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How Thessaloniki’s Industry Arm Continues to Launch Regional Talent, Widen Its Focus With Partnerships ‘Across Europe and Beyond’
Thessaloniki festival’s incoming industry head, Thanos Stavropoulos, says Agora will continue helping filmmakers from Greece and neighbouring countries develop projects and connect with partners across Europe and beyond. The programme’s role in building collaborations matters as political and economic uncertainty, alongside changes in the film and television industries, puts pressure on regional creators.
Agora, launched in 2005, is widening access to its conversation series by opening sessions to all festivalgoers, and will hold a discussion on resolving conflicts in creative collaborations. Its television strand, introduced in 2022, runs across the festival’s opening weekend and includes masterclasses with Tom Rob Smith and Christopher Papakaliatis, plus sessions on Greek scripted television and international co-production. Stavropoulos says the festival aims to help local and regional talent benefit from new opportunities for series co-production.
In short
- Agora aims to connect regional filmmakers with international partners.
- Festival talks will be open to all attendees.
- TV sessions focus on Greek series and co-production.
Explained simply
Agora is the industry programme of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece. Since 2005, it has helped filmmakers from Greece and nearby countries develop projects and meet potential collaborators, including producers and other film professionals from across Europe.
Film and television projects often depend on partners and funding from more than one country. Changes in the industry, as well as political and economic uncertainty, can make it harder for regional creators to find support and reach audiences, so festivals can provide a place to build those connections.
Agora also has a television strand, added in 2022, reflecting the growth of scripted series and international co-productions. Its sessions bring together people working in film and television to discuss how projects are made and how creative partnerships can work.
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