The Agora of the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) held its awards ceremony on November 5 at Warehouse C, in an event presided over by Thanos Stavropoulos, Agora manager, and Angeliki Vergou, head of the section, together with the festival’s artistic director, Orestis Andreadakis, and general director, Elise Jalladeau. The professional arm of the festival highlighted a selection of European and international projects that reflect the diversity and vitality of contemporary cinema.
At the 21st Crossroads Co-Production Forum, the jury — composed of Frank Hoeve (BALDR Film), Uljana Kim (Studio Uljana Kim), Andreas Zoupanos Kritikos (Faliro House), and Mathilde Hersant (ARTE France Cinéma) — presented the Two Thirty-Five (2|35) Award for image and sound post-production services to The Leaves Hang Trembling by Serbian filmmaker Stefan Djordjević, produced by Dragana Jovović (Non-Aligned Films), praising it for its courage, empathy, and emotional depth in placing children and students at the heart of its narrative.
The CNC Script Development Award, worth €8,000, went to The Unmoving Hands by Spanish director Víctor Diago, produced by Andrés Mellinas (Boogaloo), recognized for its exploration of marginalized lives through an original and genre-fluid perspective. Meanwhile, the Romanian project The Life and Times of Ion G. by Andreea Cristina Bortun, produced by Gabi Suciu (Atelier de Film), received both the ArteKino International Award and the EAVE Thessaloniki Marketing Scholarship, honoring a work that addresses exile, inequality, and politics with a luminous and heartfelt approach.
The Finos Film Award for Best Greek Project was presented to Pirateland by Stavros Petropoulos, for its strong team effort and international potential. The MIDPOINT Consulting Award went to The Dictator’s Dream by Albanian director Erenik Beqiri, recognized for its political relevance and bold vision, while the Producers Network Accreditation at Cannes 2026 was granted to producer Fahriye Ismayilova for Goodbye for Now.
Among the independent prizes, the prestigious Onassis Film Award, valued at €10,000, was bestowed upon Greek director Yiannis Veslemes for The Tide Hears Them but They No Longer Have a Voice, produced by Nicholas Alavanos (Filmiki). Vassilis Panagiotakopoulos, from the Onassis Foundation, highlighted that the film “addresses one of the darkest periods in Greek political history to reflect on death and immortality from a universal perspective.”
Sustainability also took center stage with the Greener Screen Award, granted to A Girl Named Zeus by Nikos Dayandas for its poetic reflection on heritage and environmental commitment. Robbing Beirut by Katia Jarjoura received the Sofia Meetings Award, while the MFI “George Kalogeropoulos” Award went to La Forma Animal by Spanish filmmakers Isa Luengo and Sofía Esteve.
In the Agora Works in Progress section, the 119 Marvila Studios Award for sound mixing was presented to Tonight Is Forever by Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Souza, praised for its subtle and emotionally resonant cinematic language. The Authorwave Post-production Award went to Promised Spaces by Serbian director Ivan Marković, recognized for its strong visual conception and observation of urban spaces. The ERT Agora Works in Progress Award, worth €2,000, was given to the Greek project Ways to Get Rid of Some Freedom by Chrisanthos Margonis, celebrated for its energy, freshness, and captivating performances.
Finally, within the newly launched Agora Series Talents initiative, the Crew United Award was presented to screenwriter Katerina Papanastasiou for Elena, Unhinged, closing an Agora edition that reaffirms its commitment to creativity, diversity, and the future of international cinema.
