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The International Competition section of the 21^st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival discovers the boldest new voices of contemporary documentary filmmaking, presenting the first or second films by the most promising directors from all over the world. It is worth noting that the TDF is included -along with 28 leading film festivals- in the Documentary Feature Qualifying Festival List established by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Thus the documentary that wins TDF’s Golden Alexander Best Documentary–International Competition award automatically becomes eligible for Oscar consideration in the Documentary Feature category.

Oscar-winning Greek-American director Louie Psihoyos is given a carte blanche in the 21^st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival to select his favorite films. Psihoyios will attend this year’s edition to receive the festival’s top honorary award, the Golden Alexander, as well as to present the carte blanche films and a special screening of his documentary The Cove (2009, Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature).

The 21st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival kicks off on Friday, March 1st, 2019 at the Olympion theatre with Nick Broomfield’s documentary Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love.

From crucial political and environmental issues to female sexuality and antiquities trade, seven of the most powerful documentaries that will be screened in the 21^st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival capture and explore the multifaceted kaleidoscope of human reality.

The countdown for the 21^st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (March 1-10, 2019) begins with the tribute “Why Look at Animals”, dedicated to the special relationship between humans and animals.

The tribute is inspired by the same titled essay by the iconic British art critic, author and painter John Berger (1926-2017) and presents a selection of poignant documentaries that explore the various aspects of the interaction between man and animal.