Welcome to the 22nd TDF

22^nd THESSALONIKI DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL [5-15/3/2020]

Welcome to the 22^nd TDF

Improved, dynamic and exciting, the 22^nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presents: 189 feature length documentaries and 74 short documentaries from around the world, the Agora Docs, original tributes and a series of unique parallel events.

We are expecting you at Olympion and Pavlos Zannas theatres in Aristotelous Square, the Tonia Marketaki, Frida Liappa, Stavros Tornes, John Cassavetes and Takis Kanellopoulos theatres located at the city’s Port, the theatre Makedonikon, as well as at two additional venues situated in two Thessaloniki Municipalities: the “Christos Tsakiris” Cultural Center in Pavlos Melas and the Municipal Theatre of Sykies in Neapoli-Sykies.

OPENING – CLOSING FILMS

• The 22^nd TDF begins on Thursday, March 5 with the moving documentary My Octopus Teacher by Philippa Ehrlich and James Reed, which will have its global premiere in Thessaloniki.
• The Oscar-winning short documentary Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) by Carol Dysinger will be the closing film of the 22^nd TDF, on Sunday, March 15.

FOUR COMPETITION SECTORS

For the first time, the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presents four international competition sectors: Long Feature documentaries, Newcomers with filmmakers’ first or second films, >>Film Forward and VR.

GREEK DOCUMENTARIES

Greek documentaries are present and they are evolving rapidly. Overall 78 Greek productions will be screened at the 22^nd TDF and Greek documentaries will compete at the international competition sections. Greek documentary is reinforced through all of the festival activities and it participates at the developing programs of Agora.

TRIBUTES

• We organize a complete and unpredictable tribute to animated documentary, a hybrid sub-genre that is developing constantly.
• We explore a topic of geological, environmental, social, philosophical, political and cultural aspects, with the daring tribute to the Anthropocene Epoch.
• We familiarize with the world of memes, by watching exciting, sharp, political and humorous documentaries.
• We welcome to Thessaloniki the legendary filmmaker Raymon Depardon.
• We discover the critical and insightful perception of American photographer and director Lauren Greenfield.
• We enter the fascinating world of Colombian avant-garde artist, Laura Huertas Millán.

AGORA DOCS

Stronger, richer, innovative, Agora Docs presents new activities, aiming to reinforce cinematically our broader geographical area, the center of which is Greece.  

• The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, a co-production and co-funding platform for creative, TV and new media documentaries.
• Τhe Agora Lab, a laboratory for development where documentary experts of international fame offer free guidance to Greek filmmakers with films that are still at the editing phase.
• The Doc Counseling service that offers private counselling sessions to documentarists.

In addition:

• We establish the Golden Alexander Award which will be offered to important documentary personalities. This year, it will be awarded to sales agent Catherine le Clef.

Eleven days full of faces and surprising activities: get to know the famous war correspondent Robert Fisk, don’t forget to party, do not miss unpredictable screenings at grocery stores, crosswalks and coffee places!

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The Festival has increased safety measures for the protection of viewers from infections. There will be hand sanitizers everywhere, daily sanitizing in all hygienic areas, and skilled nursing staff will be present at Warehouse C. We are in contact with the Ministry of Culture the Region of Central Macedonia and the Municipality of Thessaloniki. We are prepared for all contingencies. We recommend calm and patience. Panic is more dangerous than any virus.

Attachments:

22nd TDF: Film Line-up