Film festival hosts industry event

The Thessaloniki International Film Festival will host the 2026 edition of Agora Works in Progress from 8 to 12 November. This event is part of the festival’s industry programme, which connects filmmakers with professionals in the film industry.

Selected films highlight youth themes

The industry programme has selected 11 films in post-production from Central and Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region, representing 15 countries. These films explore themes of youth, from adolescence and cultural identity to rebellion and family history shaped by war and borders.

Diverse range of filmmakers and stories

The selection brings together filmmakers at different stages of their careers. Among them is Serbian-American director Darko Lungulov, whose film 1970 joins the line-up. Other notable names include Cypriot filmmaker Kyros Papavassiliou and Spanish director Diego Llorente, who returns with How the Light Gets In.

Jury and training initiatives

The Agora Works in Progress jury includes Maria Drandaki, Wouter Jansen, and Gabriela Trujillo. Alongside this, the Thessaloniki Locarno Industry Academy will run from 7 to 12 November, offering training for young professionals in the film industry.

Short film lab and international collaboration

The AGORA Short Film Lab, co-organised with Clermont-Ferrand and Drama International Short Film Festivals, will run from 8 to 12 November. It aims to help directors of award-winning short films transition to feature filmmaking through workshops and discussions with industry experts.

Selected projects and participants

The full list of projects includes Avanos by Panagiotis Charamis and Mignon by Sofia Georgovassili. Under the BRIDGE TO: AUSTRIA initiative, two emerging directors from Austria are also participating, having won Best Film at the Austrian Short Film Award.