October 31 – November 9, 2014
CROSSROADS OPENING
The 10th Crossroads Co-Production Forum opening event took place on Wednesday, November 5, at the Electra Palace hotel, in the context of the 55th TIFF. Crossroads is part of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival Agora Industry section. Festival Director Dimitri Eipides attended the event.
In his opening speech, Mr Eipides welcomed the producers and directors joining the current edition of Crossroads and said he was greatly satisfied with the fact that the number of participants in the Co-Production Forum continues to rise. Mr Eipides also said that the Crossroads Forum is valuable not only to the Thessaloniki Film Festival, but also to the very evolution of cinema. “Crossroads gives filmmakers the opportunity to meet with other producers and distributors, facilitating the completion of film projects which are still in the making,” he added, and then wished participants the best of luck, in the hope of seeing their films on the big screen soon.
Taking the floor, Head of Crossroads Marie-Pierre Macia, presented the members of the Crossroads team and thanked the institutions supporting the Agora Industry Section. In 2014, these supporters include the Hellenic Film Academy and the Onassis Cultural Centre. Ms Macia made special reference to Ms Annamaria Lodato, who was present at the event representing ARTE France. For the first time in the Crossroads section history, ARTE will present a 6,000 euro cash prize to a participating film project.
Ms Macia went on to present the 2014 Crossroads jury, which consists of Ewa Puszczynska (producer - Opus Films, Poland), Thania Dimitrakopoulou (sales agent – Match Factory, Germany), and Elise Jalladeau (producer/Audiovisual Attachee of the Embassy of France in Greece, France).
The TIFF Agora awards will be presented on Friday, November 7, at 6 p.m. at the Electra Palace hotel.
Crossroads celebrates this year its 10-year anniversary, which coincides with the centennial of Greek cinema. This prompted organisers to give special attention to film projects and films in production or post-production from Greece. This emphasis is reflected in the fact that 6 out of the total 13 projects, all of which were selected on the basis of their script quality, are from Greece.
This year’s projects are:
1. 40% Director: Andrea Segre, Production: Andrea Stucovitz, JOLEFILM, Italy
In collaboration with the MFI Script2Film Workshop
2. ARK Director: Aristotelis Maragkos, Production: Vasilis Chrysanthopoulos, plays2place productions, Greece
3. GREENHOUSE Director: Nikos Kritikos, Production: Fotini Economopoulou, Oh My Dog Greece
4. KIDS FROM THE EAST Director: Aramisova, Production: Michal Kracmer, Cinedix, Czech Republic/ Slovak Republic
5. KILA Director: Dimitris Koutsiabasakos, Production: Yorgos Kyriakos, View Master, Greece
6. NEVER LET IT GO Director/Producer: Paul Negoescu, Papillon Film, Romania
In collaboration with SOFIA MEETINGS of the Sofia International Film Festival
7. A PACK OF SHEEP Director: Dimitris Kanellopoulos, Production: KOnstantina Stavrianou/Graal Films, Elina Psykou/Guanaco, Greece
8. THE SECRET INGREDIENT Director: Gjorce Stavreski, Production: Emilija Chochkova, Fragment Films, FYROM
9. SONS OF SUNDAY Director: Rami Kodeih, Production: Rita Dhager, Senorita Films, France
10. TAILOR Director: Sonia Liza Kenterman, Production: Fenia Cossovitsa, Blonde Audiovisual S.A, Greece
11. TEA Director: Ahmad Abdalla, Production: Mohamed Hefzy, Film Clinic, Egypt
12. THERE, WHERE NO ONE KNEW HOW TO CRY
Director: Yorgos Panousopoulos, Production: Eleni Kossyfidou, Black Bird Productions Greece
13. TRAMONTANE Director: Vatche Boulghourjian, Production: Georges Schoucair, Abbout Production, Lebanon
All selected projects are either produced or co-produced by a country in South-eastern and Central Europe or the Mediterranean region, or contain story elements connected to those regions. This year's selected projects come from Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, FYROM and Romania.
Participating producers and directors will have the opportunity to present and discuss their projects during formal and informal meetings with other producers, distributors, broadcasters, sales agents and consultants.
Crossroads is supported by the EU’s Creative Europe programme and also collaborates with:
The Greek post-production company 2|35 Inc, which will present the co-production award (visual and audio) to the winning project.
The CNC (Centre national du cinema et de l'image animee), which will provide 7,000 euro for the development of a project.
The ARTE France TV network, which will present for the first time a 6,000 euro award to a film project.
The Producer’s Network of the Cannes Film Festival, which will grant an accreditation to the winning producer to participate in the upcoming Producer’s Network 2015.
The Sofia Meetings section of the Sofia Film Festival, which will select one project to be presented in next year’s edition, in March 2015.
The Mediterranean Film Institute Script 2 Film Workshops, which award a scholarship for script development to one project.
The French consulting firm Initiative Film, which will provide its expertise to one project.
Cinemed (Mediterranean Film Festival of Montpelier), which will be selecting one Greek film project every year to compete for its annual Development Grant.
The European portal Cineuropa, which provides extensive coverage of news and developments in the cinema market.
ACE - Ateliers du cinema europeen, which selects every year novice producers to participate in its producers network and develop their projects professionally with the help of established fellow producers.
Crossroads is part of the Agora Industry that creates an international network of professionals and provides the grounds and optimal conditions for meetings, discussions and agreements, all in an informal, warm and professional environment.
