Films from Bulgaria and Greece Awarded at Thessaloniki Film Festival
BalkanTravellers.com
While usually one film received the NOKIA N Series Award, accompanied by a 10,000 euro prize, the amount was raised to 16,000 euro this year, due to the decision to award two films and the high quality of the projects, according to an official press release by the festival.
The film America Square is directed by Yannis Sakaridis, while False Witness is directed by Iglika Triffonova.
The goal of the Crossroads Co-Production Forum is “to support the producers of feature-length film projects that share a link with the Mediterranean and Balkan regions,” according to the festival’s website.
This year 15 projects were selected, which were either produced or co-produced by a country in the Balkan or Mediterranean area or contained story elements linked to these regions. They included films from Albania, Greece, Serbia, Turkey, Palestine/Jordan, Romania, France, Slovenia/Germany/Italy and Israel.
“We are very happy that after the creation of Crossroads Co-production Forum four years ago, this is the first time that a Greek project has been awarded and we feel that Crossroads has contributed to the international recognition of Greek talent”, Despina Mouzaki, director of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, said in a press release.
The Nokia N Series Award was first given to Pandora’s Box by Yesim Ustaoglu’s in 2006, winner of the Golden Shell and the Silver Shell for Best Film and Best Actress, at this year’s San Sebastian Film Festival.
In 2007 the winning project was Nadav Lapid’s The Policeman, which afterwards was presented at l’Atelier du Cinéma, Cannes 2008.
For the complete programme of screenings, visit the festival’s official website
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