On Sunday, November 2, as part of the 66th TIFF’s Agora Talks, a panel discussion titled “Quick Fix or Long-Term Strategy: Redefining the Relationship Between Cinema and Television” was held in collaboration with the Hellenic Producers Association (SAPOE). The panel was introduced by Angeliki Vergou, Head of the Agora, who welcomed the speakers and expressed her appreciation to the members of SAPOE. The discussion, which aimed to explore how streaming platforms and broadcasting services can move away from traditional business models, was moderated by Nikolas Alavanos, CEO of the production company FILMIKI and Board Member of SAPOE.
Speakers agreed that intellectual property ownership is an "ongoing battle”, arguing that streaming platforms often follow a buy-out model that leaves creators with little long-term benefit. Peter Carlton, Senior Executive Producer and Company Director at Warp Films, emphasized that innovation comes from independence, referring to the success of the mini-series Adolescence. He pointed to the need to better understand younger audiences and noted that it is time for Greek creators and production companies to start thinking internationally, seeking alternative sources of funding beyond national borders and traditional routes. From her side, Maria Kozakou, General Director of Programming at the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), addressed what she called “the elephant in the room,” referring to the major American streaming platforms that create an uneven playing field by both producing and distributing content. She called on the need of Europe to respond to these new challenges. Kozakou also referred to a regulation according to which ERT is required to allocate 1.5% of its profits to domestic film production. She went on to ask industry professionals whether they would prefer more productions with smaller budgets, or fewer productions with larger ones.
Dionysis Samiotis, Productions General Manager at Tanweer, noted that what was needed was more money. He focused on the lack of funding for Greek productions and added the state as a key player in the producer-broadcaster equation. He spoke about the cash rebate system, emphasizing that it should be viewed as an “investment” and not as a “financing tool”. Samiotis also underscored the importance of strategic thinking in production, stressing that what ultimately matters is not a project’s commercial potential, but a clear understanding of what we want to create and why. Faye Tsitsipi, Deputy Director of Content Management at COSMOTE TV, underlined that collaboration between producers and companies is essential for survival. She referred to independent projects, explaining that in a small market like Greece, supporting such ventures can be “tricky.” However, she noted that these very projects have helped COSMOTE TV establish its position within the Greek audiovisual landscape. Finally, Kostas Sousoulas, Chief Content Officer at MEGA TV, reaffirmed his belief in local storytelling, highlighting the need to reflect on the sustainability of the current volume of productions. He questioned the need for so many scripted series, stressing the importance of reassessing both the scale and purpose of the content being produced.
