Greek cinema is making a confident showing at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, with four producers participating in the prestigious European Film Market (EFM), one of the most influential industry platforms on the global film calendar.
Backed by the Ministry of Culture and, in its outreach initiatives, supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Thessaloniki Film Festival is enabling producers who stood out in its Works in Progress section to present their projects in Berlin. At EFM's Spotlight On: Greece showcase, four Greek films currently in development or post-production will be introduced to leading sales agents, distributors, festival programmers and potential co-producers.
According to the official announcement, the selection features "an exciting choice of four distinctive Greek films, just before completion", each marked by refined storytelling, strong visual form and a commitment to independent, singular narratives.
The participating producers from Greece are: Ioanna Bolomyti (Atalante Productions) with the project The Boy with the Light-Blue Eyes, directed by Thanasis Neofotistos, Eleni Kossyfidou (Blackbird Productions) with the project Ways to Get Rid of Some Freedom directed by Chrisanthos Margonis, Marinos Charalambous (Αvaton Films) with the project The Lion at my Back directed by Tonia Mishiali, Dionyssis Samiotis (Tanweer Productions) with the project Last Call directed by Sherif Francis. Award-winning producer Katarina Tomkova (Punkchart films/kaleidoscope) has provided tailored mentoring to prepare them for meetings and negotiations in Berlin.
A reception dedicated to Greek cinema will also take place at the Greek Embassy in Berlin on 15 February, organised by the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center - Creative Greece. The event aims to strengthen international partnerships, attract co-productions and position Greece as a competitive filming destination. It also marks the beginning of the countdown to the 2027 European Film Academy Awards ceremony, set to be hosted in Athens at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
