AGORA DOCS IN PROGRESS

Which countries are eligible to apply?

Countries eligible to participate in the AGORA Docs in Progress (as major production country or as a co-production country) are: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo*, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.

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

What are we looking for?

• Original feature-length documentary projects and documentary series from Southeastern Europe, Eastern Mediterranean countries and North Africa that combine artistic ambition and high visual quality.
• AGORA Docs in Progress is open to creative and television documentaries, episodic documentaries, documentaries for children, as well as hybrid documentaries, essay films, animation, non-narrative and interdisciplinary works.
• AGORA is introducing a new submission opportunity for AGORA XR Lab alumni, whose projects are at the prototype or final production stage. Specifically, participants in the AGORA XR Lab will be able to submit their projects to AGORA Docs in Progress, gaining access to XR professionals, documentary funders, sales agents and festival programmers, while remaining fully eligible for the Eurimages New Lab Award - Outreach.
• Projects that are either produced or co-produced by a country within these regions or contain elements in the story that link them to these regions.
• Do you have a documentary that is not from the eligible countries but you think AGORA Docs in Progress is a good launching platform for you? You are welcome to apply anyway. The selection committee will evaluate all submitted projects.

What is the application process?

• All applications must be submitted by November 25, 2026.
• Applicants must fill in the online AGORA Docs in Progress Application Form (in English)
• and send it to us accompanied by a minimum of selected 25 minute excerpts or scenes of your film in a secure web link.
• Please make sure to complete the form thoroughly. Once you have completed the online form you cannot make changes. Elements from the application form will be used for communication purposes should your project be selected.

Key Dates:

• Open Call: September 18, 2026
• Submission Deadline: November 25, 2026
• Notification Date: Mid January 2027
• Online Workshop: End of January 2027
• AGORA Docs in Progress (in Thessaloniki): March 6-11, 2027
• Online Meetings: March 12, 2027

General Rules and Guidelines:

• AGORA Docs in Progress selects 8-10 documentary feature films from the wider regions of Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean and offers filmmakers a platform to present their films to key players of the audiovisual sector.
• The selection is based mainly on the quality of the visual material sent to AGORA (minimum 25 minutes) as well as the artistic elements and themes of the film. Other factors include the director’s and the company’s track record.
• In the final selection we strive to maintain a balance between represented countries, regions, genders and addressed themes.
• The application materials and subtitles should be in English.
• We accept only documentary feature projects (over 60 minutes) or documentary series.
• One production company or producer can submit up to two projects.
• In the application folder, project holders should state whether the project has participated in other workshops and markets (including date), as well as any pending applications. Otherwise, please state if this is the first time presenting the project.
• The selection committee is composed of the AGORA team, the Greek Film Festival’s Program team and an international selection committee. The final selection is made upon the decision of the international selection committee and the Head of AGORA in accordance with the Festival administration.
• Greek shortlisted films may be considered for the curated documentary accelerator workshop, AGORA Boost.

What happens if my project is selected?

• Once a project has been selected, the director(s) and producer(s) are called to participate in the preparatory online workshop in late January. The workshop is mandatory and includes pitching training, feedback on the clip excerpts for both the online use and the live presentation.
• Project holders also agree that at least one representative will attend the entire duration of the AGORA Docs in Progress (Arrival: March 6 / Rehearsal: March 7 / Presentation: March 9 / Awards: March 10 / Departure: March 11 / Online Meetings: March 12).
• The AGORA Docs in Progress offers accommodation for 5 nights (in case both director and producer attend, we can cover one double room to share) and can reimburse part of the travel expenses per project team (receipts are required).
• After receiving feedback, project holders will be asked to create a 12 minute clip which includes film excerpts (not a trailer, not a promo reel) with English subtitles. The selected projects will have the opportunity to prepare for their project presentation to the industry professionals and receive consultation for their next steps.
• Finished documentary projects presented at the AGORA Docs in Progress must display its logo in their credits. Preferably, the following sentence should be mentioned in the credit list: "[film title] has been presented at the AGORA Docs in Progress of the [festival edition] Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival [year]". The logo will be sent to the filmmakers upon selection of the project.

AGORA Docs in Progress Awards:

New Award

• Eurimages New Lab Award – Outreach
  €30,000 cash prize provided by Eurimages to an innovative and non-conventional in terms of their content and/or form documentary or XR project in the AGORA Docs in Progress

Jury Awards:

• Two Thirty-Five (2|35) Award
  Post-production services
• Authorwave Post-Production Sound Award
  Sound Design, Sound Mix, Digital Foley, Deliverables
• Neaniko Plano Subtitling Awar
• Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center Award
  € 3.000 to a Greek project
• IMPRONTA FILMS Guidance Award
  Tailored consultancy sessions on festival strategy, marketing, promotion and more
  

Independent Awards:

• Onassis Film Award
  € 5.000 to a Greek project participating in the AGORA
  (Thessaloniki Pitching Forum or AGORA Docs in Progress).
  

Eurimages New Lab Award – Outreach

Dedicated to enhancing the reach of documentaries among audiences and increasing the impact of innovative and non-conventional documentary or XR project filmmaking, the Eurimages New Lab Award – Outreach award comes with a €30,000 cash prize provided by Eurimages and will be presented to one project participating in the AGORA Docs in Progress program.

A dedicated jury will be constituted specifically for the Eurimages New Lab Outreach Award, composed of a minimum of 3 members including an expert in international audience outreach and a representative of Eurimages.

To determine the eligibility of the projects for the Outreach award, the following documentation needs to be submitted via the application form.

Supporting Documentation
In the application form, please upload one(1) PDF file covering the following:

1. A conceptual note by the director/visual artist (or a link to a video pitch) addressing the innovative, non-conventional and experimental nature of the work, and how it explores new forms of expression in terms of content and/or format
2. A specific outreach strategy demonstrating how the project intends to reach international audiences beyond traditional distribution channels
3. Anticipated impact/use of the Award for finalising the project and implementing its outreach strategy
4. Project description, treatment or script
5. Previous works of the director/visual artist, where applicable (titles, links, or brief descriptions)
6. Financing plan and budget

Exclusion criteria declaration
Please download, complete, and upload the Eurimages exclusion criteria declaration template. link : https://rm.coe.int/exclusion-declaration-co-production-support-example-en/16809952ce

> TiDF29 AGORA Docs in Progress Application -Available online here

Submission Deadline: November 25, 2026

For inquiries please contact: Elena Gaitanarou gaitanarou@filmfestival.gr