The 25th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival took place this year, from 2 to 12 March 2023 in an emotionally charged atmosphere, with the support of EKOME.
Without celebrations but with a rich program, which included 237 short and feature documentaries, with screenings at the historical headquarters of TDF and through the digital platform, the Festival was warmly welcomed by documentary lovers.
EKOME, a constant supporter of the Thessaloniki Festival, participated with a stand at Warehouse C where executives informed public and professionals of the audiovisual sector about the financial incentives of EKOME (cash rebate 40%, tax relief 30%), the operation of the National Network of Film Offices, its educational program, and the overall effort to support audiovisual production.
Four projects supported by the cash rebate program were screened at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, one of which had its world premiere, receiving distinctions and positive comments. Eleven documentaries created as part of the educational programs of the Chania Film Festival, of which EKOME is a strong supporter, also travelled to the Festival.
The cash rebate documentaries
Competition Section:
The Special Mention of the jury went to the documentary “Second House – Ladies in Waiting” by Ioanna Tsoucala, produced by Haos Film. In its reasoning, the jury refers to the original perspective of the work on the destigmatization of mental illness and emphasizes that “the film is overflowing with emotion, questioning and deconstructing deep-rooted prejudices about the concept of normality.”
After its premiere at the Louvre Museum, “Zakros” by Filippos Koutsaftis, produced by Pan Entertainment S.A., was presented at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The film wanders through the labyrinths of time, history, memory, and everyday life, focusing on the Minoan palace located at the eastern tip of Crete.
The following projects were screened on the platform:
“Venizelos: Struggle for Asia Minor” by Nikos Dagiadas, a film produced by the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”, Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) and Long Run Productions, follows one of the greatest politicians of modern Greece, who faced the challenges of the critical decade, from the beginning of the Balkan Wars and World War I to the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. The struggle of Eleftherios Venizelos comes to life through dramatized scenes, rare archive material, and interviews with experts. “With two suitcases” by Kostas Avgeris, by ελc productions. A documentary with narrations from people who share personal experiences from their interaction with the Greek-German culture. The aim of the documentary is to highlight, through personal stories, the experiences of the people and the influence of Germany on modern Greeks.
The Greek creative community had a strong presence at the Festival, with a total of 60 feature and short documentaries in all categories. Also, 11 documentaries from the educational programs of the Chania Film Festival, of which EKOME is a strong supporter, have travelled to the 25th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
EKOME embraces every effort aimed at supporting the Greek creative community, promoting domestic cinematography abroad and strengthening audiovisual production in Greece.