The Agora of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival handed out its Docs-in-Progress and Pitching Forum awards March 12.
General Director of the Festival, Elise Jalladeau, took the floor: “Our goal is to ensure that professionals can exchange ideas and work in a safe and caring space, to encourage dialogue and to champion all voices, wherever they may come from. The prerequisite for this is to get together and be united.”
The festival’s Artistic Director Orestis Andreadakis added: “Our goal is to ensure that professionals can exchange ideas and work in a safe and caring space, to encourage dialogue and to champion all voices, wherever they may come from. The prerequisite for this is to get together and be united. This is what we have been doing these last few days, and we thank you once again for your enthusiastic participation in Agora and dedication to the art of documentary
Then, Orestis Andreadakis said: “Thank you Elise. We are all looking forward to Evia already! Hello to all, what a wonderful crowd. I was happy to see that once again, AGORA was so alive, like a bee hive. So energetic and so vibrant. I was happy to see many old friends and colleagues as well as meet new ones from all over the world. Keep bringing in your exciting projects and let’s meet here again at the next TiDF. Before I leave you tonight I just want to say a big, big thanks to the AGORA team and their partners. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for all of you”.
AGORA DOCS IN PROGRESS AWARDS
In the Agora Docs in Progress, 10 projects from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region participated in closed sessions for Thessaloniki’s invited industry professionals, sales agents, distributors, producers and festival programmers. The international jury of Agora Docs in Progress was composed of: Anna Glogowski, Consultant & Festival programmer, France; Marcella Jelić, Sales & Acquisitions, Split Screen & Theatrical distribution coordinator, Restart, Croatia, Basil Tsiokos, Senior programmer, Sundance Film Festival – USA.
- 2|35 Post-Production Main Award winner: MAGMA. Director: Mia Bendrimia, Production: Kira Simon-Kennedy – Nazar Films, France, Algeria. Citation: For its deft ability to successfully transform one family’s unspoken history and unresolved transgenerational trauma into an engaging investigation into contested narratives that reveal both the stories we tell ourselves and those we deliberately refuse to engage with, on both a personal and a national level.
- The Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece Award accompanied with 3,000 euros, was bestowed by Athina Kartalou, General Director of the General Film Directorate, to the Greek project: HOME COURT. Directors: Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernandez, Production: Yuri Averof, Rea Apostolides – Anemon Productions, Co-production: Maaike Neve, Esther Van Driesum – Bind Film, Victor Ede – Cinephage, Boris Despodov – Arthouse Blockbusters, Greece, Netherlands, France, Bulgaria. Citation: For crafting a warm, vibrant, and uplifting portrait of friendship and the promise of dreams – and for posing under-explored and ultimately universally resonant questions of identity and belonging for second-generation migrants – the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece Award goes to Home Court by directors Elpida Nikou and Rodrigo Hernandez and producers Yuri Averof and Rea Apostolides.
- The Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award was given to the project: TOWER, SUN AND THE SEVEN OF WANDS Director: Tanya Vikhreva, Writer: Aleksander Rodionov, Production: Maria Gavrilova – Marx Film GE, Georgia. Citation: For bringing an unexpected, unorthodox, and often disarmingly humorous angle on the ongoing war in Ukraine, one focused on the divergent perspectives of the residents of occupied Crimea, exploring the eye-opening influences of superstition on one hand and Russian propaganda on the other, the Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award goes to Tower, Sun and the Seven of Wands by director Tanya Vikhreva and producer Maria Gavrilova.
THESSALONIKI PITCHING FORUM AWARDS
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival for creative and TV documentaries, docs for kids and docs series destined for theater distribution and TV broadcast. This year’s Thessaloniki Pitching Forum showcased 14 projects in development, among which two series, a documentary for kids and an animated documentary, from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. The International Jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, consisting of: Leonidas Konstantarakos, Producer, Alaska Films – Greece; Marianne Ostrat, Producer & Founder, Alexandra Film – Estonia; Nora Philippe, Head of Program, EURODOC – France handed out the following awards.
- The IEFTA Award for Best Documentary in Development, accompanied by a 10,000 euro cash prize, is bestowed for the second time. The award was given to HIGHWAYS OF HOPE. Director: Alexa Bakony, Production: Gábor Osváth, Veronika Gál – Filmfabriq Ltd., Hungary. Citation: Currently in its very early development, this project led by a young female team promises to cross European borders and break Indian stereotypes about Muslim minorities through an energetic story of emancipation. We were captivated by the main character facing a darkening world with youthful joyfulness and optimism. The jury wants to further boost the kick-off of the creative and financial development of this project, by awarding it the IEFTA Best Doc Award.
- A Special Mention was given by the jury to the project BUGBOY. Director: Lucas Paleocrassas, Production: Rea Apostolides – Anemon, Executive Production: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren – Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz – Flach Film Productions, Greece, Denmark, France. Citation: A unique, joyful and tender coming-of-age film produced by a very experienced team, that is approaching completion – and that we can’t wait to see on screen very soon!
- The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award to a Greek project, accompanied by a cash prize of 2,000 euros was given by enny Vafakou, TV and Digital Programme Director at ERT to MAMA KLORIN. Director: Doreida Xhogu, Production: Mina Dreki – MARNI FILMS, Greece. Citation: Mama Klorin is a promising journey into a very under-represented community of immigrant women working as cleaners in Greece. Filmed with love and dignity by one of their daughters, this multilayered project strives to make the invisible work visible.
- The Eurodoc Award of 1,000 euros along with a VIP membership was bestowed to the film TAKEN BY THE WHITE MAN. Director: Ana Sofia Fonseca, Production: Daniella Rice, Ana Sofia Fonseca – Carrossel Produções, Portugal. Citation: Taken by the White Man tells a moving and unique story of homecoming, investigative and intimate reappropriation of one’s self and reparation, on the backdrop of the horrors of Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique and contemporary slavery. This project is also an incredible opportunity for a global North-South co-production.”
- The DAE – Documentary Association of Europe Award amounts to consultation and free membership. The award was handed to two projects: THE LAST SUMMER Director: Jan Jurczak & Eleanora Iadkouskaya, Production: Frieder Schlaich – Filmgalerie 451, Germany, and LIFE ON PAUSE
Director: Anthoniy Hristov, Production: Svetla Turnin – Documentary Media Foundation, Bulgaria. Citations: Life on Pause is a courageous project that sheds light on a Bulgarian trans rights legal fight which resonates strongly on the European and global scenes, and which is deeply and rightfully grounded in the community it represents. Loaded with raw and explosive energy, The Last Summer is a very intimate and moving look on what it’s like to go through adolescence in times of war. - The Aylon Productions Digital Services Award offers an hour of high-quality digital transfer of archival material. The award was bestowed to the film: MY AUNTIES Director: Hazal Hanquet, Production: Aslihan Altuğ, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu – Istos Film, Türkiye. Citation: An intergenerational tale told through precious archives that document a courageous queer love story that transcends time, while exploring family dynamics and alternative models of love and kinship in contemporary Turkey.
- The Onassis Film Award (5,000 euros) to one of the Greek projects taking part in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum or the Agora Docs in Progress was won by BUGBOY Director: Lucas Paleocrassas, Production: Rea Apostolides – Anemon, Executive Production: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren – Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz – Flach Film Productions, Greece, Denmark, France. Citation: The Onassis Film Award is given to a documentary about being different and growing up, about all things insignificant that turn out to be important, about the small, invisible world that we often ignore. A different coming-of-age story, with a fresh perspective in the intimacy of its filming.
- The Mediterranean Film Institute Doc Award, which consists of free participation in the 2024 edition of the MFI Doc Lab, went to OH, HEART DON’T BE AFRAID. Director: Ana Kvichidze, Production: Avtandil Khorava – Moonbow Production, Co-production: – Natalia Imaz – Parabellum films, Mariam Bitsadze – 17/07 Productions, Niko Mikadze – Murman Original Pictures, Georgia, Germany
- The DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award offers two Observer badges and accommodation. The award was won by the film: MY AUNTIES. Director: Hazal Hanquet, Production: Aslihan Altuğ, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu – Istos Film, Türkiye. Citation: The project introduces us to two free-spirited, wild and brave women from Istanbul. They are the “aunties” of the director who brings the story of their forty-year queer relationship to us. It is with great joy and deep admiration for both the bravery of the protagonists and the dedication of the film team that the DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award goes to My Aunties, directed by Hazal Hanquet and produced by Aslihan Altuğ and Anna Maria Aslanoğlu.
AGORA XR LAB awards
AGORA XR Lab, is TIDF AGORA’s newest initiative, a workshop dedicated to XR and new media projects in development. It is designed for emerging storytellers keen to explore new forms of expression in factual and non-factual storytelling and pushing the boundaries of what audiovisual work can be in the digital age.
- The Beldocs XR Academy award went to: /IMAGINE FAREWELL STATION Director: Aristotelis Maragkos, Production: Konstantinos Koukoulis – Πlankton films, Co-creator / Co-production: Dimitris Delinikolas – Emptyfilm, Greece. Citation: This project explores the fragility of memory and the inadequacy of language through an interactive time-traveling experience. By reconstructing a fading childhood memory, it creates a poetic journey of recollection and loss. Its innovative use of described footage makes it a beautiful meditation on our attempts to grasp the past. We are happy to have/Imagine Farewell Station at XR Academy.
- The NewImages Festival Partnership Selection of one AGORA XR Lab project to the NewImages XR Market in April 2025. Winner: BITXO Director: Lau Maquedano, Production: Alberto López Garrido – Lamola Studios, Valet Siv Manrique – Piragna Animación & Lau Maquedano, Co-production: Natxo Carrasco – HD Studio, Rubén Coca – Artyc Content, Spain, Colombia
- Agora Boost The Crew United Prize, a five-year premium subscription on Crew United Platform to a participant in the Agora Boost, is bestowed to THE GROUNDSKEEPER. Directors: Io Chaviara, Michalis Kastanidis, Production: Alexis Anastasiadis, Co-production: Io Chaviara & Michalis Kastanidis – Fabula Productions, Greece. Citations: Deindustrialization, memory – collective and individual, and the role that space plays in it, but also the recognition by someone of the role his/her work plays in the production of mass destruction (reminding us here of Harun Farocki’s work) are some of the themes that The Groundskeeper will invite us to look at.
- The Guidance Award, sponsored by Paradiddle Pictures and given to a project participating in the Agora Lab was won by: MAGIC WHISTLE. Director: Avraam Goutzeloudis & Alexandros Katsis, Production: Photini Economopoulou – OhMyDog Productions, Greece. Citation: With music as an important ingredient, there is always the potential to tell an emotional and engaging story. In order to fully explore the full potential of the music and story universe of the project, the Paradiddle Pictures Guidance Award goes to the Magic Whistle.
