Davide Abbatescianni
CPH:DOX Next:Wave: Sting Like A Bee by LEONE
Italian director Leone Balduzzi discusses his debut feature Sting Like A Bee, about a group of teens growing up in the south of Italy. The project started life as a piece of branded content for Piaggio bikes. “Quite spontaneously, all the topics of the documentary – including sex, AIDS and homosexuality – emerged. These [topics] originated together [with the kids]. To some extent, it’s been like a social experiment,” the filmmaker tells BDE.
CPH:DOX NORDIC:DOX: G – 21 Scenes from Gottsunda by Loran Batti
Swedish doc debutant Loran Batti talks to BDE about his deeply intimate debut G - 21 Scenes from Gottsunda, set in Uppsala’s notorious titular suburb. In the film, Batti grapples with the desire to move away, but is torn by loyalty to his childhood friends who lead a criminal life. “Speaking about the spiritual and the human aspect, it was so hard for me to keep distant from the film, the project, the place and the subject,” he tells BDE.
Thessaloniki Docs in Progress: Super Paradise by Steve Krikris
In the 1970s the island of Mykonos emerged as a symbol of hope, freedom and self-expression, thus becoming for many a true “Paradise on Earth.” The sweeping transformations of the iconic Greek island take centre stage in Steve Krikris’ new project, presented as a work-in-progress at Agora. “Super Paradise is a project about the transformation of an island,” said Krikris. “It was a hidden gem, back then. Now it’s a major destination for mass tourism.”
Thessaloniki Docs in Progress: The Secrets of the Owl by Eirini...
At Agora 2024, director Eirini Vourloumis and producer Leonidas Liambeys of Greek outfit Boulis Films presented on stage their new Docs in Progress project. The team billed The Secrets of the Owl as “a portrait of Athens told through the lives of three taxi drivers,” as “they roam the streets but dream of nature, acting and singing.”
Thessaloniki Agora Docs in Progress: Eduard by Sophie Shevardnadze
During the 2024 Agora, Sophie Shevardnadze presented her Docs in Progress project, titled Eduard. The debut feature of the Tbilisi-born filmmaker is an unprecedented portrait of Eduard Shevardnadze, a man who held power in Georgia for an extended period of time and couldn’t let go of it without bloodshed. The work is particularly poignant for the director as she is, herself, the granddaughter of the former Georgian leader.
Thessaloniki Agora Pitch: Kafka in Belgrade by Maša Nešković
Produced by Maja Medić and Ena Bajraktarević for Serbian outfit Marienbad Films, Kafka in Belgrade is the working title of one of the feature docs in development pitched at this year’s Thessaloniki Agora. In it, director Maša Nešković unravels her past and that of her filmmaker stepfather, as they navigate together “the maze of memory and identity.”
Thessaloniki Agora pitch: Dark Blue River by Sergej Kreso
Filmmaker Sergej Kreso and Doxy Films (NL) producer Harmen Jalvingh pitched their new feature-length doc project, Dark Blue River. Two industry veterans with over 20 years of experience in the non-fiction business, Kreso and Jalvingh had previously pitched Here We Move Here We Groove at the Greek gathering in 2017. In his latest effort, Kreso returns to a place very dear to him - namely the Neretva river, within the eastern part of the Adriatic basin.
Thessaloniki Int’l Comp: Until I Fly by Kanishka Sonthalia and Siddesh...
BDE speaks to the makers of the French-Indian coming-of-age doc Until I Fly, which world-premieres at Thessaloniki 2024. Filmed over a number of years, the picture follows Veeru, a charismatic boy born to an Indian mother and a Nepalese father living in an intolerant Himalayan village. “Veeru saw me first as an old man, then he perceived me as a brother and then I sort of became his friend… Meanwhile, Kanishka became a sort of elder sister,” co-director Shetty tells of the directors’ close relationship with their subject.
Thessaloniki Industry interview: Angeliki Vergou, Head of Agora
Ahead of the 26th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, Business Doc Europe chatted to Angeliki Vergou, Head of Agora. Agora is the gathering’s “developmental branch” unfolding both on site and virtually. The Greek industry event focuses on showcasing stories and filmmakers from the neighbouring region through a series of dedicated initiatives such as the Pitching Forum and the Docs in Progress section.
Thessaloniki Int’l Comp: Unclaimed by Marianna Economou
Between 1945 and 1975 hundreds of tuberculosis sufferers in an Athens hospital were buried in unmarked graves in the hospital grounds. After hearing of this discovery, Greek director Marianna Economou was determined to reconstruct many of their identities. “I felt I had to tell this story, there was no [other] way. These people were coming out of ‘oblivion’ after 80 years telling me, ‘here we are, make a film about our lives,’” she tells BDE.
