Coexistence, My Ass!, a film about Israeli comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi who dares to advocate for peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, won the Golden Alexander Sunday at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, TiDF’s top award.
Shuster-Eliassi attended the awards ceremony in the Greek port city, along with director Amber Fares and fellow members of the production. The comedian, whose one-woman show became the basis for the documentary, acknowledged her parents who were on hand for the event.
“My first political teacher, my father, is up there [in the balcony]. The first memory I have of my father is him going in and out of Israeli military prison for refusing to serve in the occupied Palestinian Territories,” Shuster-Eliassi noted. “Our activism and how we demonstrate equality, and freedom, and liberation is not just in one protest or one activity or one thing or one joke. It’s demonstrating what we envision the alternative is with your body, with your languages… using our privilege to make sure that my Palestinian friends will be free.”
She also referenced the recent arrest of Nidal Badarny, an Arab Israeli citizen, who was picked up by Israeli authorities for posting videos to the internet which authorities said were “crass” and “raised a suspicion of a violation of public order.”
Comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi speaks at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival awards. Looking on (in striped sweater) is ‘Coexistence, My Ass!’ director Amber Fares.
Matthew Carey
“Two weeks ago, a Palestinian comedian, a colleague of mine, made jokes in Israel and the police showed up in at his home and took him and arrested him for telling jokes,” Shuster-Eliassi said. “And I’m here because there is still a little crack of freedom of speech that I get because of my privilege as an Israeli Jew.”
On a more humorous note, Shuster-Eliassi also brought up the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“When I changed from political activism into comedy, it was because I heard that in The Ukraine, a Jewish comedian wrote a sitcom about becoming the president and he became the president!” she said. “So, I thought if I want to take my political career seriously, I need to start writing jokes because I know that when you’re laughing, you’re listening.”
Winning the Golden Alexander automatically qualifies Coexistence, My Ass! for consideration as Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards. In addition to the Golden Alexander, Fares’s film also won the Human Rights in Motion Award, presented by the Council of Europe.
The jury for TiDF’s International Competition consisted of Dimitris Athiridis, the Greek photographer, documentary filmmaker, producer, and editor; filmmaker and photographer Lauren Greenfield, and Signe Byrge Sørensen, the Danish producer and four-time Oscar nominee. The jurors awarded the Silver Alexander to Free Leonard Peltier, the documentary about the Native American activist who served almost 50 years in prison for the alleged murder of two FBI agents in 1975. On his last day in office on January 20, Pres. Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence, ordering the remainder of his sentence to be served in home confinement.
Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement leader, is led across Okalla prison exercise yard
Getty Images
Free Leonard Peltier, directed by Jesse Short Bull and David France, earned an additional two awards at the Thessaloniki festival: the FIPRESCI critics prize as the best film in International Competition, and the International Amnesty Award.
The jury for the Amnesty International prize jury saluted the film “for its compelling portrayal of a case that illuminates the blatant violation of indigenous rights in America… With rich archival footage and powerful testimonies, the film highlights not only the personal ordeal of an activist, but also the tenacious struggle of Native Americans for justice, freedom and restoration of historical truth.”
‘Endless Cookie’
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The Golden Alexander in the Newcomers Competition was awarded to the documentary How to Build a Library by Maia Lekow and Christopher King. The Golden Alexander in the Film Forward section went to the documentary Endless Cookie by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver.
Below is the full list of awards presented at the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival:
The 2025 Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival awards show
Matthew Carey
The International Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares
Reasoning: This is a powerful documentary about one of the most divisive, painful and enduring conflicts in the world today, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Its main protagonist is the Jewish comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi, who is equally fluent in Arabic and Hebrew. Her upbringing in the only community in modern Israel where Palestinians and Jews have lived together as neighbors and friends since 1970, “Oasis of Peace”, gives her a unique perspective on genuine co-existence in a society where peace and mutual understanding feels like a pipe dream. With a compellingly constructed narrative and a fearless challenge to every taboo in the region, Noam’s disarming voice and humor invite the audience to a deeper understanding as we laugh and cry with her, and reconsider our biases with open minds and hearts.
The International Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull and David France
Reasoning: This investigative documentary delves into the case of the Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who, at the beginning of the film, has been imprisoned for nearly 50 years. Through incredible archival footage, skillfully crafted into an unfolding political thriller, the film exposes how the original court case relied on false testimony and omitted crucial evidence. Despite this injustice, relentless pressure from the FBI prevented Peltier from accessing parole for decades. It is an urgent and highly relevant story, with up to the minute coverage, of how the younger generation of Native American leaders continues to fight for Peltier’s release. This powerful film speaks to the history of human rights abuses against the Native Americans, and their multi-generational resistance, while highlighting the ongoing struggle over their sovereign nation land rights and resources.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
Child of Dust by Weronika Mliczewska
Reasoning: We want to give a special mention to Child of Dust. This intimate and moving film follows Sang, the son of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier, in his search for his American father and their troubled reunification. It is a beautifully shot cinèma vèritè portrait that tells a universal story about the generational consequences of war and the longing for paternal love.
NEWCOMERS COMPETITION AWARDS
Ten films of over 50 minutes in length, created by young filmmakers, will compete for the Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” and the Silver Alexander Award. The Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” award is accompanied by a €10,000 cash prize. The Silver Alexander Award is accompanied by a €4,000 cash prize.
The Newcomers Competition jury is composed of: Inka Achté (filmmaker and DocPoint Head of Programming); Tina Mandilara (journalist); Tünde Skovrán (filmmaker)
The Newcomers Competition Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” was bestowed to the documentary:
How to Build a Library by Maia Lekow & Christopher King
Reasoning: This is a story of how individual conviction can challenge corruption, outdated systems, and political inertia to build community and reclaim a space of knowledge. With passion, the filmmakers expose the lasting imprints of colonialism while celebrating activism and the fight of two female friends for truly accessible public spaces; places where people can engage with their own narratives and histories. At a time when libraries around the world face ideological battles and funding shortages, this film is a reminder that knowledge must be defended!
The Newcomers Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
They Talk about Worship Here by Byron Kritzas
Reasoning: The jury was moved by the warm heart and rebellious spirit of this film, which despite giving us a local story, reminds the audience about the healing and connecting qualities that art, in this case music, can have for people across generations and borders.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
Pet Farm by Finn Walther, Martin A. Walther
Reasoning: This is a film about loneliness, the need to find a lost self through the connection with the most primitive version of nature. It also raises moral dilemmas and makes us see with its beautiful cinematography the problems of the civilized and supposedly progressive world we live in.
>>FILM FORWARD COMPETITION AWARDS
The Film Forward Competition Section includes 10 films of over 45 minutes, which experiment with the form and method of documentary filmmaking. The films will compete for the Golden Alexander, which is accompanied by a €6,000 cash prize, and the Silver Alexander, which is accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize.
The Film Forward Competition jury is composed of: Nadja Argyropoulou (art curator); Grant Keir (producer); Anne Marie Kürstein (film consultant)
The >>Film Forward Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Endless Cookie by Seth Scriver & Peter Scriver
Reasoning: Golden Alexander Award goes to a film that is a true labor of love. A sharp and funny meditation on “a film within a film”, on family community and shared culture. It’s a celebration of the soundtrack of the everyday life that takes us inside a world that is rarely accessed without condescension. An original contribution to a character-led documentary. The award goes to Endless Cookie by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver.
The >>Film Forward Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:
Meanwhile by Catherine Gund
Reasoning: The Silver Alexander Award goes to a film that traverses several documentary conventions, successfully deploying a form of “poethics” without losing precision, social and historical markers and a sense of collective art making that takes us inside the profound resilience of black culture. The award goes to Meanwhile by Catherine Gund.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
Museum of the Night by Fermín Eloy Acosta
Reasoning: For the intensive research into a largely unknown archive and the attempt to create a visual language that corresponds to the subject matter.
IMMERSIVE: ALL AROUND CINEMA AWARD
The Immersive competition section of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival embraces creations that make use of high-end technologies to present different views of extended reality, transcending film genres and immersing the viewer in an exciting interactive viewing experience. The Golden Alexander awarded to the best film of the section is accompanied by a monetary award of €2,000.
The Immersive: All Around Cinema Competition jury is composed of: Karen Cirillo (visual artist, curator, and journalist); Scott Morris (Head of DIgital Productions for Tate); Stella Ntavara (CPH:LAB and XR exhibition at CPH:DOX)
The Immersive Golden Alexander was bestowed to the film:
Sweet End of the World! by Stefano Conca Bonizzoni
Reasoning: Sweet End of the World! seems at first an experience about the destruction of our world and losing a sense of freedom, but we were impressed that somehow it gave us freedom: to look where we wanted to look and feel what we needed to feel; to encounter brutal truths or take refuge in images of hope or security. Despite its strong perspective, there are no expectations to encounter it in a certain way, which is a rare and empowering thing in VR. Sweet End of the World! is challenging and disorientating, with a cinematic poetry that captivated and left us with an offering to the future – how will we choose to take it?
PODCAST AWARDS
The podcasts selected for the Podcast Competition section have their eyes set on the Best Podcast Award, accompanied by a cash prize of €2,000. In addition, all podcasts taking part in the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, both from the Competition section and the Out of Competition section, are eligible for the ENS Louis Lumière-French Institute of Greece Award for Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator. The recipient of the award will have the chance to attend the 6-week Sound Documentary International Summer Programme hosted by ENS Louis Lumière, in France, addressed to young professionals of the audio-visual field (authors of blogs, podcasts, or any other audio project).
The Podcast jury is composed of: Marina Danezi (filmmaker and producer); Evi Karkiti (journalist and radio producer); Katerina Poulopoulou (journalist and radio producer)
The Best Podcast Award was bestowed to the podcast:
Blind Fascination by Michail Agrafiotis, Stella Kantartzi & Eleftheria Avgerinou
Reasoning: A podcast that touches upon the issue of disability and renders visibility to the rights of people living around us, stressing the importance of placing the limelight on issues such as flirting and relationships between disabled people. The podcast’s protagonists dare to courageously speak out what troubles them, making confessions and opening a door to take a glimpse into their world.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the podcast:
Voices of Vindication by Andreas Vagias
Reasoning: A well-produced podcast that focuses on sexual and emotional abuse, a revealing field for the conditions under which abuse occurs in an intimate environment, especially in the world of sports. It becomes clear how important vindication is for victims of crimes, since from the start of the MeToo movement and in its aftermath, women dare to speak out.
The 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, in collaboration with the Louis Lumière School and the French Institute of Greece, offers the scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator.
The scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award-French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator is composed of:
Dimitris Koutsiabasakos (film director, screenwriter and Professor at the Film School – Faculty of Fine Arts AUTh)
Raïssa Lahcine (ENS Louis Lumière Director of International Relations)
The Scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator was bestowed to:
Katerina Giannisi for the podcast Koi no yokan (65th TiFF – Podcast Nexus)
A Special Mention was bestowed by the ENS Louis Lumière Award to:
Dimos Vryzas for the podcast Salutations (65th TiFF – Podcast Nexus)
MERMAID AWARD
The Mermaid Award is presented by the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival to the best LGBTQI+ themed film from the Festival’s official selection. The prize, accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize, is awarded by a three-member jury.
The Mermaid Jury is composed of: Dina Iordanova (academic); Igor Myakotin (producer and director); Thanasis Patsavos (journalist)
The Mermaid Award was bestowed to the documentary:
GEN_ by Gianluca Matarrese
Reasoning: For its humane depiction of people from different walks of life, desperate for change, we present the Mermaid award to the Italian film GEN_, for portraying a doctor, dedicated to providing them with a glimmer of hope in challenging times.
A Special Mention was bestowed to the documentary:
On Lavender by Makis Evangelatos and Eirini Chatzi
ALPHA BANK ACCESSIBILITY AWARD
This year, the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award is bestowed for the second time at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of 3,000 euros and awarded to either a personality or a film that highlights accessibility issues in the arts.
The Alpha Bank Accessibility Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Viktor by Olivier Sarbil
Reasoning: In Alpha Bank we place great emphasis on the right of every individual to take part as equally as possible in the cultural life of our country. We have committed ourselves to contributing, in any possible way and with every given chance, in the eradication of stereotypes, prejudice and obstacles that deprive people with disabilities of their fundamental right to be a part of and rejoice art and culture in physical spaces. Within this framework, we have joined forces with the Festival ever since 2019 in the hosting of universally accessible screenings. In 2022, we launched the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award that awards films that foreground accessibility issues in arts. This year, we were delighted to bestow the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award to Viktor, a gripping documentary of the acclaimed French artist and war correspondent Olivier Sarbil. The film director records Viktor, a deaf young man from Kharkiv, as he experienced the first days of the invasion against Ukraine. As his efforts to enlist are repeatedly turned down, he sets out on a mission to find his place and voice in a deafened world.
HELLENIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION AWARDS
Within the framework of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ΕRΤ) will bestow an award to the Greek production that wins the FIPRESCI award. The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation will also present the “ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum” award, which is accompanied by a €2,000 cash prize, to the best Greek project participating at the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum.
The ERT Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis
EKKOMED AWARDS
In the framework of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED) will award two prizes: A €3,000 prize award to a Greek documentary participating in Agora Docs in Progress; and a €3,000 prize award to a debut documentary feature (over 50 minutes) that premieres in the Greek Program.
The EKKOMED Jury is composed of: Yianna Sarri (Director of Promotion Hellas Film, ΕΚΚΟΜΕD); Zoe Kandyla (Director of Development and Production, ΕΚΚΟΜΕD); Dimitris Bouras (film critic, Communication Department ΕΚΚΟΜΕD).
The EKKOMED Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Lo by Thanassis Vassiliou
Reasoning: Thanassis Vassiliou crafted a film that revolves around the burden of individual and collective memory, and the notion of legacy, in the literal and metaphorical sense, backwards and mentally traversing the period of the Metapolitefsi. The trauma of the family and the trauma of recent Greek history serve as communicating vessels in a thematically up-to-the-minute film.
“HUMAN RIGHTS IN MOTION” AWARD BY PACE
The “Human Rights in Motion” award was created by the Council of Europe to highlight the strong connection between documentary filmmaking and human rights, honoring the director whose film most effectively captures the struggle for freedom, democracy, and fundamental rights. Starting this year, the award is presented at four leading documentary festivals in Europe: the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, FIPADOC in Biarritz, France, Sheffield DocFest, and doclisboa in Lisbon. At the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the award, which comes with a cash prize of €5,000, is open to all films from the three competition sections that address issues of human rights and democratic values. “With this initiative, we aim to raise awareness of the work of the Council of Europe and support filmmakers who bring our principles and values to the big screen,” stated Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, announcing the establishment of the award. “Documentaries have the power to capture the impact of human rights violations with immediacy, awakening empathy and understanding.”
The “Human Rights in Motion” Award jury is composed of: Maxim Cîrlan (director, head of the MOLDOX International Documentary Festival); Krystalli Glyniadakis (translator and poet); Carlos Muñoz (cinematographer)
The “Human Rights in Motion” Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares
Reasoning: The film is a direct protest against the violation of a series of fundamental human rights, such as the right to life and liberty and the right to equality. It also brings out the pivotal importance freedom of expression plays in any democracy and for the mental health of people within it. An important part of the committee’s decision has to do with the way in which an intractable, traumatic, complex, and long-standing conflict is approached through the art of comedy. The film uses humour bravely, in a way that perhaps alludes to Aristophanes’ satirizing the ills of ancient Athenian democracy. And this is not only due to its obviously charismatic protagonist, stand-up comedienne Noam Sushter-Eliassi, but also to the filmmaker herself, Amber Fares, who located her subject, and, through a persistent, sober observation that went on for years, offered her not only a generous platform for expression, but also had the talent of organising and pacing the filmed material in an excellent manner. In conclusion, this is an observational documentary that cleverly combines satire with the deeply unnerving personal experiences of its protagonist in order to speak of a conflict that touches the very core of its protagonist’s identity and the identity of her country, recording key moments of intimacy, anxiety, confrontation and despair, but also perseverance, strength and hope — with tenderness and humour, always. For all these reasons, we unanimously believe that Coexistence, My Ass! deserves this year’s TIDF “Human Rights in Motion” award.
“HUMAN VALUES” AWARD OF THE HELLENIC PARLIAMENT
The Hellenic Parliament bestows its “Human Values” award to an International Competition section film.
The “Human Values” Award jury is composed of: Aris Fatouros (founding member of the Hellenic Parliament TV, Program Consultant, producer and director); Vassilis Douvlis (head of the Hellenic Parliament TV’s Programming Department and director)
The “Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament was bestowed to the documentary:
Under the Flags, the Sun by Juanjo Pereira
Reasoning: The Hellenic Parliament TV bestows the “Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament to an International Competition film that, following an exhaustive research, succeeds to unearth and make creative use of a series of lost documents, composing an illuminating image of the propaganda and the authoritarian mechanisms deployed by one of the most long-lasting 20th century military dictatorships. The award goes to Under the Flags, the Sun by Juanjo Pereira from Paraguay.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD
The Amnesty International Award brings in contact two institutions that share a strong sensibility and similar goals: they both operate on a complementary level, with the Festival promoting and screening films by documentarist that reveal the brutal violation of human rights, and with Amnesty International then taking on the difficult task of mobilizing, exerting pressure and raising public awareness. Receiving recognition by a humanitarian institution such as Amnesty International within the context of a cinematic institution such as the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival is doubly important for a filmmaker, since their work is honored both on an artistic and a humanitarian level.
The Amnesty International Award jury is composed of: Mariana Leondaridou (film critic and member of Amnesty International); Dr. Ira Iliana Papadopoulou (social scientist and curator); Kostis Papaioannou (history teacher and director of Signal – researching and confronting the alt-right); Angelos Tsaousis (producer, director and documentary filmmaker)
The International Amnesty Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull and David France
Reasoning: For its compelling portrayal of a case that illuminates the blatant violation of indigenous rights in America through the story of Leonard Peltier, who remains imprisoned for more than 50 years despite international calls for justice. With rich archival footage and powerful testimonies, the film highlights not only the personal ordeal of an activist, but also the tenacious struggle of Native Americans for justice, freedom and restoration of historical truth.
FIPRESCI AWARDS
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), comprising distinguished film critics, presents two awards: one to the Best Documentary of the International Competition for Best Feature Length Documentary Program and one to a Greek film that participates in the International Program.
The FIPRESCI jury is composed of: Marina Kostova (North Macedonia); Aspasia Lykourgioti (Greece); Dieter Wieczorek (Germany)
The FIPRESCI Award to the Best Documentary of the International Competition was bestowed to the documentary:
Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull & David France
Reasoning: For highlighting the imperative of sustained resistance against a judicial system that is not only unjust but also corrupt, particularly in its neglect of marginalized lives and minority communities, the FIPRESCI award in the International Competition is bestowed to Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Short Bull and David France.
The FIPRESCI Award to a Greek film that participates in the International Program was bestowed to the documentary:
Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis
Reasoning: For its powerful portrayal of restoring dignity, respect, and understanding to those who are abandoned, stigmatized, and isolated, thereby reaffirming humanity and fostering a profound appreciation for the complexities of life, the FIPRESCI Award for a Greek film is bestowed to Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis.
GREEK ASSOCIATION OF FILM CRITICS AWARD
The Greek Association of Film Critics awards, as every year, the Best Greek Film that is screened in the official selection of the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The decision is made by the General Assembly of the members that have attended the Festival.
The PEKK Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Return to Homeland by Chryssa Tzelepi and Akis Kersanidis
Reasoning: For the impeccable direction of a journey into places of memory and martyrdom, which serves as a device of catharsis and reminding of the past trials and tribulations, aiming at the act of forgiving and their avoidance both in the present and in the future, the Greek Association of Film Critics bestows its award to the film Return to Homeland by Chryssa Tzelepi and Akis Kersanidis.
WIFT GR AWARD
The WIFT GR Award is presented by the Greek Chapter of WIFT (Women in Film & Television) to a woman filmmaker of a film selected for the official international competition sections of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
The WIFT GR Award jury is composed of: Tzeli Hadjimitriou (filmmaker and visual photographer); Maria Louka (documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, journalist and President of WIFT GR); Nina Maria Paschalidou (director and journalist)
The WIFT GR Award was bestowed to the documentary:
Bull’s Heart by Eva Stefani
Reasoning: With Bull’s Heart, Eva Stefani offers us a masterpiece that stretches beyond the fragmented aspects of one of the greatest artists of our time, touching upon broader socio-political and ontological questions with both dreamlike and utterly realistic elements. The director once again affirms a well-structured, gendered gaze, full of tenderness and respect towards people and the dynamics of unpretentious emotion. With this award, WIFT GR aims to highlight the recognition of Eva Stefani’s contribution to contemporary cinematic creation, which has been an inspiration to many women filmmakers.
WWF GREECE AWARD
The reciprocal relationship between humans and nature is brought to the fore in the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s official program, with films that capture the effects of human intervention on the environment and the price paid by humanity. The award is presented by the World Wildlife Fund Greece to the best film of environmental interest. As WWF Greece points out: “Through truths that concern global threats, such as climate change, and through the exploration of our strange relationship with time, the need for and the overexploitation of our natural resources, and the stark contrasts between the natural and urban landscape, the directors merge realism and art to create works that go beyond the ecological documentary.”
The WWF Greece Award jury is composed of: Sissy Gkournelou (communications manager, WWF Greece); Iosifina Grivea (film critic and Podcast/TV host); Andreas Loukakos (filmmaker)
The WWF Greece Award award was bestowed to the documentary:
Searching for Amani by Nicole Gormley & Debra Aroko
Reasoning: In an hour and twenty minutes, Searching for Amani manages to become an equal blend of environmental call, coming-of-age story, and journalistic investigation, bringing forth the voice of a child who captures the harsh reality of his quest through his own lens. Triggered by the devastating drought raging in Sub-Saharan Africa, the filmmakers open up a conversation that is invisible to many but absolutely invaluable to all, about changing environments, the enduring effects of colonialism, and community equality in the age of the climate crisis. The jury’s decision was unanimous and heartfelt.
YOUTH JURY AWARDS BY THE STUDENTS OF THE THESSALONIKI UNIVERSITIES
The Youth Jury comprises students of the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and will present the Best Film Award and the Special Jury Award. Eligible for these awards are Greek films participating in the International Program. Youth Jury supervisor: Apostolos Karakasis, Associate Professor in Film and Television Theory & History, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This year’s jury members are: Evangelos Bismbas, Gerasimos Delaportas, Maria Ioanna Foskolou, Sofia Grigoriou, and Anna Stroumba.
Τhe Best Greek Film Award of the Youth Jury was bestowed to the documentary:
Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis
Reasoning: The Youth Jury composed by students of the Film School bestows its Best Greek Film Award to the documentary Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis. The recording of Julien Grivel’s experiences reminds us that we can perceive the world through the eyes of those who suffer, while urging us to change it for the best.
The Special Jury Prize of the Youth Jury was bestowed to the documentary:
Bull’s Heart by Eva Stefani
Reasoning: The Special Prize of the Youth Jury is awarded to the documentary Bull’s Heart by Eva Stefani. Through the in situ filming of one of the most acclaimed artists while at work, we grasp art as a force that bestows meaning in our lives and enables us to endure.
FISCHER AUDIENCE AWARDS
Five Audience Awards are bestowed to three Greek and two international films.
The Fischer Audience Award “Peter Wintonick” to an international film with a duration of over 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
The Day Iceland Stood Still by Pamela Hogan
The Fischer Audience Award to an international film with a duration of up to 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
Lift Lady by Marcin Modzelewski
The Fischer Audience Award to Greek film with a duration of over 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
They Talk About Wοrship Here by Byron Kritzas
The Fischer Audience Award to a Greek film with a duration of up to 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:
Return to Depot by Dimitris Zahos
The Fischer Audience Award to a Greek film screened online at the section Platform+ is bestowed to the documentary:
Arctic Odyssey by Evangelos Rassias
The 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival is held with the support of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Partnership Agreement of the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Program, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, the MEDIA programme, the Ministry of Tourism and ERT. COSMOTE TV is Grand Sponsor of the Festival, for the 8th consecutive year, proving once again its support towards quality cinema. PPC Group, the Festival’s Strategic Partner, shares our vision and work. Valuable support is offered by Alpha Bank, the Festival’s accessibility sponsor, Aegean, the Festival’s official air-carrier, Fischer, the Audience Awards sponsor, and Jameson. The awards of the 27th TiDF will be bestowed in the Festival’s closing ceremony.
Earlier in the week, the Agora of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival bestowed its awards at Warehouse C. Making use of all the available tools and new technologies, the Festival’s Agora showcased a new series of actions and backed successful initiatives that took place both in physical spaces and online. This year’s Agora marked a great success, as more than 400 international visitors attended its events.
THE 27th TIDF AGORA AWARDS
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum awards
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival for creative and TV documentaries, docs for kids and docs series destined for theater distribution and TV broadcast.
This year’s Thessaloniki Pitching Forum showcased 14 projects in development, among which two series, a documentary for kids and an animated documentary, from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
The International Jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, consisting of: Leonidas Konstantarakos | Producer, Alaska Films – Greece; Marianne Ostrat | Producer & Founder, Alexandra Film – Estonia; Nora Philippe | Head of Program, EURODOC – France handed out the following awards.
The IEFTA Award for Best Documentary in Development, accompanied by a 10,000 euro cash prize, is bestowed for the second time. The award was bestowed to:
HIGHWAYS OF HOPE
Director: Alexa Bakony, Production: Gábor Osváth, Veronika Gál – Filmfabriq Ltd., Hungary
Reasoning: Currently in its very early development, this project led by a young female team promises to cross European borders and break Indian stereotypes about Muslim minorities through an energetic story of emancipation. We were captivated by the main character facing a darkening world with youthful joyfulness and optimism. The jury wants to further boost the kick-off of the creative and financial development of this project, by awarding it the IEFTA Best Doc Award.
A Special Mention was given by the jury to the project:
BUGBOY
Director: Lucas Paleocrassas, Production: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof – Anemon, Executive Production: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren – Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz – Flach Film Productions, Greece, Denmark, France
Reasoning: A unique, joyful and tender coming-of-age film produced by a very experienced team, that is approaching completion – and that we can’t wait to see on screen very soon!
The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award to a Greek project, accompanied by a cash prize of 2,000 euros was bestowed by Jenny Vafakou, TV and Digital Programme Director at ERT to:
MAMA KLORIN
Director: Doreida Xhogu, Production: Mina Dreki – MARNI FILMS,Greece
Reasoning: Mama Klorin is a promising journey into a very under-represented community of immigrant women working as cleaners in Greece. Filmed with love and dignity by one of their daughters, this multilayered project strives to make the invisible work visible.
The Eurodoc Award of 1,000 eurosalong with a VIP membership is bestowed to the film:
TAKEN BY THE WHITE MAN
Director: Ana Sofia Fonseca, Production: Daniella Rice, Ana Sofia Fonseca – Carrossel Produções, Portugal
Reasoning: Taken by the White Man tells a moving and unique story of homecoming, investigative and intimate reappropriation of one’s self and reparation, on the backdrop of the horrors of Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique and contemporary slavery. This project is also an incredible opportunity for a global North-South co-production.”
The DAE – Documentary Association of Europe Award amounts to consultation and free membership. The award was bestowed to two projects:
THE LAST SUMMER
Director: Jan Jurczak & Eleanora Iadkouskaya, Production: Frieder Schlaich – Filmgalerie 451, Germany
And
LIFE ON PAUSE
Director: Anthoniy Hristov, Production: Svetla Turnin – Documentary Media Foundation, Bulgaria
Reasoning: To support the teams in finding the right creative and financing pathways for the projects, the jury awards The Last Summer and Life on Pause with 2 DAE Consultancy Awards. Life on Pause is a courageous project that sheds light on a Bulgarian trans rights legal fight which resonates strongly on the European and global scenes, and which is deeply and rightfully grounded in the community it represents. Loaded with raw and explosive energy, The Last Summer is a very intimate and moving look on what it’s like to go through adolescence in times of war.
The Aylon Productions Digital Services Award offers an hour of high quality digital transfer of archival material. The award was bestowed to the film:
MY AUNTIES
Director: Hazal Hanquet, Production: Aslihan Altuğ, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu – Istos Film, Türkiye
Reasoning: An intergenerational tale told through precious archives that document a courageous queer love story that transcends time, while exploring family dynamics and alternative models of love and kinship in contemporary Turkey.
A series of independent awards were also handed out:
Onassis Culture, consistently offering its support to Greek independent cinema, within the framework of its collaboration with the Festival, bestows the Onassis Film Award (5,000 euros) to one of the Greek projects taking part in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum or the Agora Docs in Progress. The Onassis Award is bestowed to the project:
BUGBOY
Director: Lucas Paleocrassas, Production: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof – Anemon, Executive Production: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren – Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz – Flach Film Productions, Greece, Denmark, France
Reasoning: The Onassis Film Award is given to a documentary about being different and growing up, about all things insignificant that turn out to be important, about the small, invisible world that we often ignore. A different coming-of-age story, with a fresh perspective in the intimacy of its filming. The Onassis Film Award goes to “Bugboy” directed by Lucas Paleocrassas along with a prize of 5.000 euro to support the further development of the film.
The Mediterranean Film Institute Doc Award, which consists of free participation in the 2024 edition of the MFI Doc Lab, a script development program dedicated to documentaries. It takes place within the MFI Script2Film program, where the scripts for 35 feature length films are developed. The program consists of a two-weeks writing workshop on the island of Nisyros in late June and early July with a follow up session for one week in October in Astipalea.
The award is bestowed to:
OH, HEART DON’T BE AFRAID
Director: Ana Kvichidze, Production: Avtandil Khorava – Moonbow Production, Co-production: – Natalia Imaz – Parabellum films, Mariam Bitsadze – 17/07 Productions, Niko Mikadze – Murman Original Pictures, Georgia, Germany
Reasoning: Since its inception in 2000, the Μediterranean Film Institute, through its international program MFI Script 2 Film Workshops, has supported the development of over 500 film projects. We are especially proud that the Doc Lab, introduced just six years ago, has already made a significant impact on documentary development. This year, five films in the festival’s lineup had participated in the MFI’s Doc Lab the previous years. Many thanks to the Thessaloniki International Film and Doc Festival and especially Agora for our warm and fruitful collaboration over the last 17 years and for their great work in the film industry. Our scholarship award from now on is called the George Kalogeropoulos Award, in memoriam of the founder of the Mediterranean Film Institute.
Recognizing its distinctive storyline, unique characters, profound social relevance, and poetic filmic approach, we are honored to present the award to “Oh, Heart Don’t Be Afraid” by Ana Kvichidze and Avtandil Khorava.
The DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award offers two Observer badges and accommodation. The award was bestowed to the film:
MY AUNTIES
Director: Hazal Hanquet, Production: Aslihan Altuğ, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu – Istos Film, Türkiye
Reasoning: The project introduces us to two free-spirited, wild and brave women from Istanbul. They are the “aunties” of the director who brings the story of their forty-year queer relationship to us. It is with great joy and deep admiration for both the bravery of the protagonists and the dedication of the film team that the DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award goes to My Aunties, directed by Hazal Hanquet and produced by Aslihan Altuğ and Anna Maria Aslanoğlu.
AGORA Docs in Progress awards
In the Agora Docs in Progress 10 projects from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region participated in closed sessions for Thessaloniki’s invited industry professionals, sales agents, distributors, producers and festival programmers.
The international jury of Agora Docs in Progress is composed of:
Anna Glogowski | Consultant & Festival programmer – France
Marcella Jelić | Sales & Acquisitions, Split Screen & Theatrical distribution coordinator, Restart – Croatia
Basil Tsiokos | Senior programmer, Sundance Film Festival – USA
The 2|35 Post-Production Main Award goesto the project:
MAGMA
Director: Mia Bendrimia, Production: Kira Simon-Kennedy – Nazar Films, France, Algeria
Reasoning: For its deft ability to successfully transform one family’s unspoken history and unresolved transgenerational trauma into an engaging investigation into contested narratives that reveal both the stories we tell ourselves and those we deliberately refuse to engage with, on both a personal and a national level, the Two Thirty-Five (2|35) Award goes to Magma by director Mia Bendrimia and producer Kira Simon-Kennedy.
The Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece Award accompanied with 3,000 euros, was bestowed by Athina Kartalou,General Director of the General Film Directorate, to the Greek project:
HOME COURT
Directors: Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernandez, Production: Yuri Averof, Rea Apostolides – Anemon Productions, Co-production: Maaike Neve, Esther Van Driesum – Bind Film, Victor Ede – Cinephage, Boris Despodov – Arthouse Blockbusters, Greece, Netherlands, France, Bulgaria
Reasoning: For crafting a warm, vibrant, and uplifting portrait of friendship and the promise of dreams – and for posing under-explored and ultimately universally resonant questions of identity and belonging for second-generation migrants – the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece Award goes to Home Court by directors Elpida Nikou and Rodrigo Hernandez and producers Yuri Averof and Rea Apostolides.
The Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award is bestowed to the project:
TOWER, SUN AND THE SEVEN OF WANDS
Director: Tanya Vikhreva, Writer: Aleksander Rodionov, Production: Maria Gavrilova – Marx Film GE, Georgia
Reasoning: For bringing an unexpected, unorthodox, and often disarmingly humorous angle on the ongoing war in Ukraine, one focused on the divergent perspectives of the residents of occupied Crimea, exploring the eye-opening influences of superstition on one hand and Russian propaganda on the other, the Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award goes to Tower, Sun and the Seven of Wands by director Tanya Vikhreva and producer Maria Gavrilova.
AGORA XR LAB awards
AGORA XR Lab, is TIDF AGORA’s newest initiative, a workshop dedicated to XR and new media projects in development. It is designed for emerging storytellers keen to explore new forms of expression in factual and non-factual storytelling and pushing the boundaries of what audiovisual work can be in the digital age.
The Beldocs XR Academy award is bestowed to a project in order to attend the next edition and meet additional XR professionals (offering accommodation and accreditation to the Beldocs Documentary Festival, May 2025). The award is bestowed to:
/IMAGINE FAREWELL STATION
Director: Aristotelis Maragkos, Production: Konstantinos Koukoulis – Πlankton films, Co-creator / Co-production: Dimitris Delinikolas – Emptyfilm, Greece
Reasoning: This project explores the fragility of memory and the inadequacy of language through an interactive time-traveling experience. By reconstructing a fading childhood memory, it creates a poetic journey of recollection and loss. Its innovative use of described footage makes it a beautiful meditation on our attempts to grasp the past. We are happy to have /Imagine Farewell Station at XR Academy.
The Agora announces, also, the NewImages Festival Partnership Selection of one AGORA XR Lab project to the NewImages XR Market in April 2025. The film selected to participate to the NewImages XR Market is:
BITXO
Director: Lau Maquedano, Production: Alberto López Garrido – Lamola Studios, Valet Siv Manrique – Piragna Animación & Lau Maquedano, Co-production: Natxo Carrasco – HD Studio, Rubén Coca – Artyc Content, Spain, Colombia
Agora Boost
The Crew United Prize, a five-year premium subscription on Crew United Platform to a participant in the Agora Boost, is bestowed to:
THE GROUNDSKEEPER
Directors: Io Chaviara, Michalis Kastanidis, Production: Alexis Anastasiadis, Co-production: Io Chaviara & Michalis Kastanidis – Fabula Productions, Greece
Reasoning: First, we would like to congratulate all the filmmakers and producers! Each project, even if in quite different development stages, has its own strengths and charm, and it feels hard to pick out just one out of them. Deindustrialization, memory – collective and individual, and the role that space plays in it, but also the recognition by someone of the role his/her work plays in the production of mass destruction (reminding us here of Harun Farocki’s work) are some of the themes that The Groundskeeper will invite us to look at. Our warmest wishes for all the projects!
The Guidance Award, sponsored by Paradiddle Pictures and given to a project participating in the Agora Lab. The award is bestowed to:
MAGIC WHISTLE
Director: Avraam Goutzeloudis & Alexandros Katsis, Production: Photini Economopoulou – OhMyDog Productions, Greece
Reasoning: With music as an important ingredient, there is always the potential to tell an emotional and engaging story. In order to fully explore the full potential of the music and story universe of the project, the Paradiddle Pictures Guidance Award goes to the Magic Whistle.
