AGORA (Nov 3-11), is the industry section of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, supported by the Creative Europe-MEDIA programme and offers a variety of networking and co-production opportunities for the global film industry. As an international meeting and networking event, AGORA operates in a hybrid format and offers a range of industry activities, which focus on the countries of the wider Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
AGORA is an inclusive and diverse professional hub supporting all aspects of the audiovisual sector. Each year it hosts the Thessaloniki Locarno Industry Academy and the AGORA Short Film Lab for junior professionals offering tailor-made programmes and networking opportunities.
Having this in mind Thessaloniki International Film Festival is one of the five (5) European Film Festivals joining forces with a new initiative Launchpad together with Locarno Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, IFFR and Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Launchpad aims at facilitating the integration of selected emerging film professionals working in international sales, marketing, traditional and online distribution, exhibition and programming, funds and commissions by giving them facilitated access to a network of film festivals in the yearly calendar.
Through Launchpad, the partners offer the participants the chance to discover important industry events either online or on-site, be part of key industry activities and further expand their international network. In AGORA this year we are hosting online or on-site nine (9) professionals.
In 2023 we introduce a new collaborative bridge between the South and the North by welcoming each year a different guest country from the Baltic and Scandinavian region. Bridge to the North is exploring new opportunities in financing and artistic collaborations and is creating fertile ground for co-productions, synergies and cultural exchange.
In partnership with the Lithuanian Film Centre, a Lithuanian delegation of producers, directors, distributors and film programmers will be attending all AGORA activities and will participate with their own projects and talents. This collaboration is an opportunity to diversify the project selection further and allows us to open up to new stories and genres coming from a different territory.
THESSALONIKI LOCARNO INDUSTRY ACADEMY (November 4-9 2023)
Thessaloniki Locarno Industry Academy 2023, an important collaboration between the festivals of Thessaloniki and Locarno celebrates its eighth consecutive year and welcomes eight (8) emerging professionals in film promotion. The tailor-made programme includes top-level professionals of the international stage who share valuable knowledge and experience with the participants from Greece and abroad through discussions, presentations, case studies analyses and group work. The individualized training offered by the programme will enable participants to broaden their professional network in the fields of international sales, marketing, distribution and film programming.
Participants 2023:
AGORA SHORT FILM LAB (November 5-9 2023)
AGORA Short Film Lab, is an AGORA initiative in collaboration with Drama International Short Film Festival and Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
The directors eligible to take part in AGORA Short Film Lab are recipients of the most prestigious awards bestowed in the Drama International Short Film Festival National Competition (Golden Dionysus Award for Best Film, Best Director Award, Best Screenplay Award), as well as awarded film directors from Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
The participants will have the chance to come in contact with professionals of the field, receiving invaluable practical tips for their next steps and more particularly for the transition into full-length film production. AGORA Short Film Lab instructors will share their precious experience and knowledge on the different stages of the filmmaking process, such as the script, the production, marketing, as well as the pivotal role of sales agents. In addition, they will provide guidelines on pitching and networking, as well as useful information on the European programmes targeted to film production. The participants will also be given the chance to attend the Festival and the full spectrum of AGORA’s activities, as well as to exchange views and experiences with colleagues and acclaimed guests from Greece and abroad.
Participants 2023:
Guest speakers include amongst others:
Michael Arnon - partner at boutique PR & marketing film WOLF
Geremia Biagiotti - Sales Agent, Intramovies
Markus Duffner - Head of Locarno Pro, Locarno Film festival
Ed Frost - Release Senior Marketing Manager, MUBI
Rico Johnson-Sinclair - Co-Director, ARTEF (Anti-Racist Taskforce for European Film)
Vicky Miha - Producer, Marketing Expert, Asterisk*
Razvan Radulescu - scriptwriter, script consultant
Markéta Šantrochová - Head of Czech Film Centre
Sergina Stavroulaki - Acquisitions, Heretic
