Agora, the industry section of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, has selected 10 films from seven countries for its works in progress strand.
The strand selects projects in post-production stage, which have a link to the Mediterranean region and Southeastern Europe, and presents them to sales agents, distributors, producers, streaming platforms and festival programmers with the objective to raise finishing funds, secure sales agents, festival premieres and book meetings with potential partners.
“This year’s powerful projects challenge contemporary issues and gaze upon the human condition through gripping imagery, sometimes painfully beautiful storytelling and creative cinematic language. Their common compass navigates us through the subjects of social injustice, exploration of human relationships and common desires and choices people make to treat one another and the environment they inhabit,” the festival said in a statement.
Agora gives out several awards for the works in progress films. These include the Authorwave post-production award for creative image post services; the MuSou Music Group award for sound/music post-production services; the 119 Marvila Studios award for sound mixing services; the onassis Film award of €10,000 ($10,500) given to a Greek project participating in the Agora Crossroads Co-production Forum and works in progress strand; the Asterisk* Marketing award that provides consultation on marketing strategy; and the ERT Agora Works in Progress award that grants €2,000 to a Greek project.
Agora Works in Progress Projects
“Beachcomber”
Director: Aristotelis Maragkos, scriptwriters: Aristotelis Maragkos, Chrysoula Korovesi Producer: Konstantinos Koukoulis. Greece
“Bonds, Roots and Passions”
Director: Sunay Terzioğlu, scriptwriter: Ferit Karahan, Producer: Timur Harzadın – Denge Yapim ve Danışmanlık. Turkey
“Clear Nights”
Director-scriptwriter: Paulo Filipe Monteiro, Producers: Pandora da Cunha Telles, Pablo Iraola – Ukbar Filmes. Portugal
“Growing Down”
Director: Bálint Dániel Sós, scriptwriters: Bálint Dániel Sós, Gergő Nagy V. Producer: Ádám Farkas – CineSuper. Hungary
“Halisa”
Director-scriptwriter: Sophie Artus, Producers: Yochanan Kredo, Linor Lavi – July August Productions. Israel
“Happy People”
Director: Filip Peruzović, scriptwriters: Filip Peruzović, Nikolina Bogdanović, Producer: Tena Gojić – Dinaridi Film. Croatia
“Lula Leblanc”
Director-scriptwriter: Stergios Paschos, Producers: Nicholas Alavanos – Filmiki Productions, Marni Films, Co-producers: Ready2Cast, Prosenghisi, Balthazar Films. Greece
“Maldives”
Director/scriptwriter: Daniel Bolda, Producer: Nicholas Alavanos – Filmiki Productions Co-producer: Daniel Bolda – Edelweiss. Greece
“Meat”
Director/scriptwriter: Dimitris Nakos, Producer: Thanos Anastopoulos – Fantasia Ltd, Co-production: Foss Productions. Greece
“Youthful Grace”
Director/scriptwriter: Yuval Shani, Producers: Efrat Cohen, Kobi Azran – Gaudeamus Productions, Co-producer: Dominique Welinski – DW. Israel, France
