Amidst a warm and moving ambiance, turning the spotlight on documentaries, the filmmakers and the protagonists of their films, the awards of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival were bestowed on Sunday March 16th 2025. Three films were awarded with the Golden Alexanders of the Festival’s competition sections. The International Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares, automatically making it to the shortlist for the Academy Awards® in the Best Documentary Feature category. The Newcomers Golden Alexander was awarded to the documentary How to Build a Library by Maia Lekow and Christopher King, whereas the >>Film Forward Golden Alexander went to the documentary Endless Cookie by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver.
Prior to the awards ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Contemporary Culture, Iason Fotilas, spoke about the Festival and the art of documentary filmmaking: “Once again, the heart of culture beats loudly in my beloved Thessaloniki. Today, I am standing amongst film and documentary aficionados at the Festival, while also representing the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. I wish to speak to you today about the necessity of more images in an era where the image prevails. Many people claim that the continuous flow of visual information creates a visual cacophony, thus lessening our ability to focus on certain matters, events, or emotions. However, documentaries have always been aware of this issue and made sure to give the image the role it deserves, not relegating it to a simple stimulant, but making it a catalyst for understanding. Documentary has the singular ability to showcase important nuances, to filter out the noise, and direct us to the quintessence of reality. It doesn’t merely depict images; it guides us to see beyond them. It allows us to perceive the world more consciously, to listen to the inexpressable, to feel all that is unseen. The Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, during its long history, has proved it is a sensitive recipient of the social and cultural movements of the era. This year’s edition confirms its role as the positive recipient of cultural cues and a platform for meaningful dialogue. Simultaneously, it also functions as a creative hub, bringing filmmakers into contact with the audience, as well as the film industry, while reinforcing collaboration and artistic innovation. The Ministry of Culture, the Minister Lina Mendoni and I, we actively and effectively support the Festival, so that it can fulfil its mission for culture and the arts, filmmakers and spectators, citizens and the city. Today, as we announce the awards of the 27th International Documentary Festival, we are not only celebrating this year’s most remarkable creations, but also the documentary genre’s capacity to provide us with more images, images that are clearer, more powerful, more real. Because ultimately, we don’t need fewer images, we need better ones, and documentary is here to provide them. Thank you very much,” Mr. Fotilas concluded.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS
The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presents an International Competition Section. Ten films of over 70 minutes in length compete for the Golden Alexander and the Silver Alexander Award. The Golden Alexander award is accompanied by a €12,000 cash prize. The Silver Alexander Award is accompanied by a €5,000 cash prize.
The International Competition jury is composed of:
Dimitris Athiridis (director and photographer)
Lauren Greenfield (filmmaker)
Signe Byrge Sørensen (producer)
The International Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares
Reasoning: This is a powerful documentary about one of the most divisive, painful and enduring conflicts in the world today, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Its main protagonist is the Jewish comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi, who is equally fluent in Arabic and Hebrew. Her upbringing in the only community in modern Israel where Palestinians and Jews have lived together as neighbors and friends since 1970, “Oasis of Peace”, gives her a unique perspective on genuine co-existence in a society where peace and mutual understanding feels like a pipe dream. With a compellingly constructed narrative and a fearless challenge to every taboo in the region, Noam’s disarming voice and humor invite the audience to a deeper understanding as we laugh and cry with her, and reconsider our biases with open minds and hearts.
Filmmaker Amber Fares initially came on stage to receive the award. “Thank you so much for this award. It’s a great honor. However, I know exactly who I truly want you to listen to - the one who’s responsible for ensuring this film turned out amazing,” she remarked, passing the baton to the comedian and the film’s protagonist Noam Shuster-Eliassi, who first thanked her parents for the support and the guidance they offered her. “Two weeks ago, a Palestinian comedian, a colleague of mine, dared to jest in Israel, and the police stormed into his house and arrested him just because he was being humorous. I can be here today because there is still a small crack in the freedom of speech I enjoy thanks to my privilege as an Israeli Jew. When I transitioned from the field of political activism to comedy, it was because I found out that in Ukraine, a Jewish comedian wrote a sitcom in which he becomes the country’s president, and ended up becoming the actual president in reality! So, I thought that if I were to finally take my political career seriously, I should start writing jokes. Because I know that when you are laughing, it also means you are listening. Thus, I promised myself that when I’d have my own platform, when more people would be listening, I would deliver the message in a loud and clear voice. My first political ‘mentor’ was my father, who is also here with us, along with my mother. My first memory of him is his comings and goings out of Israeli military prisons because he refused to serve in the occupied Palestinian territories. Our activism, as well as the way we protest for equality and freedom, is not expressed solely through a demonstration, an action, a film, or a joke. It is expressed daily through the alternative you envision through your body and language, through the choices you make every day, and how you choose to use your privilege to ensure that one day my Palestinian friends will be free. This film was crafted by a powerful team of women. Amber Fares, the documentary’s filmmaker, kept working while the Israeli army bombed her house and family. I don’t know if there is a better way to honor these women, the women who refused to back down and chose to speak out about all these difficult issues that we all must talk about. I hope this film provides people with the words they need and the courage they yearn for to stand tall. Thank you.”
The International Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull and David France
Reasoning: This investigative documentary delves into the case of the Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who, at the beginning of the film, has been imprisoned for nearly 50 years. Through incredible archival footage, skillfully crafted into an unfolding political thriller, the film exposes how the original court case relied on false testimony and omitted crucial evidence. Despite this injustice, relentless pressure from the FBI prevented Peltier from accessing parole for decades. It is an urgent and highly relevant story, with up to the minute coverage, of how the younger generation of Native American leaders continues to fight for Peltier’s release. This powerful film speaks to the history of human rights abuses against the Native Americans, and their multi-generational resistance, while highlighting the ongoing struggle over their sovereign nation land rights and resources.
Upon announcing the Silver Alexander Award, Lauren Greenfield stated: “I’d like to thank the Festival for inviting me to Thessaloniki, and for honoring me with a place on this jury. It’s delightful being in a place where there is a profound appreciation for the arts and great respect to the freedom of speech and human rights. We’d like to bestow the Silver Alexander to the film Free Leonard Peltier. This is a tremendously relevant documentary, revolving around the absence of justice Native Americans have had to deal with throughout the ages. It was revelatory, shedding light on the challenges of the resistance, we were deeply touched.”
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
Child of Dust by Weronika Mliczewska
Reasoning: We want to give a special mention to Child of Dust. This intimate and moving film follows Sang, the son of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier, in his search for his American father and their troubled reunification. It is a beautifully shot cinèma vèritè portrait that tells a universal story about the generational consequences of war and the longing for paternal love.
Director Weronika Mliczewska received the award, saying: “Thank you so much for this wonderful welcome. I’d also like to thank the audience for their reactions and questions during the screening of the film. Many thanks to my partner, who is also a filmmaker, for his support. Thank you for this journey.”
NEWCOMERS COMPETITION AWARDS
Ten films of over 50 minutes in length, created by young filmmakers, will compete for the Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” and the Silver Alexander Award. The Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” award is accompanied by a €10,000 cash prize. The Silver Alexander Award is accompanied by a €4,000 cash prize.
The Newcomers Competition jury is composed of:
Inka Achté (filmmaker and DocPoint Head of Programming)
Tina Mandilara (journalist)
Tünde Skovrán (filmmaker)
The Newcomers Competition Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” was bestowed to the documentary:
How to Build a Library by Maia Lekow & Christopher King
Reasoning: This is a story of how individual conviction can challenge corruption, outdated systems, and political inertia to build community and reclaim a space of knowledge. With passion, the filmmakers expose the lasting imprints of colonialism while celebrating activism and the fight of two female friends for truly accessible public spaces; places where people can engage with their own narratives and histories. At a time when libraries around the world face ideological battles and funding shortages, this film is a reminder that knowledge must be defended!
Filmmakers Maia Lekow and Christopher King said the following upon receiving the award: “This comes as a great surprise to us. This film symbolizes the resilience shown by women in general and in particular by African women. Thank you to the jury and the program, our two wonderful leading ladies, the librarians, and the inhabitants. This film is our ‘recipe’ to help Kenya and Africa thrive. It is in our best interest for all of us. Thank you.”
The Newcomers Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
They Talk about Worship Here by Byron Kritzas
Reasoning: The jury was moved by the warm heart and rebellious spirit of this film, which despite giving us a local story, reminds the audience about the healing and connecting qualities that art, in this case music, can have for people across generations and borders.
Collecting the award, Byron Kritzas stressed: “We have been receiving a lot of love these days and we hope to return it to you in the future. Thanks.”
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
Pet Farm by Finn Walther, Martin A. Walther
Reasoning: This is a film about loneliness, the need to find a lost self through the connection with the most primitive version of nature. It also raises moral dilemmas and makes us see with its beautiful cinematography the problems of the civilized and supposedly progressive world we live in.
>>FILM FORWARD COMPETITION AWARDS
The Film Forward Competition Section includes ten films of over 45 minutes, which experiment with the form and method of documentary filmmaking. The films will compete for the Golden Alexander, which is accompanied by a €6,000 cash prize, and the Silver Alexander, which is accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize.
The Film Forward Competition jury is composed of:
Nadja Argyropoulou (art curator)
Grant Keir (producer)
Anne Marie Kürstein (film consultant)
The >>Film Forward Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Endless Cookie by Seth Scriver & Peter Scriver
Reasoning: Golden Alexander Award goes to a film that is a true labor of love. A sharp and funny meditation on “a film within a film”, on family community and shared culture. It’s a celebration of the soundtrack of the everyday life that takes us inside a world that is rarely accessed without condescension. An original contribution to a character-led documentary. The award goes to Endless Cookie by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver.
The >>Film Forward Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Meanwhile by Catherine Gund
Reasoning: The Silver Alexander Award goes to a film that traverses several documentary conventions, successfully deploying a form of “poethics” without losing precision, social and historical markers and a sense of collective art making that takes us inside the profound resilience of black culture. The award goes to Meanwhile by Catherine Gund.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
Museum of the Night by Fermín Eloy Acosta
Reasoning: For the intensive research into a largely unknown archive and the attempt to create a visual language that corresponds to the subject matter.
Filmmaker Fermín Eloy Acosta received the award and stated the following: “I’d like to thank my friends who accompanied me from Argentina. I’d also like to thank the Jury, my team, and the Film Institute of Argentina, which is presently in a difficult position. The government is withdrawing all funds, and cinema is at risk. Creating documentaries such as this one won’t be possible in the future due to this, and as such I am particularly glad to be receiving this award,” he noted.
IMMERSIVE: ALL AROUND CINEMA AWARD
The Immersive competition section of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival embraces creations that make use of high-end technologies to present different views of extended reality, transcending film genres and immersing the viewer in an exciting interactive viewing experience. The Golden Alexander awarded to the best film of the section is accompanied by a monetary award of €2,000.
The Immersive: All Around Cinema Competition jury is composed of:
Karen Cirillo (visual artist, curator, and journalist)
Scott Morris (Head of DIgital Productions for Tate)
Stella Ntavara (CPH:LAB and XR exhibition at CPH:DOX)
The Immersive Golden Alexander was bestowed to the film:
Sweet End of the World! by Stefano Conca Bonizzoni
Reasoning: Sweet End of the World! seems at first an experience about the destruction of our world and losing a sense of freedom, but we were impressed that somehow it gave us freedom: to look where we wanted to look and feel what we needed to feel; to encounter brutal truths or take refuge in images of hope or security. Despite its strong perspective, there are no expectations to encounter it in a certain way, which is a rare and empowering thing in VR. Sweet End of the World! is challenging and disorientating, with a cinematic poetry that captivated and left us with an offering to the future - how will we choose to take it?
PODCAST AWARDS
The podcasts selected for the Podcast Competition section have their eyes set on the Best Podcast Award, accompanied by a cash prize of €2,000. In addition, all podcasts taking part in the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, both from the Competition section and the Out of Competition section, are eligible for the ENS Louis Lumière-French Institute of Greece Award for Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator. The recipient of the award will have the chance to attend the 6-week Sound Documentary International Summer Programme hosted by ENS Louis Lumière, in France, addressed to young professionals of the audio-visual field (authors of blogs, podcasts, or any other audio project).
The Podcast jury is composed of:
Marina Danezi (filmmaker and producer)
Evi Karkiti (journalist and radio producer)
Katerina Poulopoulou (journalist and radio producer)
The Best Podcast Award was bestowed to the podcast:
Blind Fascination by Michail Agrafiotis, Stella Kantartzi & Eleftheria Avgerinou
Reasoning: A podcast that touches upon the issue of disability and renders visibility to the rights of people living around us, stressing the importance of placing the limelight on issues such as flirting and relationships between disabled people. The podcast’s protagonists dare to courageously speak out what troubles them, making confessions and opening a door to take a glimpse into their world.
“The honor you bestow upon us is truly great and unexpected for us all. I want to tell you that this particular podcast is a reflection of our society, a reflection depicting the people with disabilities, as well as those without. I want to stress that disability is a spectrum; one that anyone can find themselves on at any given moment. What I’d like to leave you with is that breaking the ice between disabled people and non-disabled people is worth it because first and foremost we are all people,” Stella Kantartzi mentioned.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the podcast:
Voices of Vindication by Andreas Vagias
Reasoning: A well-produced podcast that focuses on sexual and emotional abuse, a revealing field for the conditions under which abuse occurs in an intimate environment, especially in the world of sports. It becomes clear how important vindication is for victims of crimes, since from the start of the MeToo movement and in its aftermath, women dare to speak out.
“Thank you very much. There is a poignant emotional connection due to the subject matter. Voices of Vindication is about a case of long-term abuse. For the first time, the victims of a 47-year-old Taekwondo coach, who abused underage students for years, spoke out publicly. These women went against everything, their social environment and their abuser, and thanks to their struggle he was convicted of four rapes, one attempted sexual assault, and one sexual assault. It was a collective job. This award is dedicated to the women who spoke to us,” Andreas Vagias said.
The 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, in collaboration with the Louis Lumière School and the French Institute of Greece, offers the scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator.
The scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award-French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator is composed of:
Dimitris Koutsiabasakos (film director, screenwriter and Professor at the Film School - Faculty of Fine Arts AUTh)
Raïssa Lahcine (ENS Louis Lumière Director of International Relations)
“I thank Elise and the Festival very much. It is the first time we have this award, and it means so much to us,” mentioned ENS Louis Lumière Director of International Relations, Raïssa Lahcine.
The Scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator was bestowed to:
Katerina Giannisi for the podcast Koi no yokan (65th TiFF - Podcast Nexus)
A Special Mention was bestowed by the ENS Louis Lumière Award to:
Dimos Vryzas for the podcast Salutations (65th TiFF - Podcast Nexus)
MERMAID AWARD
The Mermaid Award is presented by the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival to the best LGBTQI+ themed film from the Festival’s official selection. The prize, accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize, is awarded by a three-member jury.
The Mermaid Jury is composed of:
Dina Iordanova (academic)
Igor Myakotin (producer and director)
Thanasis Patsavos (journalist)
The Mermaid Award was bestowed to the documentary:
GEN_ by Gianluca Matarrese
Reasoning: For its humane depiction of people from different walks of life, desperate for change, we present the Mermaid award to the Italian film GEN_, for portraying a doctor, dedicated to providing them with a glimmer of hope in challenging times.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
On Lavender by Makis Evangelatos and Eirini Chatzi
The film’s directors, Makis Evangelatos and Eirini Chatzi, collected the award. “Thank you. Many thanks to all those who participated behind and in front of the cameras. It was a collaborative and altruistic effort. We’d like to thank the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, for helping us during the post-production stage. The documentary was mainly funded by us.”
ALPHA BANK ACCESSIBILITY AWARD
This year, the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award is bestowed for the second time at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of 3,000 euros and awarded to either a personality or a film that highlights accessibility issues in the arts.
The award was bestowed by Rouli Christopoulou, Alpha Bank Head of Corporate Responsibility: “Good evening everyone, congratulations to the winners. We have a very special connection with the Festival; the vision of equitable access to cinema. This is our greater commitment as an organization, to contribute to the decrease of the limiting beliefs and hurdles, so that disabled people can enjoy arts and culture. In our country, 1 out of 10 people are dealing with a severe disability, and of these only 7.7% have been in a cinema theater. So, putting the work towards this direction is of the utmost importance.”
The Alpha Bank Accessibility Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Viktor by Olivier Sarbil
Reasoning: In Alpha Bank we place great emphasis on the right of every individual to take part as equally as possible in the cultural life of our country. We have committed ourselves to contributing, in any possible way and with every given chance, in the eradication of stereotypes, prejudice and obstacles that deprive people with disabilities of their fundamental right to be a part of and rejoice art and culture in physical spaces. Within this framework, we have joined forces with the Festival ever since 2019 in the hosting of universally accessible screenings. In 2022, we launched the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award that awards films that foreground accessibility issues in arts. This year, we were delighted to bestow the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award to Viktor, a gripping documentary of the acclaimed French artist and war correspondent Olivier Sarbil. The film director records Viktor, a deaf young man from Kharkiv, as he experienced the first days of the invasion against Ukraine. As his efforts to enlist are repeatedly turned down, he sets out on a mission to find his place and voice in a deafened world.
HELLENIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION AWARDS
Within the framework of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ΕRΤ) will bestow an award to the Greek production that wins the FIPRESCI award. The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation will also present the “ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum” award, which is accompanied by a €2,000 cash prize, to the best Greek project participating at the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum.
The General Director of ERT3, Synthia Sapika bestowed the award: “The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ΕRΤ) and the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, are deeply interconnected. I believe that it is our common mission to encourage people to tell their stories, no matter how different, sorrowful, or happy the content. The phrase that I’ll keep in mind is ‘everyone finds something of themselves within documentaries.’ From the documentary Sculpted Souls, I’ll hold on to the phrase ‘from these trials, a person's soul comes out beautifully sculpted.’ Thank you.”
The ERT Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis
Stavros Psillakis collected the award together with the film’s producer, Matheos Frantzeskakis: “These awards are essential for the creation of new projects. In addition to the many thanks to the audience for the warm welcome they showed the film, we’d also like to thank all of our collaborators because it is a work that started out of nothing. Each one contributed their best. What we experienced with Julien Grivel was an astonishing experience, and I’m glad he was with us for seven days in Thessaloniki. The joy and gratitude he received from the people is a small reward for everything he has contributed all these years. He is one of those people who loved and cherished this part of Greece, which rewarded him generously on the day of the screening at Olympion theater. It was an astounding story. Because times are hard, I wish to share a story with you. At one point in the film, Julien appears in the ‘Manolis Fountoulakis’ library, and says ‘I love libraries because we see so many different and contradictory worlds coexisting with each other.” It is an ode to diversity.”
EKKOMED AWARDS
In the framework of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED) will award two prizes: A €3,000 prize award to a Greek documentary participating in Agora Docs in Progress; and a €3,000 prize award to a debut documentary feature (over 50 minutes) that premieres in the Greek Program.
The EKKOMED Jury is composed of:
Yianna Sarri (Director of Promotion Hellas Film, ΕΚΚΟΜΕD)
Zoe Kandyla (Director of Development and Production, ΕΚΚΟΜΕD)
Dimitris Bouras (film critic, Communication Department ΕΚΚΟΜΕD).
The EKKOMED Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Lo by Thanassis Vassiliou
Reasoning: Thanassis Vassiliou crafted a film that revolves around the burden of individual and collective memory, and the notion of legacy, in the literal and metaphorical sense, backwards and mentally traversing the period of the Metapolitefsi. The trauma of the family and the trauma of recent Greek history serve as communicating vessels in a thematically up-to-the-minute film.
The film's director took to the stage to receive his award: "It is a great pleasure and honor to receive this award. A very big thank you to the Festival for giving me the opportunity through the Agora to save this film, which was about to be put on the shelf. I also wish to thank the former EKK which gave us the opportunity to complete the film. I also thank the Greek producer of StudioBauhaus, Konstantinos Vassilaros, thanks to whom we managed to meet the deadline for the Festival. I thank all my partners: Christos Chrysopoulos, co-writer of the film and author, the French producers, Hronis Theoharis for editing, Kostas Filaktidis for the sound, Aris Kaplanidis for the music and Angelos Mantzios for image editing."
“HUMAN RIGHTS IN MOTION” AWARD BY PACE
The “Human Rights in Motion” award was created by the Council of Europe to highlight the strong connection between documentary filmmaking and human rights, honoring the director whose film most effectively captures the struggle for freedom, democracy, and fundamental rights. Starting this year, the award is presented at four leading documentary festivals in Europe: the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, FIPADOC in Biarritz, France, Sheffield DocFest, and doclisboa in Lisbon. At the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the award, which comes with a cash prize of €5,000, is open to all films from the three competition sections that address issues of human rights and democratic values. “With this initiative, we aim to raise awareness of the work of the Council of Europe and support filmmakers who bring our principles and values to the big screen,” stated Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, announcing the establishment of the award. “Documentaries have the power to capture the impact of human rights violations with immediacy, awakening empathy and understanding.”
The “Human Rights in Motion” Award jury is composed of:
Maxim Cîrlan (director, head of the MOLDOX International Documentary Festival)
Krystalli Glyniadakis (translator and poet)
Carlos Muñoz (cinematographer)
Prior to bestowing the award, Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, gave a greeting on behalf of the Council of Europe: “Allow me to revisit history. I am certain you have all seen pictures from the bombing of London during World War II. In February 1943, Winston Churchill, addressing the citizens of London through the BBC radio, said the following to inspire courage: ‘As soon as this war is over, we will create the United Nations of Europe,’ even referring to them as the Council of Europe. This year, we completed 76 years of operation. The Council of Europe is composed of 46 countries, from the United Kingdom to Azerbaijan. It has a parliament of 612 members, who are elected by the national parliament of each country. These members elect the judges of the Strasbourg Court, where every citizen of Europe can seek justice if they have been wronged by their own country. It has election observers and agreements, such as the Istanbul Convention on the violence against women. This council, in the parliament of which I have the honor of being elected president, and in fact, with a proposal from my political opponents as the first Greek President of the Council, accepted a proposal I made. It was the introduction of a new award, which would be given in four documentary festivals across Europe. 35 years ago, I had the honor of being among the first journalists who founded the first private television channel in Greece. I suggested making a documentary program to my then program manager, and he looked at me somewhat strangely because until then everyone wished for a talk show with interviews. I was the first to convince them that the documentary genre doesn’t have zero value, but rather that it is something invaluable, something that John Grierson would call ‘a creative depiction of reality.’ 20 years ago, when I was still a Minister then, I called Maria Hatzimichali-Papaliou and proposed establishing a documentary festival for disabled people, the first international one with over 200 participants. Unfortunately, this plan didn’t pan out. In politics, you don’t get upset by how much you’ll be criticized, but rather the possibility that your work may be destroyed in the process. But I'm overjoyed today because the General Assembly and the 612 members of parliament have accepted the proposition, and the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival has become one of the four festivals in Europe that will be bestowing the Council of Europe award. Thank you.”
The “Human Rights in Motion” Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares
Reasoning: The film is a direct protest against the violation of a series of fundamental human rights, such as the right to life and liberty and the right to equality. It also brings out the pivotal importance freedom of expression plays in any democracy and for the mental health of people within it. An important part of the committee's decision has to do with the way in which an intractable, traumatic, complex, and long-standing conflict is approached through the art of comedy. The film uses humour bravely, in a way that perhaps alludes to Aristophanes’ satirizing the ills of ancient Athenian democracy. And this is not only due to its obviously charismatic protagonist, stand-up comedienne Noam Sushter-Eliassi, but also to the filmmaker herself, Amber Fares, who located her subject, and, through a persistent, sober observation that went on for years, offered her not only a generous platform for expression, but also had the talent of organising and pacing the filmed material in an excellent manner. In conclusion, this is an observational documentary that cleverly combines satire with the deeply unnerving personal experiences of its protagonist in order to speak of a conflict that touches the very core of its protagonist’s identity and the identity of her country, recording key moments of intimacy, anxiety, confrontation and despair, but also perseverance, strength and hope — with tenderness and humour, always. For all these reasons, we unanimously believe that Coexistence, My Ass! deserves this year's TIDF “Human Rights in Motion” award.
“HUMAN VALUES” AWARD OF THE HELLENIC PARLIAMENT
The Hellenic Parliament bestows its “Human Values” award to an International Competition section film.
The “Human Values” Award jury is composed of:
Aris Fatouros (founding member of the Hellenic Parliament TV, Program Consultant, producer and director)
Vassilis Douvlis (head of the Hellenic Parliament TV’s Programming Department and director)
Aris Fatouros, representative of the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Nikitas Kaklamanis, came up on stage to bestow the award: “I pass on to you the warm greetings of the film enthusiast President of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Nikitas Kaklamanis. I’d like to thank Orestis Andreadakis, Elise Jalladeau, as well as all of the Festival’s collaborators for this enduring collaboration, which started from 2005, during the presidency of Anna Benaki-Psarouda. That's when this prize was established, which ten years later is also awarded at the Documentary Film Festival. I would like to congratulate the Festival’s Head of Programming, Yorgos Krassakopoulos, and all of his collaborators for the remarkable and exceptional level of the international program. It made mine and Vassilis Douvlis’ lives tremendously hard, as members of the Jury, yet also enjoyable. I would also like to emphasize the exceptionally high level of Greek documentaries. Greek documentary filmmaking is currently experiencing remarkable growth. All three Greek documentaries that participated in our International Competition program truly impressed us," he concluded.
The “Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament was bestowed to the documentary:
Under the Flags, the Sun by Juanjo Pereira
Reasoning: The Hellenic Parliament TV bestows the “Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament to an International Competition film that, following an exhaustive research, succeeds to unearth and make creative use of a series of lost documents, composing an illuminating image of the propaganda and the authoritarian mechanisms deployed by one of the most long-lasting 20th century military dictatorships. The award goes to Under the Flags, the Sun by Juanjo Pereira from Paraguay.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD
The Amnesty International Award brings in contact two institutions that share a strong sensibility and similar goals: they both operate on a complementary level, with the Festival promoting and screening films by documentarist that reveal the brutal violation of human rights, and with Amnesty International then taking on the difficult task of mobilizing, exerting pressure and raising public awareness. Receiving recognition by a humanitarian institution such as Amnesty International within the context of a cinematic institution such as the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival is doubly important for a filmmaker, since their work is honored both on an artistic and a humanitarian level.
The Amnesty International Award jury is composed of:
Mariana Leondaridou (film critic and member of Amnesty International)
Dr. Ira Iliana Papadopoulou (social scientist and curator)
Kostis Papaioannou (history teacher and director of Signal - researching and confronting the alt-right)
Angelos Tsaousis (producer, director and documentary filmmaker)
The International Amnesty Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull and David France
Reasoning: For its compelling portrayal of a case that illuminates the blatant violation of indigenous rights in America through the story of Leonard Peltier, who remains imprisoned for more than 50 years despite international calls for justice. With rich archival footage and powerful testimonies, the film highlights not only the personal ordeal of an activist, but also the tenacious struggle of Native Americans for justice, freedom and restoration of historical truth.
FIPRESCI AWARDS
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), comprising distinguished film critics, presents two awards: one to the Best Documentary of the International Competition for Best Feature Length Documentary Program and one to a Greek film that participates in the International Program.
The FIPRESCI jury is composed of:
Marina Kostova (North Macedonia)
Aspasia Lykourgioti (Greece)
Dieter Wieczorek (Germany)
The FIPRESCI Award to the Best Documentary of the International Competition was bestowed to the documentary:
Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull & David France
Reasoning: For highlighting the imperative of sustained resistance against a judicial system that is not only unjust but also corrupt, particularly in its neglect of marginalized lives and minority communities, the FIPRESCI award in the International Competition is bestowed to Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull and David France.
The FIPRESCI Award to a Greek film that participates in the International Program was bestowed to the documentary:
Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis
Reasoning: For its powerful portrayal of restoring dignity, respect, and understanding to those who are abandoned, stigmatized, and isolated, thereby reaffirming humanity and fostering a profound appreciation for the complexities of life, the FIPRESCI Award for a Greek film is bestowed to Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis.
"Thank you very much for the honor, thank you also on behalf of Julien Grievel, who left Thessaloniki this morning and I think he was very pleased with the audience's view and reception. You have his greetings and our thanks for what we have experienced here with this film," said Stavros Psyllakis.
"All I want to say, as we both have been coming to the Festival for many years and with many roles, is a big thank you to everyone and obviously to the International Federation of Film Critics," added the film's producer, Matthaios Frantzeskakis.
GREEK ASSOCIATION OF FILM CRITICS AWARD
The Greek Association of Film Critics awards, as every year, the Best Greek Film that is screened in the official selection of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The decision is made by the General Assembly of the members that have attended the Festival.
The PEKK Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Return to Homeland by Chryssa Tzelepi and Akis Kersanidis
Reasoning: For the impeccable direction of a journey into places of memory and martyrdom, which serves as a device of catharsis and reminding of the past trials and tribulations, aiming at the act of forgiving and their avoidance both in the present and in the future, the Greek Association of Film Critics bestows its award to the film Return to Homeland by Chryssa Tzelepi and Akis Kersanidis.
"We are very glad. We are very grateful to the Greek Film Critics Association,” said Chryssa Tzelepi. "We are indeed very happy, we received the award from people who are experts in cinema, those who watch the most films out of all of us, the ones who create consciences," added Akis Kersanidis.
WIFT GR AWARD
The WIFT GR Award is presented by the Greek Chapter of WIFT (Women in Film & Television) to a woman filmmaker of a film selected for the official international competition sections of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
The WIFT GR Award jury is composed of:
Tzeli Hadjimitriou (filmmaker and visual photographer)
Maria Louka (documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, journalist and President of WIFT GR)
Nina Maria Paschalidou (director and journalist)
The WIFT GR Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Bull's Heart by Eva Stefani
Reasoning: With Bull's Heart, Eva Stefani offers us a masterpiece that stretches beyond the fragmented aspects of one of the greatest artists of our time, touching upon broader socio-political and ontological questions with both dreamlike and utterly realistic elements. The director once again affirms a well-structured, gendered gaze, full of tenderness and respect towards people and the dynamics of unpretentious emotion. With this award, WIFT GR aims to highlight the recognition of Eva Stefani's contribution to contemporary cinematic creation, which has been an inspiration to many women filmmakers.
Vassilis Panagiotakopoulos, the film's producer, came on stage to receive the award, thanked the Festival and read a message from the director Eva Stefani: "I would like to thank the WIFT GR jury for honoring me with this award. It is especially important that the jury awarded a film by a female director, which did not have a feminine theme. In other words, it rewarded the cinematic writing and form rather than the subject matter. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole group of friends and sisters who worked with dedication on this film, our producer Vassilis Panagiotakopoulos, the Onassis Foundation's Stegi, Dimitris Papaioannou and the dancers who trusted me. I would like to dedicate this award to the great documentary filmmaker Maria Hatzimichali-Papaliou, who was the first to introduce me to a documentary that seeks spirituality and freedom".
WWF GREECE AWARD
The reciprocal relationship between humans and nature is brought to the fore in the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s official program, with films that capture the effects of human intervention on the environment and the price paid by humanity. The award is presented by the World Wildlife Fund Greece to the best film of environmental interest. As WWF Greece points out: “Through truths that concern global threats, such as climate change, and through the exploration of our strange relationship with time, the need for and the overexploitation of our natural resources, and the stark contrasts between the natural and urban landscape, the directors merge realism and art to create works that go beyond the ecological documentary.”
The WWF Greece Award jury is composed of:
Sissy Gkournelou (communications manager, WWF Greece)
Iosifina Grivea (film critic and Podcast/TV host)
Andreas Loukakos (filmmaker)
The WWF Greece Award award was bestowed to the documentary:
Searching for Amani by Nicole Gormley & Debra Aroko
Reasoning: In an hour and twenty minutes, Searching for Amani manages to become an equal blend of environmental call, coming-of-age story, and journalistic investigation, bringing forth the voice of a child who captures the harsh reality of his quest through his own lens. Triggered by the devastating drought raging in Sub-Saharan Africa, the filmmakers open up a conversation that is invisible to many but absolutely invaluable to all, about changing environments, the enduring effects of colonialism, and community equality in the age of the climate crisis. The jury's decision was unanimous and heartfelt.
YOUTH JURY AWARDS BY THE STUDENTS OF THE THESSALONIKI UNIVERSITIES
The Youth Jury comprises students of the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and will present the Best Film Award and the Special Jury Award. Eligible for these awards are Greek films participating in the International Program. Youth Jury supervisor: Apostolos Karakasis, Associate Professor in Film and Television Theory & History, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This year’s jury members are: Evangelos Bismbas, Gerasimos Delaportas, Maria Ioanna Foskolou, Sofia Grigoriou, and Anna Stroumba.
Τhe Best Greek Film Award of the Youth Jury was bestowed to the documentary:
Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis
Reasoning: The Youth Jury composed by students of the Film School bestows its Best Greek Film Award to the documentary Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis. The recording of Julien Grivel’s experiences reminds us that we can perceive the world through the eyes of those who suffer, while urging us to change it for the best.
"You have taken me by surprise and we are so honored by your love and the response of the people we have met. You also have Julien's love" said Stavros Psyllakis. "After the second screening I was at the Film Museum, and one of the volunteers who was at the screening was talking so enthusiastically about the film to the other children. There is no more beautiful reward for all this work," added the film's producer Matthaios Frantzeskakis.
The Special Jury Prize of the Youth Jury was bestowed to the documentary:
Bull’s Heart by Eva Stefani
Reasoning: The Special Prize of the Youth Jury is awarded to the documentary Bull’s Heart by Eva Stefani. Through the in situ filming of one of the most acclaimed artists while at work, we grasp art as a force that bestows meaning in our lives and enables us to endure.
"Thank you very much for the Youth Jury award. This award is very important to us because it comes from young people who understand the importance of art as a means of enriching and giving meaning to our lives. It is also very important that it comes at a time when we no longer take anything for granted about freedom of art and expression. Eva Stefani sends her thanks. She is particularly touched by the award, as it comes from young cinephiles." Referring to the power of cinema she added:"Films should have heart, mind, power. It doesn't matter if you screw up, you have to go into the deep waters, and there you will form something for yourself. The only solution in my opinion is constant experimentation. With the mobile phone, the film camera, with everything. As Godard used to say, cinema is a game, live it that way." Finally, she thanked Dimitris Papaioannou and the entire documentary team, the Onassis Foundation for lending its support until the very end and EKKOMED for helping to complete the film.
FISCHER AUDIENCE AWARDS
Fischer, official sponsor of the Audience Awards for the past decade, will present a total of five awards: the Peter Wintonick Audience Award for an international film over 50', the Audience Award for an international film under 50', the Audience Award for a Greek film over 50', the Audience Award for a Greek film under 50', and the Fischer Platform+ Audience Award for a Greek film that is screened online and premieres at the 27th TiDF.
Yannis Katsougris, Head of Sponsorships of the Athenian Brewery, noted: "Dear friends of cinema, it is our great pleasure to be on the side of the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival this year, supporting cinema that tells true stories, inspires us and makes us think. Fischer is the most cinema-loving beer and has been supporting the most important film festivals in Greece for years, because we believe in the power of cinema to unite, touch us and open new horizons," noted Mr. Katsougris."The Fischer Audience Awards are always special because they reflect the heart of the Festival: the voice of the audience. With their vote, audiences give value to the power of cinema and highlight the films that leave their mark. This year, 18,256 votes were counted through Fischer's ballot boxes, confirming once again the audience's strong commitment to documentary filmmaking. On a personal level, I feel fortunate to have been introduced to documentary through the 'notes' of the unforgettable Dimitris Eipides, the great founder of this festival, who taught us to see the world through the lens of documentary. Congratulations to the filmmakers who gave us their films and to the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival for its excellent organization and its lasting contribution to cinema."
Five Audience Awards are bestowed to three Greek and two international films.
The Fischer Audience Award “Peter Wintonick” to an international film with a duration of over 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
The Day Iceland Stood Still by Pamela Hogan
The Fischer Audience Award to an international film with a duration of up to 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
Lift Lady by Marcin Modzelewski
Marcin Modzelewski took to the stage to receive the award: "Thank you very much! It is a huge pleasure to receive an audience award, because it is for the audience that we make our films. I am very happy to be in Thessaloniki and I want to thank you all for being here today. This award is very important for me and for my entire team. It is my first film, and our cinematographer’s as well, as most of the team is very young. Thank you and I hope to see you again in Thessaloniki."
The Fischer Audience Award to Greek film with a duration of over 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
They Talk About Wοrship Here by Byron Kritzas
Byron Kritzas took to the stage to receive the award: "Thank you very much! I wish everyone well so that we can continue winning. Thank you very much to my producer, Marina Danezi, all the contributors of the film, as well as the band Kore. Ydro. and of course the fans of the band, for bestowing this award to us. I want to dedicate it to the children who get strength, joy and emotion every day from the lyrics and music of their songs. Bless you!"
The Fischer Audience Award to a Greek film with a duration of up to 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
Return to Depot by Dimitris Zahos
Giorgos Toulas, producer of the film, came on stage to collect the award: "I feel a bit strange as I have been part of the Festival from almost all positions: as a spectator, as a worker, and as a member of the Board of Directors. This is the first time I have won an award. About a year ago we started our efforts to increase the visibility of the Depot, its restoration and its return to the city. This is the third step we are taking with this film. I want to thank the Onassis Foundation's Stegi very much for helping us make this film. I dedicate this award to Dimitris Zahos who directed the film, to Charis Dimaras with whom we co-signed the idea and research, to the whole team at Parallaxi magazine, and the whole film crew. Thank you."
The Fischer Audience Award to a Greek film screened online at the section Platform+ is bestowed to the documentary:
Arctic Odyssey by Evangelos Rassias
The 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival is held with the support of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Partnership Agreement of the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Program, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, the MEDIA programme, the Ministry of Tourism and ERT. COSMOTE TV is Grand Sponsor of the Festival, for the 8th consecutive year, proving once again its support towards quality cinema. PPC Group, the Festival’s Strategic Partner, shares our vision and work. Valuable support is offered by Alpha Bank, the Festival’s accessibility sponsor, Aegean, the Festival’s official air-carrier, Fischer, the Audience Awards sponsor, and Jameson. The awards of the 27th TiDF will be bestowed in the Festival’s closing ceremony.
Earlier in the week, the Agora of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival bestowed its awards at Warehouse C. Making use of all the available tools and new technologies, the Festival’s Agora showcased a new series of actions and backed successful initiatives that took place both in physical spaces and online. This year’s Agora marked a great success, as more than 400 international visitors attended its events.
THE 27th TIDF AGORA AWARDS
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum awards
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival for creative and TV documentaries, docs for kids and docs series destined for theater distribution and TV broadcast.
This year’s Thessaloniki Pitching Forum showcased 14 projects in development, among which two series, a documentary for kids and an animated documentary, from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
The International Jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, consisting of:
Leonidas Konstantarakos | Producer, Alaska Films - Greece
Marianne Ostrat | Producer & Founder, Alexandra Film - Estonia
Nora Philippe | Head of Program, EURODOC – France
handed out the following awards:
The IEFTA Award for Best Documentary in Development, accompanied by a 10,000 euro cash prize, is bestowed for the second time. The award was bestowed to:
HIGHWAYS OF HOPE
Director: Alexa Bakony, Production: Gábor Osváth, Veronika Gál - Filmfabriq Ltd., Hungary
Reasoning: Currently in its very early development, this project led by a young female team promises to cross European borders and break Indian stereotypes about Muslim minorities through an energetic story of emancipation. We were captivated by the main character facing a darkening world with youthful joyfulness and optimism. The jury wants to further boost the kick-off of the creative and financial development of this project, by awarding it the IEFTA Best Doc Award.
A Special Mention was given by the jury to the project:
BUGBOY
Director: Lucas Paleocrassas, Production: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof - Anemon, Executive Production: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren - Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz - Flach Film Productions, Greece, Denmark, France
Reasoning: A unique, joyful and tender coming-of-age film produced by a very experienced team, that is approaching completion - and that we can’t wait to see on screen very soon!
The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award to a Greek project, accompanied by a cash prize of 2,000 euros was bestowed by Jenny Vafakou, TV and Digital Programme Director at ERT to:
MAMA KLORIN
Director: Doreida Xhogu, Production: Mina Dreki - MARNI FILMS, Greece
Reasoning: Mama Klorin is a promising journey into a very under-represented community of immigrant women working as cleaners in Greece. Filmed with love and dignity by one of their daughters, this multilayered project strives to make the invisible work visible.
The Eurodoc Award of 1,000 euros along with a VIP membership is bestowed to the film:
TAKEN BY THE WHITE MAN
Director: Ana Sofia Fonseca, Production: Daniella Rice, Ana Sofia Fonseca - Carrossel Produções, Portugal
Reasoning: Taken by the White Man tells a moving and unique story of homecoming, investigative and intimate reappropriation of one’s self and reparation, on the backdrop of the horrors of Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique and contemporary slavery. This project is also an incredible opportunity for a global North-South co-production.”
The DAE - Documentary Association of Europe Award amounts to consultation and free membership. The award was bestowed to two projects:
THE LAST SUMMER
Director: Jan Jurczak & Eleanora Iadkouskaya, Production: Frieder Schlaich - Filmgalerie 451, Germany
And
LIFE ON PAUSE
Director: Anthoniy Hristov, Production: Svetla Turnin - Documentary Media Foundation, Bulgaria
Reasoning: To support the teams in finding the right creative and financing pathways for the projects, the jury awards The Last Summer and Life on Pause with 2 DAE Consultancy Awards. Life on Pause is a courageous project that sheds light on a Bulgarian trans rights legal fight which resonates strongly on the European and global scenes, and which is deeply and rightfully grounded in the community it represents. Loaded with raw and explosive energy, The Last Summer is a very intimate and moving look on what it’s like to go through adolescence in times of war.
The Aylon Productions Digital Services Award offers an hour of high quality digital transfer of archival material. The award was bestowed to the film:
MY AUNTIES
Director: Hazal Hanquet, Production: Aslihan Altuğ, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu - Istos Film, Türkiye
Reasoning: An intergenerational tale told through precious archives that document a courageous queer love story that transcends time, while exploring family dynamics and alternative models of love and kinship in contemporary Turkey.
A series of independent awards were also handed out:
Onassis Culture, consistently offering its support to Greek independent cinema, within the framework of its collaboration with the Festival, bestows the Onassis Film Award (5,000 euros) to one of the Greek projects taking part in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum or the Agora Docs in Progress. The Onassis Award is bestowed to the project:
BUGBOY
Director: Lucas Paleocrassas, Production: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof - Anemon, Executive Production: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren - Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz - Flach Film Productions, Greece, Denmark, France
Reasoning: The Onassis Film Award is given to a documentary about being different and growing up, about all things insignificant that turn out to be important, about the small, invisible world that we often ignore. A different coming-of-age story, with a fresh perspective in the intimacy of its filming. The Onassis Film Award goes to “Bugboy” directed by Lucas Paleocrassas along with a prize of 5.000 euro to support the further development of the film.
The Mediterranean Film Institute Doc Award, which consists of free participation in the 2024 edition of the MFI Doc Lab, a script development program dedicated to documentaries. It takes place within the MFI Script2Film program, where the scripts for 35 feature length films are developed. The program consists of a two-weeks writing workshop on the island of Nisyros in late June and early July with a follow up session for one week in October in Astipalea.
The award is bestowed to:
OH, HEART DON'T BE AFRAID
Director: Ana Kvichidze, Production: Avtandil Khorava - Moonbow Production, Co-production: - Natalia Imaz - Parabellum films, Mariam Bitsadze - 17/07 Productions, Niko Mikadze - Murman Original Pictures, Georgia, Germany
Reasoning: Since its inception in 2000, the Μediterranean Film Institute, through its international program MFI Script 2 Film Workshops, has supported the development of over 500 film projects. We are especially proud that the Doc Lab, introduced just six years ago, has already made a significant impact on documentary development. This year, five films in the festival’s lineup had participated in the MFI’s Doc Lab the previous years. Many thanks to the Thessaloniki International Film and Doc Festival and especially Agora for our warm and fruitful collaboration over the last 17 years and for their great work in the film industry. Our scholarship award from now on is called the George Kalogeropoulos Award, in memoriam of the founder of the Mediterranean Film Institute.
Recognizing its distinctive storyline, unique characters, profound social relevance, and poetic filmic approach, we are honored to present the award to “Oh, Heart Don’t Be Afraid" by Ana Kvichidze and Avtandil Khorava.
The DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award offers two Observer badges and accommodation. The award was bestowed to the film:
MY AUNTIES
Director: Hazal Hanquet, Production: Aslihan Altuğ, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu - Istos Film, Türkiye
Reasoning: The project introduces us to two free-spirited, wild and brave women from Istanbul. They are the “aunties” of the director who brings the story of their forty-year queer relationship to us. It is with great joy and deep admiration for both the bravery of the protagonists and the dedication of the film team that the DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award goes to My Aunties, directed by Hazal Hanquet and produced by Aslihan Altuğ and Anna Maria Aslanoğlu.
AGORA Docs in Progress awards
In the Agora Docs in Progress 10 projects from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region participated in closed sessions for Thessaloniki’s invited industry professionals, sales agents, distributors, producers and festival programmers.
The international jury of Agora Docs in Progress is composed of:
Anna Glogowski | Consultant & Festival programmer - France
Marcella Jelić | Sales & Acquisitions, Split Screen & Theatrical distribution coordinator, Restart - Croatia
Basil Tsiokos | Senior programmer, Sundance Film Festival - USA
The 2|35 Post-Production Main Award goes to the project:
MAGMA
Director: Mia Bendrimia, Production: Kira Simon-Kennedy - Nazar Films, France, Algeria
Reasoning: For its deft ability to successfully transform one family's unspoken history and unresolved transgenerational trauma into an engaging investigation into contested narratives that reveal both the stories we tell ourselves and those we deliberately refuse to engage with, on both a personal and a national level, the Two Thirty-Five (2|35) Award goes to Magma by director Mia Bendrimia and producer Kira Simon-Kennedy.
The Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece Award accompanied with 3,000 euros, was bestowed by Athina Kartalou, General Director of the General Film Directorate, to the Greek project:
HOME COURT
Directors: Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernandez, Production: Yuri Averof, Rea Apostolides - Anemon Productions, Co-production: Maaike Neve, Esther Van Driesum - Bind Film, Victor Ede - Cinephage, Boris Despodov - Arthouse Blockbusters, Greece, Netherlands, France, Bulgaria
Reasoning: For crafting a warm, vibrant, and uplifting portrait of friendship and the promise of dreams - and for posing under-explored and ultimately universally resonant questions of identity and belonging for second-generation migrants - the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center - Creative Greece Award goes to Home Court by directors Elpida Nikou and Rodrigo Hernandez and producers Yuri Averof and Rea Apostolides.
The Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award is bestowed to the project:
TOWER, SUN AND THE SEVEN OF WANDS
Director: Tanya Vikhreva, Writer: Aleksander Rodionov, Production: Maria Gavrilova - Marx Film GE, Georgia
Reasoning: For bringing an unexpected, unorthodox, and often disarmingly humorous angle on the ongoing war in Ukraine, one focused on the divergent perspectives of the residents of occupied Crimea, exploring the eye-opening influences of superstition on one hand and Russian propaganda on the other, the Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award goes to Tower, Sun and the Seven of Wands by director Tanya Vikhreva and producer Maria Gavrilova.
AGORA XR LAB awards
AGORA XR Lab, is TIDF AGORA’s newest initiative, a workshop dedicated to XR and new media projects in development. It is designed for emerging storytellers keen to explore new forms of expression in factual and non-factual storytelling and pushing the boundaries of what audiovisual work can be in the digital age.
The Beldocs XR Academy award is bestowed to a project in order to attend the next edition and meet additional XR professionals (offering accommodation and accreditation to the Beldocs Documentary Festival, May 2025). The award is bestowed to:
/IMAGINE FAREWELL STATION
Director: Aristotelis Maragkos, Production: Konstantinos Koukoulis - Πlankton films, Co-creator / Co-production: Dimitris Delinikolas - Emptyfilm, Greece
Reasoning: This project explores the fragility of memory and the inadequacy of language through an interactive time-traveling experience. By reconstructing a fading childhood memory, it creates a poetic journey of recollection and loss. Its innovative use of described footage makes it a beautiful meditation on our attempts to grasp the past. We are happy to have /Imagine Farewell Station at XR Academy.
The Agora announces, also, the NewImages Festival Partnership Selection of one AGORA XR Lab project to the NewImages XR Market in April 2025. The film selected to participate to the NewImages XR Market is:
BITXO
Director: Lau Maquedano, Production: Alberto López Garrido - Lamola Studios, Valet Siv Manrique - Piragna Animación & Lau Maquedano, Co-production: Natxo Carrasco - HD Studio, Rubén Coca - Artyc Content, Spain, Colombia
Agora Boost
The Crew United Prize, a five-year premium subscription on Crew United Platform to a participant in the Agora Boost, is bestowed to:
THE GROUNDSKEEPER
Directors: Io Chaviara, Michalis Kastanidis, Production: Alexis Anastasiadis, Co-production: Io Chaviara & Michalis Kastanidis - Fabula Productions, Greece
Reasoning: First, we would like to congratulate all the filmmakers and producers! Each project, even if in quite different development stages, has its own strengths and charm, and it feels hard to pick out just one out of them. Deindustrialization, memory - collective and individual, and the role that space plays in it, but also the recognition by someone of the role his/her work plays in the production of mass destruction (reminding us here of Harun Farocki’s work) are some of the themes that The Groundskeeper will invite us to look at. Our warmest wishes for all the projects!
The Guidance Award, sponsored by Paradiddle Pictures and given to a project participating in the Agora Lab. The award is bestowed to:
MAGIC WHISTLE
Director: Avraam Goutzeloudis & Alexandros Katsis, Production: Photini Economopoulou - OhMyDog Productions, Greece
Reasoning: With music as an important ingredient, there is always the potential to tell an emotional and engaging story. In order to fully explore the full potential of the music and story universe of the project, the Paradiddle Pictures Guidance Award goes to the Magic Whistle.
