Collaboration between the Thessaloniki Film Festival and Panathēnea

The Thessaloniki International Film Festival is teaming up this year with Panathēnea, an international festival focused on technology, innovation and art, held in Athens from May 27th to May 29th, 2026.

The renowned guests of this year’s edition are no other than the Oscar winner (for Moonlight) Barry Jenkins and the multi-awarded Lulu Wang, who will attend the screening of the iconic film Being There (1979) by Hal Ashby, starring Peter Sellers, co-hosted by the two institutions. Moreover, and within the framework of the TIFF and Panathēnea collaboration, the documentary Desmond Child Rocks the Parthenon will also be screened, in the presence of the internationally acclaimed musician, songwriter and record producer Desmond Child.

On May 27th, Desmond Child Rocks the Parthenon directed by Heather Winters will have its Athens premiere at Cine Athinaia, in a screening prefaced by Desmond Child. The documentary captures the ambiance of a unique concert featuring the greatest hits in Desmond Child’s career, which turned the Herodeion stage into a symbolically charged music event of international appeal, as it foregrounded the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece. A series of radiant stars of the world music scene take the stage and star in the film, such as Alice Cooper, Bonnie Tyler, Rita Wilson, Sakis Rouvas and The Rasmus band. The documentary had its world premiere at the 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. Prior to the screening a discussion with the Festival’s Artistic Director Orestis Andreadakis will take place.

Coming right up, on May 28th, the landmark political satire film Being There (1979) by Hal Ashby will be screened, selected by Barry Jenkins and Lulu Wang, Panathēnea’s distinguished guests. The screening will be prefaced by a short discussion with the two top-notch filmmakers, moderated by the Festival’s Artistic Director Orestis Andreadakis. In the last prominent role of a stunning career, Peter Sellers embodies a middle-aged and simple-minded gardener, forced out of his wealthy employer’s house following the latter’s death. His acquaintance with a powerful tycoon triggers unforeseen consequences and unexpectedly leads him all the way to Washington’s political behind-the-scenes, in a bittersweet film that won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Melvyn Douglas.

Both screenings have a free admission for the audience, with a pre-booking at the Panathēnea website.

Panathēnea is an international, non-profit platform of innovation, based in Athens, aiming to become the point of convergence between technology, entrepreneurship and culture. Breaking free from the standpoint of a standardized convention, Panathēnea serves as a living and breathing core, where the global investment capital teams up with the creative intelligence, with the intention of giving birth to ideas and collaborations that will shape the future. The initiative was launched by a group of five Greek students and graduates, with the partnership of Lars Rasmussen and Elomida Visviki, drawing inspiration from most influential innovation movements in Europe. In Panathēnea, technological forefront gains cultural depth, transforming Athens into a world-scale destination for those who are not contented with merely keeping up with the up-to-the-minute trends, but are capable of co-shaping them. This year, the Festival incorporates arts into its program, featuring talks, workshops and events dedicated to cinema and music.