AGORA, the industry section of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, is set to host the 20th edition of the Crossroads Co-Production Forum from November 3-7, 2024. This year, AGORA has selected 15 promising film projects from 17 countries across Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. During the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (October 31st - November 10th), these projects will have the unique opportunity to participate in this prestigious forum, designed to foster networking, co-production, and creative collaboration within the global film industry.
Supported by the Creative Europe-MEDIA programme, AGORA continues to be a key platform for industry professionals, offering a hybrid format that includes both on-site and online activities. This format allows for broader participation and facilitates meaningful exchanges between filmmakers and industry leaders, particularly those from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
The new initiative, Bridge to the North, aims at creating a collaborative bridge between the European South and the North. Each year, a different guest country from the Baltic and Nordic regions will be featured, exploring new opportunities in financing and artistic collaborations. This initiative is designed to foster co-productions, synergies, and cultural exchanges that can enrich the global film landscape. This year, in partnership with the Swedish Film Institute, the Göteborg Film Festival, the Swedish Institute and the Embassy of Sweden in Greece, a Swedish delegation of film industry professionals will attend AGORA. Their presence will provide an opportunity for further diversification of co-production possibilities and the exploration of new creative ventures.
The Crossroads Co-Production Forum will offer the selected participants a comprehensive experience, starting with a preparatory workshop mentored by producer Amanda Livanou (Neda Film). This workshop, conducted both online and on-site, is designed to help participants present their projects in the best possible light to industry stakeholders.
The 2024 lineup includes a mix of debut and sophomore feature films from emerging talents, as well as projects from established filmmakers. Among the notable projects is the latest feature film project by prolific Romanian film director Adrian Sitaru. Crossroads Co-production Forum includes sophomore film projects from talents such as Yorgos Goussis, Kaltrina Krasniqi, Diego Llorente, Nikola Mijović, Ahu Öztürk, Sonia Liza Kenterman and Ahmad Ghossein and highly anticipated debuts by Neritan Zinxhiria and Thelyia Petraki. The selected projects, hailing from countries including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Jordan, Kosovo*, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Palestine, Romania, Spain, and Turkey. The selected projects tackle a wide range of themes such as family, identity, and roots, often blending genres like noir, fantasy, political commentary, absurdity, and dark comedy to create compelling and thought-provoking narratives.
This year’s selection was co-curated by an international selection committee and an esteemed Advisory Committee, featuring industry consultant Thibaut Bracq (France) and producer Rula Nasser (Jordan), who brought their extensive industry experience to the selection process.
AGORA continues to be a vital hub for connecting filmmakers from across the globe, providing a platform for storytelling that resonates with the complexities of the contemporary world.
The Crossroads Co-production Forum Awards include:
The newly established MIDPOINT Consulting Award
An in-depth online script consultancy with one of the MIDPOINT Institute experts
Selected Crossroads Co-production Forum projects 2024:
THE APPALLING HUMAN VOICE OF THE ANIMALS
Director: Neritan Zinxhiria, Production: Efijeni Kokedhima - Reconstructing Memories
Greece
A WHITE HOUSE
Director: Francesco Romano, Production: Raffaella Pontarelli - Amarena Film,
Co-production: Giovanni Donfrancesco - Bocalupo Films
Italy, France
AFRICAN GREY
Director: Yorgos Goussis, Production: Konstantinos Koukoulis - PLANKTON
Greece
BLEACH
Director: Kaltrina Krasniqi, Production: Ares Shporta - Vera Films,
Co-production: Ognen Antov - Dream Factory, Bojana Radulović - Code Blue Production
Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro
DYING BIRD
Director: Diego Llorente, Production: Lara González Lobo, Diego Llorente, Rubén G. Revilla - Failo Cine
Spain
FOG
Director: Denis Spiridonov, Production: Katia Khazak - Aurora Films, Co-production: Vanya Rainova - Portokal
France, Bulgaria
FOUR FUNERALS AND A WEDDING
Director: Nikola Mijović, Production: Maja Kecojević - Parangal Film, Co-production: Stefan Mladenović - Plan 9, Vladimir Anastasov - Sektor Film, Dagmar Sedláčková - Masterfilm Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Czech Republic
THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF
Director: Terézia Halamová, Production: Natália Pavlove - Other Stories, Co-production: Matej Sotník - Guča Films
Czech Republic, Slovakia
THE HUNCHBACK
Director: Ahu Ozturk, Production: Pinar Aydin - Leyla Film
Turkey
LA YOLI
Director: Sandra Reina, Production: Valérie Delpierre - Inicia Films
Spain
Mediterranean Film Institute project selection
NEARBY FARAWAY
Director: Sonia Liza Kenterman, Production: Myrto Stathi - BYRD, Co-production: Roshanak Behesht Nedjad - In Good Company, Alexandra Hoesdorff - Deal Productions
Greece, Germany, Luxembourg
THE PASSPORT
Director: Rakan Mayasi, Production: May Odeh, Zorana Musikic - mayana films,
Co-production: Abdallah Al Ramahi - Zenobia Productions
Palestine, Germany, Jordan
THE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUSTING LIFE
Director: Ahmad Ghossein, Production: Georges Schoucair - Abbout Productions
Lebanon
VIRGIN MARY
Director: Adrian Sitaru, Production: Iriana Adnana - 4 PROOF FILM, Co-production: Yohann Cornu - Damned Films
Romania, France
WAKE (AGRYPNIA)
Director: Thelyia Petraki, Production: Kostas Tagalakis - Out of the Box Films,
Co-production: Iraklis Mavroidis - Boo Productions
Greece
Recent Crossroads Co-production Forum alumni projects include: KYUKA - BEFORE SUMMER'S END - Kostis Charamoundanis (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2024), THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN - Zacharias Mavroeidis (Venice FF - Giornate degli Autori 2023), BLAGA’S LESSONS - Stephan Komandarev (Karlovy Vary IFF 2023), MEDIUM - Christina Ioakeimidi (Sarajevo FF 2023), INSHALLAH A BOY - Amjad Al Rasheed (Cannes FF - Semaine de la Critique 2023), BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY - Elene Naveriani (Cannes FF - Quinzaine des Cinéastes 2023), THE SEA AND ITS WAVES - Liana & Renaud (Cannes FF - ACID Cannes 2023), 20.000 SPECIES OF BEES - Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (73rd Berlinale International Competition 2023 - Silver Berlin Bear/Best Leading Performance), NIGHTSIREN - Tereza Nvotová (Locarno FF - Cineasti del Presente 2022 - Golden Leopard), HOW IS KATIA? - Christina Tynkevych (Locarno FF - Cineasti del Presente 2022 - Special Jury Prize, Best Actress), THE LAND WITHIN - Fisnik Maxville (Black Nights Tallinn FF - Best Film - Best First Feature) LUZZU - Alex Camilleri (Sundance - World Cinema Dramatic Competition 2021 - Best Actor), ZUHAL - Nazlı Elif Durlu (Black Nights Tallinn FF - International Competition 2021), 200 METERS - Ameen Nayfeh (Venice Days 2020 - People’s Choice Award), GHOSTS - Azra Deniz Okyay (Venice FF International Film Critics Week - Grand Prize), THE FATHER - Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov (Karlovy Vary IFF - International Competition 2019 - Crystal Globe).
* 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.
