AGORA Crossroads Co-production Forum Unveils 2025 Selection: 14 projects from 16 countries
AGORA, the industry section of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, is set to host the 21st edition of the Crossroads Co-Production Forum from November 2-6, 2025. This year, AGORA has selected 14 promising film projects from 16 countries across Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. During the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (October 30th-November 9th), these projects will have the unique opportunity to participate in this prestigious forum, designed to foster networking, co-production, and creative collaboration within the global film industry.
Supported by the Creative Europe-MEDIA programme, Agora continues to be a key platform for industry professionals, offering a hybrid format that includes both on-site and online activities. This format allows for broader participation and facilitates meaningful exchanges between filmmakers and industry leaders, particularly those from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
TIFF Agora continues to be a vital hub for connecting filmmakers from across the globe, providing a platform for storytelling that resonates with the complexities of the contemporary world.
This year’s Crossroads Co-production Forum Jury consists of Frank Hoeve, Producer at BALDR Film (The Netherlands), Uljana Kim, Producer at Studio Uljana Kim (Lithuania) and Andreas Zoupanos Kritikos, Producer & Chief Operating Officer at Faliro House (Greece), as well as the Arte Kino International Award Juror, Mathilde Hersant, Head οf Finance at ARTE France Cinéma (France).
The Crossroads Co-production Forum Awards, include:
Jury Awards
Two Thirty-Five (2|35) Award
Post-production (image and sound)
CNC Award - Centre national du cinema et de l’image animée
€8,000 for script development
ArteKino International Award
€6,000
Finos Film Award
€3,000 to a Greek project
Producers’ Network - Marché du Film Award
Free accreditation
MIDPOINT Consulting Award
An in-depth online script consultancy with one of the MIDPOINT Institute experts
Independent Awards
Onassis Film Award
€10,000 to a Greek project participating in the AGORA
(Crossroads Co-production Forum or AGORA Works in Progress)
Greener Screen Consultancy Award
Sofia Meetings of the Sofia IFF Award
Project selection
Mediterranean Film Institute - George Kalogeropoulos Award
Script 2 Film Workshops scholarship
THESSALONIKI EAVE Marketing Workshop Scholarship 2026
Scholarship to one participant powered by Thessaloniki International Film Festival
The 2025 lineup of the Crossroads Co-production Forum presents projects from emerging and established filmmakers such as Moufida Fedhila and Stefan Djordjević, that tell powerful stories with a twist. Detective stories, exciting science fiction universes, complex and heartwarming family bonds, blood sucking relationships, absurd comedies, gripping social commentary, bank heists, lone explorers and tourist resorts - all come together to form a dynamic selection which promises to move and intrigue the industry audience. As part of Bridge to the North, Agora’s newest initiative which brings together the South and North of Europe, the Crossroads Co-production Forum will also present one Finnish project by Tonislav Hristov and produced by Kaarle Aho (Making Movies). Bridge to the North, is a synergy that is made possible through the Festival’s collaboration with the Finnish Film Foundation, Helsinki International Film Festival and Finnish Film Affair and the support of the Finnish Embassy in Athens and the Finnish Institute at Athens.
Selected Crossroads Co-production Forum projects 2025:
A GIRL NAMED ZEUS
Director: Nikos Dayandas, Production: Konstantinos Κoukoulis - ΠLANKTON, Greece
THE DICTATOR'S DREAMS
Director: Erenik Beqiri, Production: Dritan Huqi - On Film Production, Albania
GIRL OF WIND
Director: Moufida Fedhila, Production: Mehdi Hmili - Dogma Films, Tunisia
GOODBYE FOR NOW
Director: Kasım Ördek, Production: Fahriye Ismayilova - Parda Film Production,
Co-production: Jules Grange - Kidam Production, Turkey, France
IN GOOD FAITH
Director: Anna Wowra, Production: Tomáš Pertold, Julie Soffer - Perfilm,
Co-production: Dagmara Piasecka - Green Rat, Czech Republic, Poland
MIDPOINT Institute project selection
LA FORMA ANIMAL
Director: Isa Luengo, Sofia Esteve, Production: Carlotta Schiavon, Laura Rubirola - Nocturna Pictures, Co-production: Eva Murgui - Vayolet Films, Spain
THE LEAVES HANG TREMBLING
Director: Stefan Djordjević, Production: Dragana Jovović - Non-Aligned Films, Serbia
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ION G.
Director: Andreea Cristina Bortun, Production: Gabi Suciu - Atelier de Film, Romania
Sofia Meetings project selection
PIRATELAND
Director: Stavros Petropoulos, Production: Leonidas Konstantarakos - Alaska Films, Co-production: Stephane Marschal - Yukunkun Productions, Greece, France
QUIET LAKE
Director: Tonislav Hristov, Production: Kaarle Aho & Kai Nordberg - Making Movies
Co-production: Andrea Stanoeva, Tonislav Hristov - Soul Food, Erika Malmgren, Annika Hellström - Cinenic Film, Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden
ROBBING BEIRUT
Director: Katia Jarjoura, Production: Michel Zana - Blue Train Films, Co-production: Elisa Pirir - Staer Film, Jana Wehbe - The Attic, France, Norway, Lebanon
THE TIDE HEARS THEM BUT THEY NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE
Director: Yiannis Veslemes, Production: Nicholas Alavanos - FILMIKI, Greece
THE UNMOVING HANDS
Director: Víctor Diago, Production: Andrés Mellinas - Boogaloo, Spain
Mediterranean Film Institute project selection
WHO KILLED THE PIGEONS
Director: Stratis Chatzielenoudas, Production: Spyros Skandalos - Assumed Position Films, Greece
The selected projects have the opportunity to participate in a preparatory workshop focused on the presentation of their project with tutor and moderator Amanda Livanou, founder and seasoned producer of Neda Films.
FOCUS sessions are a new initiative by Agora, launched at the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. As part of its ongoing support for Greek cinema, Agora supports four shortlisted Greek projects from this year's Crossroads Co-production Forum, inviting them to participate in the FOCUS sessions, giving them an opportunity for further networking and development of their projects. The selected teams will have consultation meetings with experienced industry film professionals from Greece and abroad, such as Sergina Stavroulaki, Acquisitions at Heretic (Greece) and Thibaut Bracq, Program Manager at La Fabrique - Cannes (France), who will offer practical advice on how to best position their film within international co-production markets, while scouting for future partners and further developing their project.
The participating projects in FOCUS sessions are:
BOYOS
Director: Dimitris Tsalapatis, Production: Antigoni Rota - Squared Square, Greece
DISQUALIFIÉ
Director: Dimitris Zouras, Production: Isavella Alopoudi & Katerina Tzourou - Neda Film, Greece
PATRIOT
Director - Production: Penny Panayotopoulou - P.P Productions, Greece
SHADOW ON THE MOUNTAIN
Director: Nicholas Dimitropoulos, Production: Tasos Koronakis - Laika Productions, Greece
Recent Crossroads Co-production Forum alumni projects include: KYUKA - BEFORE SUMMER'S END - Kostis Charamoundanis (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2024), THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN - Zacharias Mavroeidis (Venice FF - Giornate degli Autori 2023), BLAGA’S LESSONS - Stephan Komandarev (Karlovy Vary IFF 2023), MEDIUM - Christina Ioakeimidi (Sarajevo FF 2023), INSHALLAH A BOY - Amjad Al Rasheed (Cannes FF - Semaine de la Critique 2023), BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY - Elene Naveriani (Cannes FF - Quinzaine des Cinéastes 2023), THE SEA AND ITS WAVES - Liana & Renaud (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2023), 20.000 SPECIES OF BEES - Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (73rd Berlinale International Competition 2023 - Silver Berlin Bear/Best Leading Performance), NIGHTSIREN - Tereza Nvotová (Locarno FF - Cineasti del Presente 2022 - Golden Leopard), HOW IS KATIA? - Christina Tynkevych (Locarno FF - Cineasti del Presente 2022 - Special Jury Prize, Best Actress), THE LAND WITHIN - Fisnik Maxville (Black Nights Tallinn FF - Best Film - Best First Feature), LUZZU - Alex Camilleri (Sundance - World Cinema Dramatic Competition 2021 - Best Actor), 200 METERS - Ameen Nayfeh (Venice Days 2020 - People’s Choice Award), GHOSTS - Azra Deniz Okyay (Venice FF International Film Critics Week - Grand Prize), ALL THIS VICTORY - Ahmad Ghossein (Venice FF - International Film Critics Week 2019 - Best Film & Audience Award), THE FATHER - Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov (Karlovy Vary IFF - International Competition 2019 - Crystal Globe), CHARLESTON - Andrei Creţulescu (Locarno FF - International Competition 2017), HEAVEN SENT - Wissam Charaf (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2017), SECRET INGREDIENT - Gjorce Stavreski (Black Nights Tallinn FF - International Competition, Thessaloniki IFF - Audience Award 2017), PARK - Sofia Exarchou (San Sebastian FF - New Director’s Award 2016), AS I OPEN MY EYES - Leyla Bouzid (Venice FF - Venice Days 2015 - Label Europa Cinemas Award & LUX Prize Nominee), MUSTANG - Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Cannes FF - Director’s Fortnight 2015 - Label Europa Cinemas, LUX Prize Winner, Oscar Nomination for Best Foreign Film).
