Thessaloniki's Crossroads Forum Selects 14 Films From 15 Countries

Agora, the industry section of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, has selected 14 film projects from 15 countries for its Crossroads Co-production Forum, running from Nov. 8–12. The projects come from across Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

The lineup spans established and emerging filmmakers, including Nikola Ležaić and Gemma Blasco. According to Agora, the selection highlights contemporary themes such as representation, manhood and human connection, alongside contemporary takes on folk stories, vampires and the complex reality of growing up.

A four-member jury will assess the projects: Ioanna Bolomyti, producer and founder of Atalante Productions (Greece); Fred Burle, producer at One Two Films (Germany); Linda Mutawi, producer at Fikra (Sweden); and Remi Burah, CEO of Arte France Cinéma (France).

Agora has also introduced a new prize this year. The Frenel Post Lab Post-production Award will grant post-production image services to one awarded project participating in the forum.

The selected projects

• A Pair of Shoes in the Dark Corner of the Moon — directed by Ayman El Amir, produced by Nada Riyadh (Felucca Films, Egypt)
• The Arab of Your Dreams — directed by Patrick Tass, produced by Annabella Nezri (Kwassa Films, Belgium); Mediterranean Film Institute project
• A Touch of Paradise — directed by Houcem Slouli, produced by Sarra Ben Hassen (Instinct Bleu) and Khaled Henchiri (Upper Echlon), Tunisia
• Boys of Summer — directed by Emilios Avraam, produced by Tonia Mishiali (Boycott Films Ltd), co-produced by Marinos Charalambous, Cyprus
• Fuoristagione — directed by Isabella Rinaldi, produced by Joana de Freitas Ginori (Ulalà Film & Co.), Italy
• In Those Darkest Nights — directed by Gözde Kural, produced by Titus Keunberg (Unafilm), Turkey and Germany
• Koukitsa — directed by Christina Koutsospyrou and Aran Hughes, produced by Jacob Moe (Archipelago Network), Greece; Sofia Meetings project
• Lava Love — directed by Steve Krikris, produced by Nicholas Alavanos and Stelios Mavrodontis (Filmiki), Greece
• Petrolei — directed by Gemma Blasco, produced by Mireia Graell Vivancos (Ringo Media), Spain
• Religion of Night Walks — directed by Nikola Ležaić, produced by Siniša Juričić (Nukleus Film), co-produced by Jelena Mitrovič (Baš Čelik), Croatia and Serbia
• Tettix — directed by Stella Serefoglou, produced by Alexandros Tiliopoulos (Open Borders Productions), co-produced by Zorana Musikic and May Odeh (Mayana Films), Greece and Germany
• The Last Angel of Beirut — directed by Valentin Noujaïm, produced by Manon Messiant (Iliade et films), France
• They Bloom at Dawn — directed by Angela Dimeska, produced by Ognen Antov (Dream Factory), North Macedonia
• This Is Not a Set — directed by Yumna Marwan, produced by Rula Nasser (Imaginarium Films), Jordan; Midpoint Institute project

Focus sessions

Three shortlisted Greek projects from the forum will take part in Agora's Focus sessions, created for further networking and project development. The selected teams will have consultation meetings with experienced industry professionals from Greece and abroad, including Sergina Stavroulaki, acquisitions at Heretic (Greece); Thibaut Bracq, program manager at La Fabrique – Cannes (France); and Angeliki Vergou, former head of Agora and a project development and script consultant (Greece). Agora says the consultants will offer practical advice on how best to position each film within international co-production markets, while scouting for future partners.

The Focus session projects are:

• Beast — directed by Giannis Haritidis, produced by Connie Zikou (Blinding Lights Productions), Greece
• Graceland — directed by Faidon Gkretsikos, produced by Marina Danezi (Laika Productions), Greece
• The Passed Pawn — directed by Alexandros Tsilifonis, produced by Katerina Kaskanioti (Central Athens Film Productions), co-produced by Alain De Levita (Levitate Film), Greece and the Netherlands

With a jury led by Arte France Cinéma's Remi Burah and a new post-production award on the table, the Crossroads Co-production Forum positions itself again this November as a financing gateway for Southeastern European and Mediterranean cinema.