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  • Thessaloniki Film Festival AGORA Industry Award Winners — Full List 

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    The Thessaloniki International Film Festival’s industry-focused AGORA section has handed out its 2025 awards.

    This year’s AGORA section at Thessaloniki took place from November 2 to 6. Before handing out the awards, Angeliki Vergou, Head of the Agora, said: “We wish success on all levels and we wish to see you back here in Thessaloniki with your finished films.” 

    Vergou added, “Your projects and films are also the light at the end of the tunnel. Smart, courageous, political, funny, emotional, the films you are about to make are hopeful for a better understanding of our society and each other.”

    The 2025 Thessaloniki International Film Festival runs until November 9.

    2025 AGORA Industry Award Winners: 

    CROSSROADS CO-PRODUCTION FORUM AWARDS
    The Crossroads Co-production Forum Jury, composed of Frank Hoeve, Producer at BALDR Film (The Netherlands), Uljana Kim, Producer at Studio Uljana Kim (Lithuania) and Andreas Zoupanos Kritikos, Producer & Chief Operating Officer at Faliro House (Greece), as well as the Arte Kino International Award Juror, and Mathilde Hersant, Head οf Finance at ARTE France Cinéma (France), took the floor to bestow the awards.


    Two Thirty-Five (2|35) Award – Post-production (image and sound) was bestowed to:
    THE LEAVES HANG TREMBLING
    Director: Stefan Djordjević, Production: Dragana Jovović – Non-Aligned Films, Serbia
    The reasoning of the jury: “Courageous, fierce yet deeply empathetic, the film is profoundly moving as it puts children and students at its heart. For its unique approach to a deeply personal story that resonates with urgent global relevance, we give the Two Thirty-Five post-production services award to THE LEAVES HANG TREMBLING.”

    The 8,000-euro award for script development by the CNC-Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée was bestowed by Jean-Luc Lavaud, French Consul in Thessaloniki, to the film: 
    THE UNMOVING HANGS
    Director: Víctor Diago, Production: Andrés Mellinas – Boogaloo, Spain in collaboration with the Mediterranean Film Institute
    The reasoning of the jury: “A project defined by strong, undeniable directorial vision, realized by a committed and talented team. It is a genre-fluid story that explores men living on the margins of society, lifting up their experiences in a compelling and original way. The CNC Award (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) goes to THE UNMOVING HANDS.” 

    The ArteKino International Award with a cash prize of 6,000 euros, was bestowed to:
    THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ION G. 
    Director: Andreea Cristina Bortun, Production: Gabi Suciu – Atelier de Film, Romania in collaboration with Sofia Meetings
    The reasoning of the jury: “ArteKino aims to support emergent European cinema through the ArteKino International award and the ArteKino Festival. I would like to thank all the producers and directors we met with the jury as well as the AGORA team who did a great job. ARTE has decided to reward a young director, whose project deals with exile, inequality and politics, but with light and love in its treatment. The ArteKino International award goes to  THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ION G.  by Andreea Cristina Bortun, produced by Gabi Suciu.”  

    The award of Finos Film, of 3,000 euros, is granted to a Greek project.
    The Award was bestowed by Stathis Kamvasinos, Head of Communication & Representative of Finos Film, to the film:
    PIRATELAND 
    Director: Stavros Petropoulos, Production: Leonidas Konstantarakos – Alaska Films, Co-production: Stephane Marschal – Yukunkun Productions, Greece, France
    The reasoning of the jury: “We would like to award the Greek project that stood out for its exceptional team effort. Building on the success and energy of its previous film, it promises a feature version with strong international appeal. The Finos Film Award goes to PIRATELAND.”

    The Producer’s Network Accreditation to next year’s Cannes Marché du Film was awarded to:
    Producer Fahriye Ismayilova for the project 
    GOODBYE FOR NOW
    Director: Kasım Ördek, Production: Fahriye Ismayilova – Parda Film Production, Co-production: Jules Grange – Kidam Production, Turkey, France
    The reasoning of the jury: “We are truly impressed by the energy, dedication, and unwavering resolve of the producer. With a clear vision and fierce commitment, the producer is ready to bring the project onto the global stage. We give the Producer’s Network – Marché du Film Award to FAHRIYE ISMAYILOVA, the producer of GOODBYE FOR NOW.”

    The MIDPOINT’s Consulting Award was bestowed to:
    THE DICTATOR’S DREAM
    Director: Erenik Beqiri, Production: Dritan Huqi – On Film Production, Albania
    The reasoning of the jury: “We were impressed by the project’s political relevance and bold, original vision. A culturally specific story with universal resonance, it skillfully blends satire, absurdity, and tragedy to explore power. The MIDPOINT consulting award goes to THE DICTATOR’S DREAM.”

    Independent Awards: 
    ONASSIS FILM AWARD
    The Onassis Film Award – with a cash-prize of 10,000 euros – was granted to a Greek project participating in the Agora’s Crossroads Co-production Forum section for this year.
    The Onassis Film Award was bestowed by Vassilis Panagiotakopoulos, Head of Productions at the Onassis Foundation, to the film: 
    THE TIDE HEARS THEM BUT THEY NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE
    Director: Yiannis Veslemes, Production: Nicholas Alavanos – FILMIKI, Greece
    The reasoning of the jury: “The Onassis Film Award is presented to a project that stands out for its boldness and authenticity, seeking a balance between the political and the metaphysical. With a clear directorial vision, it addresses one of the darkest political periods in Greece in order to speak about timeless themes and universal questions surrounding death and immortality. The award is presented to the film THE TIDE HEARS THEM BUT THEY NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE  by Yannis Veslemes, produced by Filmiki.”

    The jury of the Onassis Film Award, under the direction of the Artistic Director of the Onassis Foundation, Afroditi Panagiotakou, is composed of:
    Dimitris Theodoropoulos, Executive Director of the Onassis Foundation
    Vasso Vasilatou, Theatrοlogist
    Elizampetta Ilia Georgiadou, Screenwriter
    Vasilis Panayiotakopoulos, Producer
    Christos Sarris, Filmmaker

    The Greener Screen Award, offering consultation on sustainability practices before and during the film shooting was bestowed by the Chief Content Officer of Greener Screen, Bassam Alasad, to the film:  
    A GIRL NAMED ZEUS
    Director: Nikos Dayandas, Production: Konstantinos Κoukoulis – ΠLANKTON, Greece
    Reasoning: “Greener Screen recognises this film for its deep sense of place, its poetic reflection on heritage, and its creators’ sincere commitment to environmental values and sustainable practice. A story that harmonises rebellion and tradition, embodying the regenerative spirit at the heart of truly green cinema. The award is presented to: A GIRL NAMED ZEUS.”

    The Sofia Meetings Award, which gives the chance to the winning project to take part in the upcoming event of Sofia Meetings, held in March 2026, was awarded by Mira Staleva, Head of the Sofia Meetings, to the film: 
    ROBBING BEIRUT
    Director: Katia Jarjoura, Production: Michel Zana – Blue Train Films, Co-production: Elisa Pirir – Staer Film, Jana Wehbe – The Attic, France, Norway, Lebanon
    Reasoning: “For its timely and deeply human story of courage and bravery, ROBBING BEIRUT stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of dignity and solidarity — values our society needs now more than ever.”

    The Mediterranean Film Institute “George Kalogeropoulos” Award – Script 2 Film Workshop Scholarship was awarded by Leda Dialyna, Coordinator of the MFI, to the film:
    LA FORMA ANIMAL
    Director: Isa Luengo, Sofia Esteve, Production: Laura Rubirola – Nocturna Pictures, Carlotta Schiavon, Eva Murgui – Vayolet Films, Spain
    Reasoning: “The award goes to a project that imaginatively blends history, folklore, and personal narrative –  exploring otherness, transformation, and political memory. For its insightful reworking of historical events through myth and fable, we proudly give the MFI SCRIPT 2 FILM WORKSHOP Award to LA FORMA ANIMAL.”

    The EAVE THESSALONIKI Award – Marketing Scholarship was bestowed by EAVE project manager Sarah Van Den Hoogen to the film: 
    Gabi Suciu for The Life and Times of Ion G.
    Reasoning: “We are very happy for AGORA to give the EAVE Marketing Workshop scholarship to a producer that shows very clear motivation to develop her marketing skills and we feel like it is the right moment in her career to participate. She very much embodies the “EAVE spirit” and we are excited to have a Romanian participant at the workshop in 2026.”

    AGORA WORKS IN PROGRESS AWARDS 
    The jury of the Agora Works in Progress, composed of Dorian Magagnin – Acquisitions & Festivals Manager at Cercamon (UA), Danae Spathara – producer at Heretic (Greece),  Barbara Wurm – Head at Berlinale Forum (Germany), took the floor to bestow the following awards: 

    119 Marvila Studios Award – Sound mixing services
    The 119 Marvilla Studio Award was bestowed by sound editor Roland Vajs and the company’s owner Sandra Piers to the film: 
    TONIGHT IS FOREVER
    Director: Fernando Souza, Production: Quentin Laurent – Les Films de l’Oeil Sauvage, Co-production: Lucas Senecaut- L’Oeil Vif Films, Mina Moteki-Kowatanda Films, Fernando Souza – Dichosos los Ojos, France, Japan, Spain
    The reasoning of the jury: “We felt connected with the emotional layers of this character in his pursuit of love. We were caught by the silence echoing loneliness. We were stunned by the strong cinematic language and the subtle atmosphere that this film conveys. The 119 Marvila Studios Award goes to TONIGHT IS FOREVER directed by Fernando Souza.”

    Authorwave Post-Production Award – Creative Services
    The Authorwave post-production Creative Services award was bestowed by Liza Chrysochou, Authorwave’s Chief Operating Officer, to the film:
    PROMISED SPACES
    Director: Ivan Marković, Production: Jasmina Sijercić-Bocalupo Films, Co-production: Zsofi Lili Kovacs – Fiskultura Films, Jelena Radenković – Big Time Production,  Daniel Mattes- Anti-Archive, France, Germany, Serbia, Cambodia
    The reasoning of the jury: “We were very impressed by the way this film reflects the social strata of society through a strong visual conception, mis-en-scene and close observation of the urban architecture. The people might share the same frame, but they remain disconnected. The Authorwave Post-production Award goes to PROMISED SPACES directed by Ivan Marković.” 

    The ERT Agora Works in Progress Award with a cash prize of 2,000 euros is given to a Greek project. 
    The ERT Award of 2,000 was bestowed by Synthia Sapika, General Director of ERT3 and member of the Festival’s Board of Directors, to the film: 
    WAYS TO GET RID OF SOME FREEDOM
    Director: Chrisanthos Margonis, Production: Eleni Kossyfidou-Blackbird Productions, Co-production: Marinos Charalambous – Boycott Films, Greece, Cyprus
    The reasoning of the jury: “The film grabbed us immediately and managed to keep our attention all throughout – by its overwhelming energy, freshness, directness and the riveting performances. The always unpredictable story made us want to join these lovers on their bizarre road trip. The ERT AGORA Works in Progress Award goes to WAYS TO GET RID OF SOME FREEDOM directed by Chrisanthos Margonis.”

    AGORA SERIES TALENTS AWARD
    Within the framework of the newly established Agora Series Talents, addresses to series’ screenwriters, the Crew United Award was bestowed by Venia Vergou and Iris Assimakopoulou pf of the Crew United to:

    Katerina Papanastasiou 
    The reasoning of the jury: “We grant the Award to Katerina Papanastasatou, for the series project Elena, Unhinged that stands out for its sharp humor, strong voice, and its honest take on the struggles of a generation trying to survive and stay true to itself.
    The winner receives a 5-year Premium membership subscription on Crew United, the leading online networking platform.

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  • Sofia Exarchou On Returning To Greece With Her Buzzy Feature ‘Animal’ & The Filmmaking Community Created From The Country’s Financial Crash — Thessaloniki

    Sofia Exarchou On Returning To Greece With Her Buzzy Feature ‘Animal’ & The Filmmaking Community Created From The Country’s Financial Crash — Thessaloniki

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    Seven years after her skillful debut Park, which played Toronto and San Sebastian, where it won the New Directors Award, Greek filmmaker Sofia Exarchou has returned with her sophomore outing. 

    Animal, which Exarchou directed from a screenplay she also penned, follows a group of young seasonal performers who provide entertainment at one of Greece’s many all-inclusive island resorts. Kalia (Dimitra Vlagopoulou), returning for her ninth year on the resort, is the leader of the pack, but she’s starting to crack. As the summer intensifies and the work pressure builds up, their nights become violent, and Kalia’s struggle is revealed. But when the spotlights turn on again, the show must go on.

    The pic debuted in competition at Locarno, where Vlagopoulou took the Pardo Award for Best Performance. Since then, Animal has been one of the year’s buzziest arthouse titles, screening across the festival circuit and picking up awards. Next week, Exarchou returns home, with the film making its Greek debut at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Below, the filmmaker speaks to Deadline about why she decided to make a feature about the dark side behind the Greek tourism industry, how a win in Locarno has changed the perception of her work back home, and how a fruitful filmmaking community was created out of Greece’s financial troubles.

    DEADLINE: Sofia, you’ve been on the road with ‘Animal’ all year. How are you feeling?

    SOFIA EXARCHOU: We went to Locarno, Sarajevo, Montreal, and Vancouver, where we won Best Film. Then Haifa, and now it’s actually starting to become too much. I’m going Spain, Viennale, Thessaloniki, Mannheim, Brussels. It’ll keep going until the summer, and it’s nice. It’s a good feeling to see your film is traveling and people are enjoying it. 

    DEADLINE: Have you noticed a change in attitudes toward you and your work following the win at Locarno?

    EXARCHOU: I did also pick up awards with Park, my first feature. It won Best New Director at San Sebastian. But yes, I don’t know why, but with this film, I have felt a change in attitude. Perhaps it’s because of Locarno. We’ve also had very good reviews. It’s already been covered nicely in Greece, even though we haven’t screened it here yet. Maybe it’s also the film’s theme because it’s about tourism, and all Greek people have some relationship with that. People from the industry are happy for me, and it has changed how they perceive my work. But let’s wait until after Thessaloniki and the distribution in Greece.

    DEADLINE: How are you feeling about bringing the film home?

    EXARCHOU: I’m excited. Firstly, most of the cast and crew are coming from Athens to watch the film together. We’re going to be a big gang of more than 40 people. Many of them haven’t seen the film yet because we didn’t have the time to set up a private screening. I’m excited to be in my country, although it’s sometimes stressful. It’s a totally different feeling. You’re not among foreigners. You’re among people who you have worked with and family friends, and you want them to like it. It also feels like the end of the film’s journey, you know. I’ve done this film. I shot it. And now it’s screened in my country. 

    DEADLINE: What would be a success in Greece for you with ‘Animal’?

    EXARCHOU: Well, we worry about the film’s distribution. It’s tough here for Greek films to do well in the cinemas. But that would be something that I would like to happen. I would enjoy people in my country going to the cinemas to watch the film. Of course, I enjoy going to festivals, but it’s different. Communicating with audiences in Greece would be a success for me.

    DEADLINE: Can you tell me a little about the genesis behind the film’s story?

    EXARCHOU: I started writing the script because I wanted to make a movie about work and working systems. From there, it was obvious to me that if I wanted to talk about work in Greece, the tourism industry would be the core of it. This led me to the idea of performers working in a hotel during the summer. Suddenly, it all made sense with the notion of entertainment, which, for me, is intriguing in capitalism: The idea of how we need to keep people entertained all day to keep the system rolling. 

    DEADLINE: Despite the financial hardships and volatile political environment, it feels like there has been a fruitful new filmmaking wave in Greece. What has it been like working in these conditions?

    EXARCHOU: It has been difficult. We had an economic crisis, and many things changed in the industry. I started working before the crisis. It was much easier to make films and to work in films with good salaries. With the crisis, it was almost impossible to have a job. On the other hand, we built a small community because of all the struggle. Everybody was helping each other. Plus, sometimes, when everything is collapsing, an energy is created where you want to present your universe to the world.  You have this anger and stress, which is a big motivation for an artist.

    DEADLINE: What’s next for you?

    EXARCHOU: I still have some work on Animal. We took it to Locarno very quickly, so a lot of promotion hasn’t been done. We’re now working on a trailer and a poster. I have an idea for a new project, but I need to relax first.  I feel quite drained after all these years of work, especially the last two. It’s really important to recharge the batteries in your brain before beginning a screenplay, which is the most difficult step in the creation. 

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