28/02/2022 - The co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival has selected 14 projects from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin

Director Grzegorz Paprzycki, who is taking part with his project December

The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (TDF), offering participants the opportunity to discuss their projects, and to receive feedback and advice during a two-day, online lab, where they will prepare for pitching with the help of documentary professionals. This year, the selection includes 14 projects and their attached directors and producers, who will have the chance to hone their new works. The teams will also prepare for the Pitching Forum, which will take place on 14 March on site and online, and will be followed by individual meetings with professionals.

The international jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum comprises Krishan Arora, international content consultant at SBS Australia; Stephanie Fuchs, festivals manager (Autlook Filmsales); and Greek film director Angelos Kovotsos. The participants are aiming to win the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award, valued at €2,000; the ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award for a Greek project; the Mediterranean Film Institute Award (MFI Script2Film Workshop), which offers a DocLab scholarship as well as accommodation on the islands of Nisyros and Rhodes, where the MFI workshop takes place; the DAE – Documentary Association of Europe Award (consultation and free membership); the Aylon Productions Digital Services Award (digitisation by Aylon Productions); and the Beldocs Award (accommodation and accreditation for the next Beldocs International Documentary Festival in May 2022). Furthermore, the Onassis Foundation, in partnership with the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, will bestow the Onassis Cinema Award upon one of the Greek projects taking part in the 24^th TDF’s Agora.

The selected projects are as follows:

Caution, Risk of Falling Exhibits! - Jana Durajova, Lena Kusnierikova (Slovakia)
Producers: Zuzana Mistrikova, Lubica Orechovska, Arkaitz Basterra (PubRes)

December - Grzegorz Paprzycki (Poland)
Producer: Maciej Kubicki (Telemark)

The Floating World - Fernando Souza (Italy/USA/Canada)
Producer: Mo Scarpelli (Rake Films)
Co-producer: Jorge Thielen Armand (La Faena Films)

The French Connection - Jamie Goldrick (Ireland)
Producer: Kevin Brannigan (PushPull)

Harvest Mood - Rama Ayasra (Jordan)
Producer: Mariam Salim (New productions)
Co-producer: Asmahan Bkerat

Honeydew - Marco Bergonzi, Michael Petrolini (Italy/Sweden)
Producer: Simone Catania (Indyca)
Co-producer: Costanza Julia Bani (Fellonica Film)

Land of Sar - Petra Seliskar (France/North Macedonia/Slovenia)
Producer: Victor Ede (Cinéphage)
Co-producers: Petra Seliskar (Petra Pan Films), Sara Ferro (PPFP Doel)

Mums - Ariadna Seuba Serra (Spain)
Producer: Maria López (Intactes Films)

Running For Anna - Tomaso Aramini (Italy)
Producer: Tomaso Aramini

Super Paradise - Steve Krikris (Greece)
Producer: Paul Typaldos (Filmiki Productions)
Co-producer: Dafni Kalafati

People in My House - Tatjana Bozic (Croatia/Germany/Netherlands)
Producer: Magdalena Petrovic (LEWA productions)
Co-producers: Frank Müller (Doppelplusultra Filmprouktion), Jacob Gesink (Spacedust production), Wout Conijn (Conijn Film)

Quixote’s Camera - 10 Letters from Beyond Light - Cordelia Dvorák (Germany/Slovenia/Greece)
Producers: Cordelia Dvorák (Paloma Films), Daniel Hočevar (Vertigo)
Co-producer: Leonidas Liambeys (Long Run Productions)

Sunken - Dimitris Gkotsis (Greece)
Producer: Mina Dreki (Marni Films)

Untitled Project - Ayşe Toprak (Germany/Estonia) - in collaboration with CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator
Producer: Ekin Çalışır (Purple Pigeon Productions)
Co-producer: Julia Cöllen (Fünferfilm)