AGORA Works in Progress

AGORA Works in Progress: November 3 - 7, 2024

The AGORA Works in Progress selects projects in post-production stage, which have a link to the Mediterranean regions and Southeastern Europe, and presents them to sales agents, distributors, producers, streaming platforms and festival programmers with the objective to raise finishing funds, secure sales agents, festival premieres and book meetings with potential partners.

Films that have participated in previous editions of the Agora Works in Progress include: THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN - Zacharias Mavroeidis (Venice FF - Giornate degli Autori 2023), MEDIUM by Christina Ioakeimidi (Sarajevo FF 2023), THE SEA AND ITS WAVES - Liana & Renaud (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2023), HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WOMAN? - Dušan Zorić, Matija Gluščević (Venice FF - International Film Critics’ Week), PELIKAN - Filip Heraković (Tallinn Black Nights FF), HOW IS KATIA? - Christina Tynkevych (Locarno FF - Cineasti del Presente 2022 - Special Jury Prize, Best Actress), ROCK BOTTOM RISER - Fern Silva (Berlinale Encounters 2021 - Special Mention), MOTHER LODE - Matteo Tortone (Venice FF - Venice Critics Week 2021), MOON, 66 QUESTIONS - Jacqueline Lentzou (Berlinale Encounters 2021), SWEAT - Magnus von Horn (Cannes FF - Cannes Label 2020), LAST DAYS OF SPRING - Isabel Lamberti (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2020, San Sebastian IFF - New Directors Award), PAPICHA - Mounia Meddour (Cannes FF - Un Certain Regard 2019), AS HAPPY AS POSSIBLE - Alain Raoust (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2019), SPELL REEL - Filipa César (Berlin FF - Forum 2017), OCCIDENTAL - Neil Beloufa (Berlin FF - Forum 2017), SUNTAN - Argyris Papadimitropoulos (Rotterdam IFF, SXSW 2016), STRATOS - Yannis Economidis (Berlin FF - Official Competition 2014), NEXT TO HER - Asaf Korman (Cannes FF - Quinzaine des Réalisateurs 2014, Thessaloniki IFF - Silver Alexander 2014), AT HOME - Athanassios Karanikolas (Berlin FF - Forum 2014), MY DOG KILLER - Mira Fornay (Rotterdam IFF - Tiger Award 2014), WHEN I SAW YOU - Annemarie Jacir (Toronto FF 2012), LUTON - Michalis Konstantatos (San Sebastian FF 2013), BOY EATING THE BIRD’S FOOD - Ektoras Lygizos (Karlovy Vary IFF - Competition 2012) and more.

A. What is the application process?

If you are in the process of film shooting or in post-production please fill in the online AGORA Works in Progress Registration Form (in English) and send it to us accompanied by a minimum of selected 25 minutes excerpts or scenes of your film in a secure web link. Please make sure to complete the form thoroughly. Once you have completed the online form you cannot make changes. Elements from the application form will be used for catalogue information should your project be selected.

B. Which countries are eligible to apply?

Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo*, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Guest country: To be announced soon

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Projects not coming from one of the aforementioned countries who think that the participation in the Works in Progress fits the film's promotional strategy, may still apply. All submitted projects will be reviewed and evaluated.

C. Key Dates:

Open Call: May 29, 2024
Submissions Deadline: September 6, 2024
Notification Date: Late September, 2024
Online Workshop: Late September / Early October, 2024
AGORA Works in Progress (in Thessaloniki): November 3-7, 2024
Online Meetings: November 8, 2024

D. General Rules and Guidelines:

AGORA Works in Progress selects 8-10 fiction feature films from the wider regions of South Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean and offers filmmakers a platform to present their films to key players of the audiovisual sector.
The selection is based mainly on the quality of the visual material sent to AGORA (minimum 25 minutes) as well as the artistic elements and storyline of the film. Other factors include the director’s previous film and the company’s track record.
In the final selection we strive to maintain a balance between represented countries, regions, genders and addressed themes.
AGORA Works in Progress only selects premieres, making the films presented an exclusive opportunity for the festival programmers, sales agents and distributors to discover the new films emerging from the region just in time for the next season of the festival circuit.

Additionally:

The application materials and subtitles should be in English
We accept only feature film projects (over 60 minutes).
We accept all genres except feature documentaries.
One production company or producer can submit up to two projects.
In the application folder, project holders should state whether the project has participated in other workshops and markets (including date), as well as any pending applications. Please state in case this is the first time presenting the project.
The selection committee is composed of the AGORA team, the Festival’s International Program team and the Greek Film Festival’s Program team. The final selection is made upon the decision of international advisors and the Head of AGORA in accordance with the Festival administration.
The number of selected projects is up to ten (10).

E. What happens if my project is selected?

Once a project has been selected, the director(s) and producer(s) are called to participate in the preparatory online workshop in September. The workshop is mandatory and includes pitching training, feedback on the pre-recorded pitch and film excerpts for both the online use and the live presentation as well as print presentation feedback (synopsis, director’s notes etc).

The director(s) and producer(s) are both advised to be present during the five days of AGORA Works in Progress (November 3-7, 2024). At least one representative of the project should be present.

Your project’s meetings schedule will be sent to you a few days before the program begins. The schedule will be based upon requests from the invited industry professionals. Additional meetings are scheduled and curated by the AGORA team and upon availability.

Finished film projects presented at the AGORA Works in Progress agree to mention their participation in the AGORA Works in Progress by adding the program’s logo in their credits. The following sentence should be mentioned in the credit list: "[film title] has been presented at AGORA Works in Progress of the [festival edition] Thessaloniki International Film Festival [year]". The logo will be sent to the filmmakers upon selection of the project.