TiDF Agora as a meeting point for documentary filmmaking in Southeastern Europe

The most dynamic and active documentary market in Southeastern Europe returns with new synergies and awards, having firmly established its role as a meeting and networking hub for documentary professionals from around the world, offering support to the documentary genre at all stages of production.

The Agora of the 28th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival will take place from March 8 to 12, 2026.

Agora enables the discovery of new film projects and supports their completion, as well as their dissemination to audiences. At the same time, it continues its efforts toward more “green” initiatives, reducing its environmental footprint, while committing to providing a safe and inclusive environment that fosters a culture of respect and collaboration.

The Agora is supported by the Creative Europe–MEDIA programme and is a member and partner of the Documentary Association of Europe (DAE). As an international meeting and networking event, it offers a wide range of networking and co-production opportunities for the global film industry. Agora is committed to promoting collaboration, innovation, and cultural exchange, constituting one of the largest documentary markets in the European audiovisual sector.

Each year, approximately 500 industry professionals take part in its activities: producers, directors, distributors, representatives of television broadcasters, sales agents, film consultants, festival programmers, and funders from around the world. It focuses on innovative trends in documentary creation in Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean, while also discovering and presenting global trends in documentary filmmaking.

The goal of the Agora is to support film production in Greece and the wider region. Participants will discover films and projects, network with creators, and stay informed about the latest trends and developments through the Agora Talks. Agora showcases both emerging and established filmmakers participating in its programmes and activities.

Discover the key pillars of the Agora:

• Agora Doc Market: With more than 200 completed documentaries in its digitized video library (in collaboration with Cinando), the Agora Doc Market will be available online to accredited Agora participants and accredited journalists.
• Thessaloniki Pitching Forum: 14 projects take part in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum for documentaries at the development stage, with a focus on Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
• Agora Docs in Progress: 10 projects participate in Agora Docs in Progress for documentaries at the post-production stage, with a focus on Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
• Agora XR Lab: 5 projects in Agora's newest initiative, the XR Lab, a workshop dedicated to XR and new media projects at the development stage.
• Agora Boost: 4 projects take part in Agora Boost, a hands-on workshop for Greek documentaries at the development and/or post-production stage.
• Doc Together – Think Tank Report Presentation: Presentation of the key findings from the DOK Leipzig think tank, which brought together 60 professionals from a wide range of sectors within the industry.
• Documentary Chapter Think Tank at the Agora 2026: A think tank of leading European documentary professionals aimed at shaping the future of documentary representation within the framework of the European Film Academy.
• Agora Cross-border – Basque Country: A new Agora initiative inviting a delegation of four producers from the Basque Country, in collaboration with Basque Audiovisual (Zineuskadi).
• Agora Talks: Each year, the Agora invites leading professionals to share experiences and discuss major issues concerning the documentary world.
• Doc Counseling: Offers one-on-one consulting sessions for filmmakers from Greece and abroad.
• Agora Networking: A dedicated consulting service for filmmakers with a film in the programme.
• Decompression Room: A space of care and well being within the Agora

THESSALONIKI PITCHING FORUM

Fourteen (14) documentary projects in development from seventeen (17) countries are taking part in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, including Belgium, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The selection focuses on themes such as displacement, companionship, and mental health, highlighting stories that shed light on hidden aspects of history and defend human rights.

Films that have participated in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum in previous years have premiered at major international festivals. Among them are: Closure (Poland–France), which premiered at Sundance and will have its European premiere in Thessaloniki (2026); The Road Elsewhere (Greece), premiering in Thessaloniki and at CPH:DOX (2026); Bugboy (Greece–Denmark–France), premiering in Thessaloniki (2026); Stray Bodies (Greece–Switzerland–Italy–Bulgaria), which premiered in Thessaloniki and at CPH:DOX (2024); Blueberry Dreams (Georgia–Belgium–France), which premiered at CPH:DOX (2024); If I Die It Will Be of Joy (France), which premiered at Visions du Réel (2024); We Will Not Fade Away, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival (2023); Mighty Afrin (Greece), which premiered at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (2023) and won the WWF Award; Boylesque (Poland–Czech Republic), which premiered at Hot Docs (2022); Karaoke Nation (Finland–Sweden–Germany), which premiered at CPH:DOX (2022); and A Steady Job (Italy–France), which premiered at Visions du Réel (2022).

The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum awards the IEFTF Foundation Best Documentary in Development Award, accompanied by a cash prize of €10,000. The Onassis Foundation awards the Onassis Film Award to a Greek project in the Agora participating either in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum or in Agora Docs in Progress. The award carries a cash prize of €5,000 and aims to highlight emerging filmmakers. Additional awards contested by the projects include the ERT Award for a Greek project (€2,000), a scholarship for the Script2Film Doc Lab of the Mediterranean Film Institute (online, June–December 2026), the EURODOC Award (€1,000 plus a VIP network membership), the DAE Award (consultancy sessions), the Aylon Productions Digital Services Award (material digitization), and the DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award (selection of one project for participation in the Open Program, two free accreditations and accommodation, October 2026).

The jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum consists of:

• Malin Hüber | Producer, HER Film – Sweden
• Èric Motjer | Head of DocsBarcelona Pro & Co-Artistic Director, DocsBarcelona International Documentary Film Festival – Spain
• Selin Murat | Executive Director, IDFA Bertha Fund – Netherlands

The workshop tutors are:

• Ove Rishøj Jensen, Producer and documentary expert, Paradiddle Pictures – Denmark
• Brigid O’Shea, Executive Director and international consultant, DAE – Germany
• Peter Jaeger, Consultant, Jaeger Creative – Austria
• Mila Turajlić, Director–producer, Poppy Pictures – Serbia

The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum presentations are moderated by Brigid O’Shea, Executive Director and international consultant – DAE, and Babette Dieu, Cannes Docs Coordinator, Marché du Film – Cannes Film Festival.

The Projects of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum:

ASHES

Director: Daham Alasaad, Production: Bård Kjøge Rønning, Fabien Greenberg - Antipode Films, Alhumam Alasaad - Bel Studio, Co-production: Celine Nusse - Zadig production, Syria, Norway, France

THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE DAMNED

Director: Seamus Murphy, Production: David Rane - Soilsiú Films, Co-production: Catherine Siméon - Faites un voeu, Heino Deckert - Ma.ja.de, Ireland, France, Germany

ENTR'ACTES

Director: Yuriy Shylov, Production: Olha Tuharinova - Kshtalt Productions, Co-production: Barbara Dyck, Maarten Bernaerts - Salto Productions, Ukraine, Belgium

THE LAST CLASS

Director: Michele Fornasero, Production: Alice Drago - Epica Film, Co-production: Francesca Portalupi - Indyca, Italy

MOMTSKI KAMEN - THE ROCK OF THE GIRL

Directors: Maria Sidiropoulou, Chloe Bruhat, Production: Maria Sidiropoulou - Thunderbird Productions, Co-production: Rebecca Obadia - Maison Femme, Greece, France

MY FATHER KILLED BOURGUIBA

Director/Production: Fatma Riahi, Co-production: Dora Bouchoucha - Nomadis Images, Co-production: Lina Chaabane, Fatma Riahi, Omar Ben Ali - SVP Production, Tunisia, Qatar, KSA, France

NAVA MAMA

Director: Ana Vijdea, Production: Ana Vijdea, Ana Gheorghe, Cosmin Nicoara - Remora Films, Co-production: Louis Beaudemont - Les Steppes Productions, Romania, France

NO MOTHER'S LAND

Director: Wiktoria Szymanska Davis, Production: Monika Braid - Braidmade Films, Sonja Henrici - Sonja Henrici Creates, Poland, United Kingdom

OF THE TREES UNMOVED

Director: Nino Benashvili, Production: Tekla Machavariani - Nushi Film, Co-production: Eva Blondiau, Elmar Imanov - Color of May, Georgia, Germany

PIVOT

Director: Vasia Ntoulia, Production: Marina Danezi - Laika Productions, Co-production: Antonios Vallindras, Tasos Koronakis, Greece

UNWANTED PAST

Director: Thanassis Vassiliou, Production: Konstantinos Vassilaros - StudioBauhaus, Greece

VOICES

Director: Persefoni Miliou, Production: Persefoni Miliou - Per Se Productions, Greece

YOU LITTLE BOX

Director: Mert Kaya, Production: Enis Köstepen, Gizay Akdoğan, Mert Kaya - Loudcat Film, Co-production: Vincent Coen, Guillaume Vandenberghe - Glasgow, Türkiye, Belgium

WHO WE ARE

Director: Sophie Ataya, Production: Thomas Kaske, Marion Schmidt - Seera Films, Germany

AGORA DOCS IN PROGRESS

Agora Docs in Progress has established itself as a key meeting point for documentaries at the final stage before completion. Directors and producers from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean are given the opportunity to present their films to buyers, co-producers, sales agents, and international festival programmers, with the aim of attracting their interest.

This year’s selection presents 10 documentaries in post-production from 11 countries, including Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Jordan, Kosovo*, the Netherlands, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the USA. Drawing on rich personal and collective stories and archival material, the selection explores pressing social issues related to memory, resistance, queer identity, family bonds, human–nature interdependence, radio music production, psychedelic therapy, and more.

Among the documentaries that have successfully participated in the section in recent years are: A Song Without Home (Georgia, USA, 2026), which will have its world premiere in the main competition of CPH:DOX 2026 and its international premiere in the Film Forward International Competition of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival 2026; Mailin (Argentina, France, Romania, 2025), which premiered in IDFA’s International Competition 2025 and will also be screened in Thessaloniki; Stories of a Lie (Greece, France, 2025), which premiered in the Luminous Competition at IDFA 2025 and will be screening in TiDF’s Film Forward Competition; Savanna and the Mountain (Portugal, Uruguay, 2024), which premiered at the Quinzaine des Cinéastes at Cannes 2024; Ms. President (Slovakia, Czech Republic, 2024), winner of Best International Documentary in the Opus Bonum Competition at Ji.hlava 2024; Tell Them About Us (Germany, Jordan, 2024), with a simultaneous world premiere at CPH:DOX and the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2024 (Newcomers Competition); Diaries from Lebanon (Lebanon, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia), which premiered in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival 2024; and from Greece, Panellinion (Newcomers Competition, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival) and Queen of the Deuce (2022), which premiered at DOC NYC.

Participants prepare their presentations with the support of acclaimed filmmaker and consultant Zeynep Güzel, who will also moderate the session. Teams will present their projects to audiovisual professionals, seeking financing, sales agents, festival premieres, and distribution (theatrical or digital).

The films also compete for a series of major awards: a post-production services award by Two Thirty Five (2|35), a subtitling award by Neaniko Plano, the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED)Award for a Greek project (accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize), and a new award, the IMPRONTA FILMS Guidance Award, offering specialized consultancy services including festival strategy, marketing, and promotion. In addition, the Onassis Foundation awards the Onassis Film Award, accompanied by a €5,000 cash prize, to a Greek Agora project participating either in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum or in Agora Docs in Progress.

The jury of Agora Docs in Progress consists of:

• Anja Dziersk | Sales agent & Festival manager, Rise And Shine World Sales – Germany
• Ahmed Shawky | Film critic, FIPRESCI & Head of CineGouna Funding, El Gouna Film Festival – Egypt
• Ada Solomon | Producer, MicroFILM – Romania

The Projects of Agora Docs in Progress:

4PM TO 5PMOUT OF COMPETITION

Director: Yorgos Teltzidis, Production: Onassis Culture - Christos Sarris (creative producer), Vassilis Panagiotakopoulos (producer),Greece

AIPOS

Director: Christos Adrianopoulos, Production: Antigoni Kapaka - Alipnoos S.A, Co-production: Despina Mouzaki - Breaking Wave Productions, Greece, Cyprus

ANATOLIA

Director: Jeanne Nouchi, Production: Maud Berbille - MB17 Films, France

CAREFUL WHERE YOU TREAD

Director: Smaro Papaevangelou, Production: Iro Aidoni, Mina Dreki - Marni Films, Greece

IMMORTAL FLOWERS

Director: Brian Logvinsky, Production: Harrison Jaffee, Anna Konik - Catharsis Pictures, Tommaso Rositani - FFB Pictures, Co-production: Eugene Rachkovsky - Tabor Production, USA, Ukraine

K.

Director: Panagiotis Papafragkos, Production: Panagiotis Papafragkos, Stelios Mavrodontis - Dog Star Films, Co-production: Ondřej Zima - Film Kolektiv, Leenke Ripmeester - Eye Filmmuseum-Amsterdam , Greece, Czech Republic, Netherlands

LANDWARDS

Director: Rama Ayasra, Production: Asmahan Bkerat - Arkima Productions, Jordan

MATI 2307

Director: Marianna Kakaounaki, Production: Marianna Kakaounaki - Energeiaki Mesimvria, Greece

OUR SEEDS (WT)

Director: Erhan Arik, Production: Meryem Yavuz - Horovel Films, Co-production: Rea Apostolides - Anemon Productions, Manuel Rees - Paradoks Filmproduktion, Türkiye, Greece, Germany

STRATUM

Directors: Daniel Kötter, Marko Grba Singh, Production: Jelena Angelovski - Obol Film, Co-production: Eroll Bilibani, Veton Nurkollari - DokuFest, Serbia, Kosovo*

AGORA XR LAB

The AGORA XR Lab is a workshop dedicated to XR and new media projects in development. It is designed for emerging creators who wish to explore new forms of storytelling in both fiction and documentary, aiming to investigate the boundaries of audiovisual creation in the digital age. The initiative focuses on projects that bridge the fields of cinema, digital media, new technologies, and the performing arts. AGORA XR Lab promotes innovation and collaboration by supporting creative, interdisciplinary partnerships across film, the arts, science, technology, and social entrepreneurship.

The consultant for this new initiative is Vassiliki Khonsari, an award-winning producer and writer and co-founder of the New York–based studio iNK Stories, renowned for its pioneering storytelling across gaming, film, XR, and immersive experiences. The selected projects will take part in closed sessions. Distinguished speakers include Toby Coffey, award-winning director and producer (UK); Annette Mees, Artistic Director of Audience Labs (UK/Netherlands); Corine Meijers, founder and creative producer at Studio Biarritz (Netherlands); and Eirini Lampiri, Onassis AiR / ONX Technical Fellow (Greece).

AGORA XR Lab collaborates with the International Documentary Film Festival Beldocs, which awards the Beldocs XR Academy Award and selects one project to participate, offering accommodation and accreditation at the Serbian Documentary Film Festival (May 2026).

Through myth, memory, and personal experience, the five selected XR works trace intimate journeys shaped by loss, exile, and resilience. Through immersive worlds, AI-mediated dialogues, and fragmented memories of war and displacement, they reveal how the past inhabits bodies, places, and relationships—and how it continues to shape who we become.

Projects participating in the AGORA XR Lab:

Α DANGEROUS JOURNEY

Creator: Lucija Stojević, Production: Andrés Bartos Amory & Lucija Stojević - Noon Films S.L.U., Spain

IDLE HANDS

Creator: Gregoris Rentis, Production: Mando and Myrto Stathi - BYRD, Co-production: Arnaud Colinart - Atlas V, Greece, France

LIFTA, A LIFE NOT FORGOTTEN

Creator - Producer: Sohail Dahdal - Fifth Wall, Palestine, UAE

MYSTIS

Creator: Tatiana Collet Apraxine, Production: Alina Mikhaleva - Less Media, Co-production: Onism Studio, Georgia, UK

NOTHING IS EVER REALLY LOST

Creator: Anna Szylar, Production: Pola Komarowa - Monster Mind Studio, Poland

AGORA BOOST

Agora Boost is a consultancy and training workshop for emerging creators based in Greece, where documentary professionals from Greece and abroad provide guidance to directors and producers at various stages of development and production. This year, three documentary projects selected from the applications to AGORA Docs in Progress and the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum are presented, along with one project participating in collaboration with the Greek Documentary Association.

One project will receive the Paradiddle Pictures Award (a consultancy session focusing on the next steps toward completion), while one participant will be awarded a five-year premium membership to Crew United, Europe’s leading online networking platform for audiovisual professionals, now also available in Greece. Through these initiatives, Agora Boost aims to support and promote innovation as well as collaboration within the film community.

The advisory team consists of:

• Konstantinos Aivaliotis | Agora Boost Coordinator and Assistant Professor, University of the Aegean; producer and festival director of Ethnofest
• Arkaitz Basterra | Producer, director, and member of the investment committee, Moby Dick Film Capital – Spain
• Ieva Ūbele | Creative producer, Baltic Balkan Productions – Latvia
• Zeynep Güzel | Filmmaker and consultant – Germany

This year’s documentary projects explore intimacy and resistance across very different fields: from underground music communities resisting urban gentrification, to deeply personal family stories shaped by migration, memory loss, and technological reconstruction. The selection also includes emblematic political love stories and intimate family portraits, highlighting how personal lives intersect with broader historical and social forces.

Projects participating in Agora Boost:

HEARING NOISE

Director: Eirini Chatzi, Production: Eirini Chatzi, Co-production: Maria Dakanali - Art Yard Productions, Greece

MAKASI

Director: Danai Maria Samara, Production: Spiros Betsis - NOT A PROJECT, Greece

In partnership with the Greek Documentary Association - Hellas Doc

MOVING STILL

Director: Ioanna Tsoucala, Production: Elias Katsoufis - Hiccup Film, Greece

ORIANA & ALEKOS: CROSSFIRE OF LOVE

Director: Maria Giannouli, Production: Chronis Pechlivanidis - Onos Productions, Greece

DOC TOGETHER: THINK TANK REPORT PRESENTATION

Doc Together is an initiative launched in March 2025 at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, in collaboration with DOK Leipzig. It seeks to establish a long-term, cross-sector coalition to provide sustained support for filmmakers at risk. Following its launch, DOK Leipzig hosted a think tank in October 2025, bringing together 60 participants representing a broad range of industry sectors. The discussions focused on current challenges, shared factual analysis, and the development of potential strategies and solutions. This report presents the key findings and outcomes of that process.

DOCUMENTARY CHAPTER THINK TANK AT AGORA 2026

The European Film Academy, in collaboration with AGORA at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, will convene a Think Tank of leading European documentary professionals to shape the future of documentary representation within the Academy. This closed-door session brings together diverse voices from across Europe's documentary landscape to co-create the vision and priorities for the European Film Academy's Documentary Chapter, set to launch in 2027. Through facilitated dialogue, participants will identify key opportunities for the Chapter's first phase (2027-2030), explore collaborative models with existing documentary organizations, and establish a manifesto outlining the reciprocal relationship between documentary practitioners and the Academy. This initiative marks a significant milestone in recognizing documentary cinema's vital contribution to European film culture and fostering stronger connections between documentary and fiction filmmaking communities across the continent.

AGORA CROSS- BORDER: BASQUE COUNTRY

The 28th TiDF AGORA launches a new collaboration initiative aimed at fostering connections between delegations of producers from different countries and regions and attending industry professionals. In this edition, in partnership with Basque Audiovisual (Zineuskadi), a delegation of four producers from the Basque Country is invited to present their projects to accredited guests. The delegation, together with a representative of Zineuskadi, will engage with the Festival’s professional activities, with a view to developing new synergies and exchanging knowledge and experience within the international documentary sector.

AGORA TALKS

TFF places particular emphasis on dialogue and the exchange of ideas, presenting a rich programme of timely discussions addressed to professionals in the audiovisual sector. The aim of the Agora Talks is to provide insight into emerging trends in film production, offer new perspectives, and open pathways for future collaborations in cinema and the audiovisual arts.

The Agora Talks will be hosted at the Central Events Hall of the Music Center of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and are organised in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

16.00 - 16.45
Doc Together: Think Tank report presentation

Doc Together is an initiative launched in March 2025 at the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, in collaboration with DOK Leipzig. It seeks to establish a long-term, cross-sector coalition that provides sustained support for filmmakers affected by censorship, displacement or crisis. Following its launch, DOK Leipzig hosted a think tank in October 2025, bringing together 60 participants representing a broad range of industry sectors. The discussions focused on current challenges and lived (or shared) experiences, and the development of potential strategies and solutions. This report presents the key findings and outcomes of that process.

Report presentation:
Carmina Orozco Lopez Industry Delegations and Special Programmes Coordinator - DOK Leipzig

Intros by:
Nadja Tennstedt Director DOK Industry - DOK Leipzig
Angeliki Vergou Head of AGORA - Thessaloniki Film Festival
Jordi Wijnalda Coordinator - International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR)

Co-organized with DOK Leipzig

16:45 - 17:10
Featured Short Talk by Dominic Asmall Willsdon, Executive Director - International Documentary Association (IDA)

Dominic Willsdon will discuss IDA’s advocacy for freedom of expression in documentary filmmaking. He will highlight a new emergency assistance program for filmmakers at risk, explain how it draws on existing models developed for journalists, and consider how it might be expanded through partnerships with organizations in Europe and beyond. He will also discuss IDA's campaign to challenge media consolidation in the United States.

17:15 - 18:30
It’s only fair

International co-productions are vital for filmmakers from low-capacity production environments, or those with limited funding, as they can provide access to better resources, organized distribution systems and audiences. Yet, power imbalances, lack of transparency and existing institutional frameworks of high capacity production countries frequently create structural barriers, making it difficult for filmmakers at risk to engage in truly fair and balanced co-productions.

Speakers:
Selin Murat Executive Director - IDFA Bertha Fund
Malin Hüber Producer - Her Film
Leonard Cortana Consultant and Impact Producer, Inclusion Program and Strategic Partnerships Manager - EURODOC

Moderation: Asmahan Bkerat Producer - Arkima Productions

MONDAY, MARCH 9

15.00 - 16.00
Keeping it real

A discussion on the role of independent documentary filmmaking in countering press freedom decline, the spread of misinformation from many media outlets and the systematic dismantling of fact-checking tools.

Speakers:
András Földes Co-director - 80 Angry Journalists
Antoine Goldet Producer - Amok films
Marianna Kakaounaki Journalist, Director

Moderator: Brigid O’Shea Director & International Consultant - Documentary Association of Europe (DAE)

16:30 - 18:00
Agora Cross-border: Basque Country

The 28th TiDF AGORA launches a new collaboration initiative aimed at fostering connections between delegations of producers from different countries and regions and attending industry professionals. In this edition, in partnership with Basque Audiovisual (Zineuskadi), a delegation of four producers from the Basque Country is invited to present their projects to accredited guests. The delegation, together with a representative of Zineuskadi, will engage with the Festival’s professional activities, in view of developing new synergies and exchanging knowledge and experience within the international documentary sector.

Speakers:
Nagore Eceiza Producer - El Santo Films
Zuri Goikoetxea Screenwriter, director, producer - Doxa Producciones
Marta Gómez Calderón Screenwriter, director, producer - Al Borde films
Gentzane Martinez De Osaba Producer - Marmoka Films, Bide Guztiak AIE

Moderator: Hermione Efstratiadou Producer & Consultant - films out there

In collaboration with BASQUE.AUDIOVISUAL. Zineuskadi

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

17.00-18.00
From vision to reality: Unleashing the sustainability superpower in film production

This talk brings together Julia Tordai (sustainability manager) and Serena Alfieri (film producer), to explore how environmental responsibility and production realities intersect on set. Through an open dialogue, they will compare their perspectives, uncover common challenges, and highlight opportunities to integrate sustainability into everyday filmmaking practices. From creative decision‑making to resource management and cost-effectiveness, the conversation will reveal how collaboration between these roles can drive more efficient, ethical and future‑oriented productions. A practical and inspiring exchange for anyone interested in sustainable filming without compromising their artistic vision.

Speakers:
Júlia Tordai Sustainability consultant, Founder & CEO - Green Eyes Production
Serena Alfieri Producer

Moderator: Linnea Merzagora Green Film Project Manager - Trentino Film Commission

Green SCAP project is implemented by:
Veneto Film Commission (Italy), Film Office-Central Macedonia (Greece) & Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center/ Hellenic Film Commission (Greece), Mediterranean Creative Hub of Mallorca (Spain) under the supervision of Green Film

Organized by:
Film Office-Central Macedonia (Greece) & Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center/Hellenic Film Commission (Greece)

In the framework of the European project “Green SCAP” (Green Skills for Cinema and Audiovisual Production - Erasmus+)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

11.30 - 13.00
Empowering the XR ecosystem

Empowering the XR Ecosystem brings together creators, institutions and policy experts into the ongoing exploration of how XR can grow as a sustainable, meaningful field. The conversation will move from vision and practice (XR creation and storytelling), to infrastructure and field-building (talent, incubation, collaboration), and into policy, funding, and streamlining production and exhibition - mapping how ideas become projects, and projects become an ecosystem.

Speakers:
Anastasia Mavrogianni Innovation Officer - Onassis Foundation/Onassis ONX
Tatiana Collet Apraxine XR Artist, Director - Onism Studio
Avinash Changa Founder WeMakeVR, founder of IMPRES - The Institute of Immersive Preservation
Achilleas Tsoutsis Senior Legal and Business Counsel - Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Centre S.A. (H.F.A.C.)

Moderation: Lazaros Boudakidis - Head of Immersive: All around Cinema - Thessaloniki Film Festival

Powered by Onassis ONX

PARALLEL EVENTS

INFOSESSION

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

15:00 - 16:00
Culture and health: Time to act

A presentation based on a new European report examining the role of culture in promoting mental and physical wellbeing. The session will include examples from across Europe, practical approaches, and an open discussion. Intended for those who believe that art can positively influence everyday life and shape our cities.

A conversation with:

Dr. Margarita Alexomanolaki

Head of Performing Arts & Cinema Directorate, Ministry of Culture, Co-chair, OMC Group on Culture & Health

Maria Kokorotskou

Curation of Education, MOMus

Museologist, Theatre and Drama Educator

@Thessaloniki Cinema Museum - Takis Kanellopoulos Cinema

The conversation will be conducted in Greek

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

13:00 - 14:30
The future of European documentary beyond Greece: Funding, risk and responsibility

Across Europe, documentary production is facing shrinking budgets, fewer commissions and increasingly fragmented financing, even as audience demand remains strong. Bringing together television representatives from France, Germany, Poland and Spain, alongside with industry professionals, this panel examines where risk sits now within the production chain, how decisions are made about which stories receive support, and what responsibilities different partners carry. Is Europe witnessing a temporary market adjustment, or a deeper transformation in how documentaries can be produced and sustained?

Speakers:
Anne-Laure Negrin Commissioning editor - ARTE
Magdalena Borowska Commissioning editor - Telewizja Polska S.A.
Montse Armengou Martín Commissioning editor - Televisió de Catalunya
Elisabeth Lehmann Commissioning editor - Deutsche Welle

Moderation: Photini Economopoulou Producer, President of the Greek Documentary Association

@Warehouse 1 - John Cassavetes Cinema

Co-organised with the Greek Documentary Association

DOC COUNSELING

Doc Counseling is a service offered to participating filmmakers, providing practical one-to-one consultancy sessions on topics such as festival strategy, documentary funding, creative development, project presentation, distribution, press office support, television markets, audience development, and production sustainability, among others.

AGORA NETWORKING

As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting Greek cinema, the Agora organises advisory meetings for filmmakers with a film in the programme, aiming to facilitate connections with invited Agora professionals, promote their films, and help establish new contacts for future projects.

DECOMPRESSION ROOM: A Care Space at the Agora

A new initiative of the Agora of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The intense demands of work in the film industry can have an impact on the mental, physical, and emotional health of those working in it. Within the framework of its continuous and multifaceted support for film professionals, the Agora offers a unique service designed to give its guests the opportunity to decompress, gather their thoughts and emotions, and/or restore their energy between meetings, workshops, and presentations.

The Decompression Room is a space where Agora professionals can find quiet time, listen to relaxing music, sounds, and guided meditations, or simply rest. In addition, specially designed scheduled group sessions (for a limited number of participants) will be offered, including guided meditation or movement prompts. Advice will also be provided on developing skills for managing anxiety and stress and for emotional self-support, with the assistance of holistic therapist Elena Christopoulou.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the declaration of independence of Kosovo.