The presentation of the projects participating in this year's Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, the co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, took place on Monday, March 10th, at John Cassavetes theater, as part of the Agora of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. 

The masterclass "AI and ART EXPERIENCE powered by TELEKOM: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Art” was held on Sunday, March 9th, at the packed Pavlos Zannas theater. The event, carried out in collaboration with COSMOTE, is part of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s grand tribute to AI, titled “AI, An Inevitable Intelligence.” 

Within the context of the Agora Talks of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival,  the discussion titled "Digital Platforms: A New Era" was held on Monday, March 10th, in collaboration with the Hellenic Documentary Association - Hellas Doc at MOMus-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, exploring the evolving landscape of digital streaming platforms and their impact on documentary filmmaking. During the discussion, industry professionals examined the impact of these platforms, their economic models and the future of digital documentary distribution.

On Sunday, March 9, at the packed John Cassavetes theater, the first of the ten episodes of the series Dark Deaths in Antiquity, produced by COSMOTE TV and directed by Kalliopi Legaki, had its world premiere, captivating the audience with its first public unveiling. Following the screening, a discussion took place with the series’ director and screenwriter Kalliopi Legaki, as well as archaeologist, presenter, and screenwriter Thodoris Papakostas, the well-known and beloved Archaeostoryteller, who plays an active role in the series.

The workshop titled "Impact Strategies: Using Film to Drive Change" was held on Sunday, March 9th with the support of Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center - Creative Greece at MOMus-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, within the context of the Agora of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. The panel featured Peter Mudamba Mudamba, General Manager - DOCUBOX, EADFF and Abby Sun, Director of Artist Programs, Editor - International Documentary Association. The keynote speaker was Gugi Gumilang Program director - In-Docs & Film programmer - Hot Docs. 

The opening of the Lauren Anyone Home? visual art installation by Lauren Lee McCarthy took place on Saturday, March 8th, at the MOMus-Experimental Center for the Arts, as part of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The event was introduced by Akis Salellariou, President of the Board of Directors of the Thessaloniki Festival, Elise Jalladeau, General Director of the Festival and Christiana Kazakou, curator of the exhibition. The film won the Human AI Art Award, a joint initiative of TELEKOM and the Bonn Museum of Modern Art and is presented at the Festival, in collaboration with COSMOTE TV, as part of the grand Festival’s tribute titled AI, an inevitable intelligence.

The open discussion “Kastoria: The Regained Place of Takis Kanellopoulos” took place on Saturday, March 8th, at Pavlos Zannas theater, on the occasion of the rediscovery of the short documentary, Kastoria (1969) by the renowned filmmaker from Thessaloniki, featured among the 19 films of this year’s “Geography of the Gaze: Off-plan Greece (1950-2000)” tribute. 

Widely celebrated as one of the most iconic documentarians of our time, recipient of the Golden Bear, a César Award, and a European Film Academy Award, Philibert has consistently delved into the enigmatic depths of human reality. In his masterclass titled “Improvise, an Ethical Necessity,” Philibert offered invaluable insights into his creative approach, highlighting the essential role of authenticity and the human gaze in observational cinema.