TIFF TALKS AGORA SERIES - Case Study: Brothers

The development and realization of the international co-production Brothers took center stage in the discussion “Case Study: Brothers,” held on Saturday, November 7th, at the Pavlos Zannas theater, as part of the 67th Thessaloniki International Film Festival’s TIFF Talks – Agora Series program. The panel featured producers Fenia Cossovitsa of Blonde and Alexandra Hoesdorff of Deal Productions, along with Faye Tsitsipi of MagentaTV.

Opening the event, Niki Xenou, coordinator of the Agora Series program, welcomed the attendees and introduced the discussion as a case study of a successful co-production. She also thanked the event’s supporters, with special mention of the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center and Media Desk Greece, before handing the floor to the moderator, Giannis Kantea-Papadopoulos. Ahead of the discussion, an excerpt was screened from Brothers, a six-episode thriller set against the backdrop of the energy crisis in Cyprus. The series follows two detectives, one Greek Cypriot and one Turkish Cypriot, who take on a murder investigation that gradually brings to light a wider network of political corruption.

Speaking about the project’s origins, Fenia Cossovitsa revealed that it all started in a small café, where the idea was first pitched to her. “I liked it, and we started developing it,” she said, explaining that meeting Alexandra Hoesdorff at the Berlinale, shortly before the pandemic, marked the beginning of a six-year collaboration. For her part, Alexandra Hoesdorff highlighted the organic nature of the co-production, noting that the series creator’s dual connection to Cyprus and Luxembourg played a decisive role in shaping it.

Asked by the moderator about the plot, Fenia Cossovitsa explained that the core of the story remained unchanged: two detectives are forced to work together to solve the death of the son of a prominent German politician in Cyprus’s buffer zone. As the script was developed, new layers were added, focusing on European political corruption and the energy crisis, while the devastating 2020 Beirut explosion also served as a source of inspiration.

On the subject of financing, the producers referred to the contribution of the Luxembourg Film Fund and the Creative Europe MEDIA programme, stressing the importance of supporting European television productions. Faye Tsitsipi pointed out that MagentaTV recognized the project’s potential from the outset, thanks both to its story and to its international character, with filming taking place in Greece, Germany and Luxembourg.

Asked about the enduring appeal of crime thrillers, Fenia Cossovitsa noted that the genre invites viewers to take an active part in solving a mystery, while also offering an escape from everyday life. Faye Tsitsipi confirmed the genre’s strong commercial potential, noting that crime series and action productions rank among the platform’s most popular categories.

The discussion closed with a look at the creative balance involved in international co-productions. Fenia Cossovitsa acknowledged that funders and broadcasters inevitably influence certain creative decisions, while Faye Tsitsipi argued that a broadcaster’s role is not to constantly interfere with the creators’ work. “If you want to change the narrative and the entire project, then this project isn’t for you,” she said, also highlighting the progress of Greek audiovisual production and the need to create high-quality content in an increasingly competitive international landscape.