
The 2|35 post-production company offers the main DiP award (post-production services). The MuSou company offers an award for music and sound services and the Greek Film Centre offers an award of 3,000 euro in cash. Finally, Neaniko Plano will present an award for Subtitling in English or French.
The international Agora Docs in Progress jury consists, among others, of:
Devin Karambelas, buyer, WGBH/PBS, USA
Christina Liapi, sales agent, Heretic Outreach, Greece
The Pitching Training will be supervised by documentary consultant and programmer Anna Glogowski.
The films are:
- AVATON
Director: Irini Karayannopoulou, Co-director: Sandrine Cheyrol., Producer: Mathilde Delaunay – Barberousse Films, France - BEFORE THE FINAL PICTURE
Director - Producer: Aya Tallah Yusuf, Egypt - BOTTLEMEN
Director: Nemanja Vojinović, Producer: Marija Stojnić, Nemanja Vojinović – RT DOBRE NADE, Co-producers: Viva Videnović – URGH!, Set Sail Films, Serbia | Slovenia
Presented as a project in development at Docs in Thessaloniki 2018 - BUKRA
Director: Diana Antunes, Producer: Maria João Mayer, Marina Reino (associate producer) - Maria & Mayer, Portugal - DREAM FACTORY
Director: Hesam Eslami, Producer: Etienne de Ricaud – Caracteres Productions, Hesam Eslami – Aras Films, Iran | France - JEAN GENET OUR FATHER OF THE FLOWERS
Director: Dalila Ennadre, Producer: Lamia Chraibi – La Prod, Co-producer: Lilya Ennadre – Laya Prod, Morocco | France - MIGHTY AFRIN
Director: Angelos Rallis, Producers: Maria del Mar Rodriguez Yebra, Angelos Rallis – AR Productions, Co-Producer: Birgit Kemner – Manny Films, ERT, ZDF/ARTE, Greece |France | Germany
Presented as a project in development at Thessaloniki Pitching Forum 2020 - NARROW PATH TO HAPPINESS
Director: Kata Oláh, Producer: Borbála Csukás – MAKABOR STUDIÓ Kft, Co-producer: Marc Smolowitz – 13th Gen, Hungary | USA - TILOS WEDDINGS
Director - Producer: by Panayotis Evangelidis, Greece - UKRAINE BEHIND THE FRAMES
Director: Vladyslav Vasylchenko, Producer: Aleksandra Kostina, Lukian Halkin - Bosonfilm, Ukraine
AGORA LAB
The Agora Docs initiative strengthens the films that are in the post-production stage and offers guidance and advice from experts. The selection is made via the Docs in Progress submissions of the Greek films. One project will be awarded by the tutors with the Guidance Award by Paradiddle Pictures - Denmark.
- BROKEN SOUND
Director: Fivos Kontogiannis
Producers: Stelios Cotionis, FOSS PRODUCTIONS - DIAVATA PRISON BLUES
Director: Dominikos Ignatiadis
Producers: Eleni Kossyfidou - Blackbird Production, Dominikos Ignatiadis - EVERYTHING YOU SAY ABOUT ME
Director: Evaggelia Goula
Producer: Elisavet Apostolopoulou - WETHEPEOPLE - STATION ATHENS
Director: Yolanda Markopoulou
Producers: Yolanda Markopoulou - Polyplanity Productions, Daphne Kalafati - SAVEFRAG - WHEN I MEET MY FRIENDS
Director: Yannis Karydas
Producers: Chrysanthi Goula, Yannis Karydas, Alexis Anastasiadis – Artcut
The tutors are:
Cecilie Bolvinkel, consultant, producer, Rough Cut Service – Denmark
Eleni Chandrinou, producer – Greece
Gregoris Rentis, editor, director, BYRD - Greece
Tutor & Program Coordinator:
Antigoni Papantoni, consultant, CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator, Greece
MEET THE FUTURE
Looking into the future, Agora Docs sheds a spotlight on up-and-coming documentary filmmakers from the Balkan and Southeast European region, who are at the beginning of their promising career. After successfully focusing on directors and directors of photography from Greece, this year the focus is on upcoming talents from Serbia with the support of the Film Centre Serbia.
The participating directors:
DANILO CEKOVIC
Project: Diary of a Serious Offender, Production: Mira Janjetovic - Association Osmica
VANJA KOVAČEVIĆ
Project: Supernova, Production: Andrijana Stojković - All Inclusive Films
TEA LUKAČ
Project: Roots, Production: Andrijana Sofranić Šućur - Nana 143
LUKA PAPIĆ
Project: Summoned, Production: Srđa Vučo - Ranč production
NEMANJA VOJINOVIC
Project: Bottlemen, Production: Marija Stojnic - RT Dobre Nade
Award-winning producer Rea Apostolides (Anemon Productions) will be the tutor for the presentation.
Doc Counseling & Online Speed Meetings
June 27 – July 3 2021
Agora Docs gives the opportunity for onsite and online meetings with the participating industry professionals. Topics will include festival strategy, documentary funding, distribution, Media desk help, TV buys, social media and marketing among others. Agora Docs supports, for yet another year, documentary filmmaking in every possible way.
