The Agora film market at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival-TIFF (November 14-23) is expanding.

The growth of the four-year-old market, run by Margarita Eliopoulou, follows a successful 2007 in which 36 films from South Eastern Europe obtained distribution in 18 different world territories.

According to TIFF's director Despina Mouzaki '2007 saw an increase of 15% in the participation of foreign buyers. 283 films were granted backing towards distribution, 73 of which were from Greece (an increase of 45,5%), and 80 from South Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean (an increase of 93%).

Now the market is expanding in four areas:

Industry screenings.
Films from the official festival selection as well as other Greek, south eastern European, south eastern Mediterranean and Balkan productions will be showcased and promoted.

Balkan works in progress
In collaboration with the official Balkan Survey section a selection of Balkan productions at the shooting or post-production stage will be offered to worldwide distributors, sales agents and festival programmers.

Among the shortlisted productions are:

  • From Bulgaria: Crayfish (Ratsi) by Ivan Cherkelov, producer Rossitsa Valkanova (Klas Film)
  • From Croatia: Metastases (Metastaze) by Branko Schmidt, producer Stanislav Babi_
  • From Romania: The Other Irene (Cealalta Irina) by Andrei Gruzsniczki, producer Vivi Dragan Vasile
  • From Serbia: Skinning (Sisanje) by Stevan Filipovic, producer Branislav Jevi
  • from Turkey: Tales from Kars / Kars Oykuleri by Ozcan Alper, producer Basak Emre (Gezici Film)

Upcoming Greek films:
In collaboration with the Greek Film section, a selection of Greek films at the shooting or post-production stage will be on offer.
They include:

  • Ricordi Mi by Stella Theodoraki, producer Thanos Anastopoulos
  • Homeland by Syllas Jumerkas, producers Maria Drandaki, Thanos Anastopoulos
  • Crazy Moon, directed and produced by Kyriakos Katzourakis
  • In the Woods, directed and produced by Angelos Frantzis
  • Dogtooth by Giorgos Lanthimos, producer Yorgos Tsouryiannis
  • Evil In The Time Of Heroes, directed and produced by Giorgos Nousias
  • Black Field by Vardis Marinakis, producer Yorgos Lykiardopoulos,
  • Third World, directed and produced by Vassilis Blioumis and
  • Kill the Habit, directed and produced by Laura Neri

Set to attend are such distributors and sales agents as, The Global Film Initiative (USA), Cineplex Development (Taiwan), Film House (Mexico), First Distributors (Hong Kong), Cineplex (Colombia), Soda Pictures (UK), Daisy Entertainment (Korea), Rezo Films, Trust Film Sales, Mdc International, Kinowelt Medien, Wide Management, Fortissimo, Memento Films, as well as representatives of such festivals as Rotterdam, Locarno, New York, Tribeca, San Francisco, Berlin (Forum), Cannes (Quinzaine des Realisateurs), Karlovy Vary.

Claudia Landsberger, President of the European Film Promotion (EFP) will coordinate one-on-one meetings with international marketing consultants for producers of films participating in the official selection of the festival and for 'works in progress' produced in the Balkans. Participating consultants include Clay Epstein (Little Film Company, USA), Peter Belsito (Without A Box- IMDB, USA) and Gerry Moraitis (Cinema Vault, Canada).

Past titles launched at Agora include, California Dreamin' by Cristian Nemescu, Story 52 by Alexis Alexiou-Greece and Tears for Sale by U. Stojanovic.