The 11th Beyond Borders Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival, running from 23-30 August, is expanding its industry programme with the launch of the International Co-Production Development Forum, alongside the seventh edition of its Audio-Visual Pitching Lab, a series of master classes, panel discussions and special presentations. The industry programme is organised under the auspices of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED).

The new International Co-Production Development Forum, taking place from 24-27 August, is a four-day development initiative dedicated exclusively to Greek productions and co-productions targeting the international market. Led by Rudy Buttignol, former president and CEO of Knowledge Network, the forum will combine hands-on development sessions, master classes, one-to-one meetings and pitching exercises. The selected filmmakers will have the opportunity to work directly with senior executives and commissioning editors from major international broadcasters and platforms, including Adel Ksiksi (Al Jazeera Documentary), Claudia Bucher (ARTE GEIE), Peter Arens (ZDF) and Lefteris Fylaktos (ERT).

The projects were selected from among 28 submissions covering subjects ranging from history and migration to human rights. The initiative aims to provide Greek filmmakers with the international networks and strategic tools needed to develop their projects for the global market.

The Audio-Visual Pitching Lab returns for its seventh edition on 26-27 August. Continuing its mission of connecting emerging European and international filmmakers with experienced industry professionals, the hybrid workshop remains the only domestic pitching lab conducted remotely, allowing participants to access industry expertise regardless of geographical or financial barriers.

The lab will once again be moderated by Dr Claudia Schreiner, former director of the Masterschool at Documentary Campus in Berlin and Munich. Its selection committee comprises students from the festival’s partner film schools: Mehmet Ferruh Kıray (Turkey), Alma Dumitras Bojescu (Romania) and Elise Le Floch (France). Each project presentation will consist of a seven-minute pitch, seven minutes of feedback and discussion, and one minute for the jury’s decision. The winning project will receive €3,000 worth of sound post-production services from Eye of the North Studios.

The festival will also host a series of industry-focused master classes and panels. A FIPRESCI panel on “The Future of Film Criticism”, featuring Nino Kovačić, Robenson Exél and FIPRESCI vice-president Paola Casella, will examine the challenges facing professional film criticism in an increasingly crowded social-media landscape.

Schreiner will lead a master class on German public broadcasting and green production, focusing on the financing structures of ARD and ZDF, and European green-producing requirements. Lefteris Fylaktos will explore the documentary as a “Third Space” between filmmaker and subject, while Oscar-nominated Swiss director Christian Frei will discuss the process of distilling complex reality into enduring cinematic narratives.

A special EKKOMED presentation, “The Greek Audiovisual Ecosystem: Upskilling, Networking and Training Opportunities”, will meanwhile present funding, talent-development, audience-building and internationalisation opportunities for Greek and international professionals.

The 11th edition of Beyond Borders is held with EKKOMED as its main institutional partner, under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is supported by ERT and ZDF, the Hellenic Parliament, the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Latsis Foundation, among other institutional and diplomatic partners.

Here are the projects selected for the International Co-Production Development Forum and the selected ideas for the Audio-Visual Pitching Lab:

International Co-Production Development Forum

The Empire – Dimitra Babadima
Producer: Dimitra Babadima

Hitler’s Excavation at Olympia – Nikos Chrysikakis
Producer: Nikos Chrysikakis

Music From the Unseen Journey: Tcha’s Journey – Petros Kolotouros
Producer: Leonidas Liambeys

Child Brides: The Missing Piece – Fotini Lampridi
Producer: Marina Danzi

Ideal Homeland – Gregory Vardarinos
Producer: Gregory Vardarinos

Audio-Visual Pitching Lab

Boundless in 3.5 m² – Sevinç Baloğlu, Maryam Sadat Bahrololumi, Niki Tsilingiroglou (Turkey/Iran/Greece)
A King in Patagonia – Léopold Belanger, Grégoire Pontoizeau (France)
Council of the Little – Shakila Bizimana (Bulgaria)
Olympians Unbreakable – Oleksiy Chychkan (Ukraine)
Immigrant Moon – Christina Katsiadaki (Canada)
Drama Queen: She’s Just Difficult – Nele Mohrbach (Germany)
Tango Me Sarajevo – Nafise Motlaq (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Whispering to Anahita – Saeed Nasiri (Iran/France)
Fragments of Memory – Vivian Papageorgiou (Greece)
Where Is My Bed? – Ana Vučković (Serbia)
The Cow Thief – Mohamed Zedan (Egypt)