A series of renowned names of today’s cinema, with the stunning Festival’s guest of honor Isabelle Huppert as the lineup’s spearhead, will deliver fascinating masterclasses, open to the public, within the framework of the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The Festival’s masterclasses run through a wide spectrum of topics and themes, shedding light onto the various stages of the filmmaking process and creation: from the fields of acting, cinematography, scenario and the directorial guidance of actors all the way to the subtle mechanisms in the areas of casting, costume designing and stunts. More specifically:
Let’s take a glance at the Masterclasses of the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival:
Casting in the Age of Technology. Finding the Soul of a Story
Tanja Grunwald (casting director), Yngvill Kolset Haga (casting director), Lucinda Syson (casting director) & David Zitzlsperger (Filmmakers Europe)
Moderation by journalist Alexandros Diakosavvas
Saturday November 1st // 11:00-12:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in English, with a simultaneous translation in Greek.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
Casting plays a central role in defining a film’s character and identity. It’s where choices about presence, performance and chemistry shape the audience’s connection to the story. Like every part of filmmaking, the work of casting directors is being reshaped by new technologies, from digital databases to emerging AI tools. But while the methods may evolve, the heart of casting remains the same: a human craft built on insight, intuition and collaboration. This panel with members of the International Casting Directors Association will look at how the casting director profession is changing, and how its core values can be preserved for the future.
Who Are Tanja Grunwald, Yngvill Kolset Haga, Lucinda Syson & David Zitzlsperger:
Tanja Grunwald (Denmark) has teamed up with some of the most iconic names of the Scandinavian and world cinema, such as Ruben Östlund and Thomas Vinterberg, having contributed to the casting of landmark films over the recent period (The Girl with the Needle [2024) by Magnus Von Horn, The Promised Land [2023] by Nikolaj Arcel, The Triangle of Sadness by Ruben Östlund, Another Round [2020] by Thomas Vinterberg etc.). Yngvill Kolset Haga (Norway) has worked as a casting director in the most celebrated films in the career of the star film director Joachim Trier, among which stand out Sentimental Value (2025) and The Worst Person in the World (2021).
Lucinda Syson (USA) has served as casting director in critically acclaimed and high-profiled films such as Children of Men (2006) and Gravity (2013) by Alfonso Cuarón, Batman Begins (2005) by Christopher Nolan and Syriana (2002) by Stephen Gaghan, as well as in a series of blockbuster hits (Wonder Woman [2017], Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation [2015], V for Vendetta [2005]). David Zitzlsperger (Germany) heads Europe’s leading casting platform, Filmmakers Europe, which serves as the e-meeting point for communication and contact between actors-actresses, agents, casting directors and producers from all over the continent, both for film and TV projects.
Dressing the Story: The Art of Costume Design
Catherine George
Moderation by film scholar Geli Mademli
Saturday November 1st // 13:00-14:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in English, with a simultaneous translation in Greek.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
Costume designer Catherine George shares her journey from fashion to film, exploring how costumes serve as a form of narrative. Drawing on work across genres, she will discuss the creative process — from research and collaboration to design and production — showing how costumes become vital tools of storytelling. With behind-the-scenes insights and images, George reflects on her long-term collaborations with Jim Jarmusch, Bong Joon Ho, and Lynne Ramsay, revealing how costume design shapes character, mood and brings personalities to life on screen for audiences.
Who Is Catherine George:
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Catherine George studied and worked in fashion design before entering the film industry. Now based in New York City, Catherine designed the costumes for Jim Jarmusch’s films Paterson, The Dead Don’t Die, and his newest feature, winner of the Venice Lion, Father Mother Sister Brother. Another close collaborator is Lynne Ramsay; Catherine designed the costumes for We Need to Talk About Kevin and the recent Cannes competition entry Die My Love. Having first worked with director Bong Joon Ho on the movie Snowpiercer and the Netflix original feature Okja, she then designed the recent Sci-Fi feature Mickey 17. She has collaborated with director Oren Overman on The Dinner, having also designed his other films Time Out of Mind, Rampart and The Messenger. Her work in television includes the HBO Pilot episode of Succession, directed by Adam McCay, and the mini-series The Night of, directed by Steve Zaillian. Previous credits include Todd Solondz’s Life During Wartime and Reservation Road, directed by her brother, Academy Award-winner Terry George.
AGORA Series Masterclass: “From Page to Screen, with Saverio Costanzo, on Making My Brilliant Friend”
Saverio Costanzo
Moderation by film critic Poly Lykourgou
Sunday November 2nd // 11:00-12:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in English, with a simultaneous translation in Greek.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
Acclaimed Italian filmmaker Saverio Costanzo delivers an in-depth masterclass exploring his creative process as director and screenwriter of My Brilliant Friend, HBO and Rai’s internationally celebrated adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel of the same name. Costanzo will discuss the artistic challenges of bringing a richly layered literary world to the screen and of building a compelling television narrative. The session, moderated by Poly Lykourgou, offers an insightful conversation into the creator’s approach to adaptation, collaboration, and storytelling on an epic scale.
Who Is Saverio Costanzo:
Saverio Costanzo is a director and screenwriter. He co-wrote and directed the HBO series My Brilliant Friend (2018-2020), an adaptation of Elena Ferrante's acclaimed Neapolitan Novels. He is known for feature films such as Private (2004), which won the Golden Leopard and the Ecumenical Jury Special Mention at the 2004 Locarno Film Festival, and Hungry Hearts (2014), nominated for the Golden Lion at the 2014 Venice Film Festival. Costanzo also directed the Italian adaptation of the acclaimed series In Treatment (2013-2016).
From Stage to Screen
Isabelle Huppert
Moderation by poet and writer Ersi Sotiropoulos
Tuesday November 4th // 10:00-11:30 // John Cassavetes
The masterclass will be held in French, with a simultaneous translation in English and Greek.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
The multi-award-winning French and international actress, with an equally acclaimed career in theatre and film, shares her invaluable experience. The discussion will explore the differences and similarities in acting between the two arts, from the intensity and expressiveness of the stage to the subtlety and intimacy of the camera. Huppert will illustrate practical examples and techniques, offering unique insights for developing acting skills in every medium.
Who Is Isabelle Huppert:
In her frenzy ride in cinema, full of triumphs and praises, Isabelle Hupper has been nominated 16 times for a César Award, holding the indisputable record in the history of the awards. She is a two-time César winner, for her interpretation in the films A Judgement in Stone (1995) by Claude Chabrol and Elle (2016) by Paul Verhoeven, the latter earning her a Golden Globe and a Best Actress Academy Award nomination as well. In addition, her name figures in the high-profile elite of actors and actresses awarded at the three most prominent film festivals of the world: the Cannes Film Festival for Claude Chabrol’s Violette Nozière (1978) and Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher (2001), the Venice Film Festival for Claude Chabrol’s Story of Women (1988) and A Judgement in Stone (1995), and the Berlinale (along with film’s entire female cast) for François Ozon’s 8 Women (2002). The list of honorary distinctions bestowed to Isabelle Huppert is endless, also featuring three European Film Academy Awards, BAFTA, Lumière and David Di Donatello Awards, as well as countless more prizes at dozens of film festivals around the globe. Last but not least, Isabelle Huppert is one of the top-notch names in the worldwide theater stage, having received the Honorary Molière Award and nine nominations, most ever for an actress in the history of the awards.
Movie Stunts - Introduction to the Exciting World of Cinematic Action
Sotiris Kraniotis & Kris Radanov (Stunt Project)
Moderation by film director Dimitris Nakos
Tuesday November 4th // 12:00-13:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in Greek, with a simultaneous translation in English.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
A specialized masterclass on stunts in cinema offers participants the opportunity to delve into both the technical and artistic dimensions of screen action. Sotiris Kraniotis and Kris Radanov from the Stunt Project team – seasoned professionals with over 15 years of experience in the field – present methods for designing, executing, and coordinating dangerous scenes, with a strong emphasis on precision, realism, and safety. Through theoretical analysis and practical examples, the audience gains essential insights into how action sequences contribute to dramaturgy and cinematic storytelling. The masterclass is aimed at students, creators, and professionals in the audiovisual sector.
Who Are Sotiris Kraniotis & Kris Radanov:
Sotiris Kraniotis is a stunt coordinator and the co-founder of the Stunt Project, the first ever professional stunt team in Greece. Having studied and received training in martial arts, alpinism, motor sports and extreme sports, he has consolidated his status as a pioneer in the design and carrying out of highly demanding action scenes ever since 2009. He has worked in several Greek and international productions, such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023) by Nia Vardalos, as the TV series House of David (2025-) and Jack Ryan (2018-2023), having left his personal mark on a great number of films, series and commercials.
Kris Radanov, in tandem with his acting career, has been working as a stunt man for more than 14 years. He took on free wrestling as a child, while later on he engaged in other sports, such as krav manga, horseriding etc. Since 2011 he has taken part in many Greek and international productions working as a stunt man and stunt coordinator. He has several important films and TV series under his belt, among which stand out The Assassin (2025), House of David (2025-), The Return (2024), The Girl from Athens (2025-), The Other Me (2019-2023), Meta ti fotia (After the Fire, 2023), Behind the Haystack (2022). Later on, he joined forces with Sotiris Kraniotis and the Stunt Project, sharing his love for action and professional expertise.
The Collaborate Art
Frederick Elms
Moderation by DoP Simos Sarketzis (GSC)
Wednesday November 5th // 11:00-12:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in English, with a simultaneous translation in Greek.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
“The Collaborate Art” reflects Frederick Elmes’ personal approach to shooting narrative films. Emphasis will be placed on developing an aesthetic with the director first, then finding the technical solutions that will allow him to realize them in his cinematography. During the masterclass, he will reference film clips from work he has photographed with esteemed directors David Lynch, Jim Marmusch, Ang Lee and others, then discuss techniques they used to bring their ideas to the screen.
Who Is Frederick Elms:
Frederick Elmes has been a cinematographer of dramatic feature films, television limited series and
commercials for most of his life, and now lives in New York. He was educated at Rochester Institute of Technology, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and the American Film Institute. He has collaborated with directors including David Lynch (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart), John Cassavetes, Ang Lee, Jim Jarmusch, Lisa Cholodenko, Steve Zaillian, Mira Nair and Charlie Kaufmann. His films have been shown at festivals world wide garnering numerous awards. He is currently teaching at New York University Graduate Film School.
Contrary to Expectation
Nikos Panayotopoulos
Thursday November 6th // 11:00-12:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in Greek, with a simultaneous translation in English.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
A discussion on the timeless allure and irresistible power of the plot twist — the reversal of
expectations in dramatic (and not only) storytelling.
Who Is Nikos Panayotopoulos:
Nikos Panayotopoulos was born in Athens in 1963. He studied Mechanical Engineering, worked as a journalist, but soon turned to screenwriting and fiction. He has written or co-written the screenplays for at least ten feature films (Truants, The King, False Alarm et al.). He has taught screenwriting at the Stavrakos Film School, the Film Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the MA Program in Creative Writing, and the BA Program in Film Writing & Research at the Hellenic Open University, and has served as a tutor in numerous screenwriting workshops in Greece and abroad. He is the author of the short story collections The Guilt of Materials (M. Rallis Award), Handwriting, and Restless Extremities, the novella All Alone, and the novels The Diary of an Alien, The Doubt Gene, Hagiography, and The Children of Cain (P. Charis Foundation Award of the Academy of Athens).
The Director in the Role of the Midwife
Yorgos Tsemberopoulos
Moderation by Eleni Androutsopoulou (Head of the Greek Film Festival)
Saturday November 8th // 11:00-12:30 // Pavlos Zannas
The masterclass will be held in Greek, with a simultaneous translation in English.
Free admission, on a first-come-first-served basis
Do I embody or impersonate? Do I give body and life to a role or pretend to be someone else? With a filmography focused on characters, heroes, and heroines, and therefore on the actors and actresses, professional or not, who take on these roles, Giorgos Tseberopoulos, honoree of the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, discusses how he elicits the performances he needs and admires, and how he himself embodies the personalities of his scripts in order to form an invincible team with his actors. The director will use specific examples from his career and engage in conversation with the audience.
Who Is Yorgos Tsemberopoulos:
Born in Athens, he studied economics in Greece and cinema at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, where he spent six years directing documentaries, short films, and theater productions. His first film work, the feature-length documentary Megara, participated in nine European film festivals and won the Best Film Award at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the International Critics Association Award at the Berlin Forum Festival. His first fiction feature film, Sudden Love (1984), was a commercial success and was awarded the national awards for Production, Cinematography, and Best Actress. This was followed by Take Care (1991), which won national awards for Best Film, Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Supporting Actor, and Backdoor (2000), which won the Supporting Actor Award and competed at the Tokyo International Film Festival. His film The Enemy Within (2013) participated in the Beijing Competition Festival, the BFI London, Tehran, Montreal, Paris, Nashville, Denver, etc., winning two first prizes and the Best Actor Award. At the 2014 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, the film received three Iris Awards, for Editing, Screenplay, and Direction. He was President of the Hellenic Film Academy from 2019 to 2022. His latest film Stelios (2024), a major commercial success, and a tribute to the legendary Greek singer Stelios Kazantzidis, received two Iris Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Costume Design.
