57th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
November 3-13, 2016
CROSSROADS OPENING
November 3-13, 2016
CROSSROADS OPENING
The 12th Crossroads Co-Production Forum opened on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, at Warehouse C, as part of the Agora / Industry of the 57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
In her opening speech, Mrs Marie-Pierre Macia, head of Crossroads Co-Production Forum, welcomed the producers and directors participating in this year’s edition, “old and new friends”, as she noted. Mrs Macia said that it is a great joy the fact that some of the projects presented in Crossroads developed into films and are screened in important film festivals. In fact, filmmakers who had participated in the past in the Crossroads section, present this year their completed films at the 57th TIFF. Such a case is the film Tramontane by Vatche Boulghourjian that participated in the 55th TIFF’s Crossroads, premiered in this year’s Cannes Festival and is screened in the 57th TIFF. In fact, one of the film’s producers, Georges Schoucair, together with Myriam Sassine, takes part in this year’s edition Crossroads with a new project. In addition, the film As I Open my Eyes by Leyla Bouzid, which was also presented in Crossroads in the past, is competing this year for the LUX Prize of the European Parliament and it’s screened in the 57th TIFF, as are the films King of the Belgians by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth, and Park by Sofia Exarchou – the latter participates in the International Competition section of the 57th TIFF.
Mrs Macia went on to present the TIFF’s Agora/Industry team, together with Yianna Sarri, TIFF’s consultant for innovative programs & new technologies and head of Agora, and Angeliki Vergou, Crossroads’ coordinator, who thanked the sponsors supporting the Agora/Industry. In addition, Mrs Macia presented the members of this year’s Crossroads jury; Raimond Goebel (producer - Pandora Film Production, Germany), Maria Drandaki (producer – Homemade Films, Greece) and Didar Domehri ( producer - Full House & Maneki Films, France), while afterwards the participants of this year’s Crossroads took the floor to introduce themselves and talk about their projects.
A special mention was made to ACE-Ateliers du Cinema Europeen, which annually selects new producers to participate in its producers’ network and develop their projects with the help of established fellow producers. As explained by ACE representative, Ronan Girre, this international network was founded in 1993 in Paris and comprises of 230 members from 44 countries, 28 of which are European. It is a platform where producers are able to exchange experiences, a friendly community that favors the exchange of information and useful advice from experienced cinema professionals. ACE organizes annually three five-day workshops with agents, distributors and contributors/sponsors, while its network is expanding every year. Mr. Girre advised the filmmakers first to gain experience in local film production before proceeding to co-productions with other countries.
The Crossroads section of Agora/Industry selects film projects based on the script quality, the creative team and the production potential. It aims at supporting producers of feature films related to Central Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. This year, Crossroads has selected 14 film projects, the 4 of which are Greek:
1. All This Victory - Director: Ahmad Ghossein, Production: Georges Schoucair, Myriam Sassine, Abbout Production, Alice Ormieres, Surprise Alley, Lebanon, France
2. Behind The Haystacks - Director: Asimina Proedrou, Production: Anna Jancso, Asimina Proedrou, Librecine,Greece, Hungary
3. The Bridge - Director, Producer: Hala Lofty, Production: Hassala, Mohamed Samir, DayDream Art Production, Egypt
4. Dajna - Director: Christos Netsos, Production: Ermir Keta, Anima Pictures, Albania
5. Dormitory - Director: Nehir Tuna, Production: Suzan Guverte, Guverte Film Co-production: Dijital Sanatlar, Turkey
6. Fantasia - Director: Alexis Kardaras, Production: Eleni Kossyfidou, Pan Entertainment, Greece
7. The Father - Directors, Producers: Kristina Grozeva & Petar Valchanov, ABRAXAS FILMS, Co-producers: Konstantina Stavrianou, Irini Vougioukalou, GRAAL, Flaminio Zadra, Alberto Fanni, DORJE FILM, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy - In collaboration with SOFIA MEETINGS
8. Figuras - Director, Producer: Azra Deniz Okyay, Production: Selin Karli, Figuras Productions, Turkey
9. A Kingdom (working title) - Director: Emilie Aussel, Producer: Thomas Ordonneau, Shellac Sud, France - In collaboration with CINEMED
10. Lost In Paradise - Director: Fiona Ziegler, Production: Kristyna Kvetova, Cinemotif Films, Co-producer: Aline Schmid, Beauvoir Films, Czech Republic, Switzerland - In collaboration with the MFI Script2Film Workshop
11. Money for a Funeral - Directors: Magdelena Ilieva, Jonathan Heidelberger, Production: Martichka Bozhilova, Agitrop Productions, Bulgaria
12. Noah Tree - Director: Cenk Erturk, Production: Cenk Erturk, Mehmet Gungoren, Sevki Tuna Erturk, Hayali Ihracat Film, Turkey
13. The Nobleman - Director: Bazi Gete, Production: Thomas Alfandari, Bustan Films, Co-producer: Dominique Welinski, DW Films, Israel, France
14. Vassilis Arvanitis (working title) - Directors: Irene Vachlioti, Panayiotis Klitharas Production: George Kyriakos, Viewmaster Films, Greece
These projects’ producers and directors will be able to present and discuss their projects with co-producers, distributors, sales agents and production specialists.
Crossroads is part of the Agora Industry, the section of the Festival hosting works in development 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. The TIFF Agora Industry is supported by the MEDIA – Creative Europe program of the European Union.
Crossroads also collaborates with:
· The Greek post-production house 2|35 Inc, which offers the main prize of a co-production award (image and sound post) to the winning project.
· The CNC (Centre National du Cinema et de l’ image animee), which offers 10.000 euros for project development.
· The Greek company Musou, which offers the winning project the opportunity to compose and produce original music, seek and obtain intellectual and music publishing rights, as well as sound creation and editing.
· The Producer’s Network of The Cannes Film Festival, which offers a free accreditation for the Producer’s Network in the Cannes Film Festival 2017.
· Sofia Meetings of the Sofia IFF, which will select one project to be presented in March, 2017 at the Sofia Meetings.
· Τhe Mediterranean Film Institute Script 2 Film Workshops, which offers a scholarship for its next round of Script 2 Film Workshops to one of the projects.
· Initiative Film, a script-development consultancy firm in France, which offers its services to one of the projects.
· Cinemed, (Festival Cinema Mediterraneen Montpellier) will include at least one Greek project in the yearly Development Grant selection according to its state of development.
The TIFF Agora/Industry prizes will be bestowed on Friday, November 11, 2016, at 18:00 at Warehouse C.
All sections of the 57th TIFF as well as the Agora/Industry are financed by the European Union - European Regional Development Fund under the ROP of Central Macedonia 2014-2020.
