Thessaloniki Docfest wraps up with two wins for Greek-Danish-French co-production Bugboy

The 2025 edition of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (TIDF) came to a close on 16 March. Running in the picturesque Greek coastal town and unfolding in and around the port area and the iconic Aristotelous Square, the gathering has, since 1999, gained prominence in the global non-fiction scene, becoming a powerful platform for documentaries from Europe and beyond. TIDF, which kicked off with the screening of Piotr Winiewicz’s Polish-Danish co-production About a Hero, also runs a well-oiled industry sidebar known as Agora (7-15 March).

This year’s Golden Alexander — the top prize handed out in the international competition — went to the Sundance-premiered documentary Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares (USA/France), which sees comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi crafting a one-woman show tackling inequality and conflict amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war. The second most prestigious accolade, the Silver Alexander, went to Jesse Short Bull and David France’s Free Leonard Peltier(USA), whilst Weronika Mliczewska’s Child of Dust gained a Special Mention. The pic was produced by Poland, Vietnam, and the Czech Republic with Sweden’s Ginestra Film and the backing of the Swedish Film Institute.

Two Nordic titles were also awarded: Finn Walther and Martin A. Walther’s Pet Farm (Norway) scooped a Special Mention in the Newcomers International Competition, and Olivier Sarbil’s Viktor (Denmark/Ukraine/France/USA) nabbed the Alpha Bank Accessibility Award in the Film Forward International Competition. Sold internationally by Cinephil, Viktor offers an intimate account of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while Pet Farm explores the deep bond between humans, animals, and nature.

During the Agora Days, a raft of European and Mediterranean projects were presented in the Pitching Forum and during the Docs in Progress sessions to the 422 industry professionals in attendance. One production with Nordic involvement, Lucas Paleocrassas’s Bugboy, received a Special Mention and won the Onassis Film Award (worth €5,000). Showcased in the Pitching Forum, the jury — comprised of producer Leonidas Konstantarakos, EURODOC Head of Programme Nora Philippe, and producer Marianne Ostrat — billed the creative doc as “a unique, joyful and tender coming-of-age film”.

The pic follows a 16-year-old called George, who struggles to make friends. His misaligned eyes and his parents’ divorce have left him disillusioned with human relationships. To survive, he immerses himself in nature, finding unexpected comfort in the world of insects. When he befriends an adventurous cricket, whom he names Isabella, George realises that if such a tiny creature can find the courage to spend time with him, he too can find the strength to change his own life for the better.

The project, now at an advanced production stage and filmed over the course of three years, is seeking sales agents, pre-sales, distributors, and impact partners. It is budgeted at around €440,000. Backers include the Danish Film Institute, DR, ARTE, the Greek Film Centre, and ERT. Slated for delivery next year, it is being produced by Greece’s Anemon Productions, Denmark’s Toolbox Film, and France’s Flach Film. It will be presented in two formats: a 52-minute feature-length film and a 7x10-minute series.

Moreover, the festival hosted screenings of four more productions with Norwegian involvement across its different sections.

The Open Horizons strand hosted the world premiere of Fatherhood (Tre fedre) by Even G. Benestad and August B. Hanssen (Norway/Iceland/Germany), which follows three men engaging in a multi-partner relationship as they prepare for parenthood amidst societal pressures.

Meanwhile, the NextGen programme hosted two more films: Small Dogs Bark Loud (Salto, Pus og den døde fisken) by Nora Nivedita Tvedt (Norway), which centres on 12-year-old Tuni, who finds solace in her dog Salto while navigating grief and illness, and Folktales by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (USA/Norway). The latter follows a group of teenagers on the precipice of adulthood as they converge at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway. Dropped at the edge of the world, they must rely only on themselves, one another, and a loyal pack of sled dogs as they grow in unexpected directions.

Finally, The Dating Game by Violet Du Feng (USA/UK/Norway) was featured as a Special Screening. The documentary offers a humorous look at contemporary courtship in China, following three bachelors — Zhou, Li, and Wu — throughout an intensive, week-long dating camp in Chongqing.

Other Nordic fest favourites showcased by TIDF include David Borenstein’s Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Denmark/Czech Republic), Max Kestner’s Life and Other Problems (Livet og andre problemer, Denmark/UK/Sweden), Christopher Petit and Emma Matthews’s D is for Distance (Finland), Robin Petré’s Only on Earth (Denmark/Spain), Victoria Verseau’s Trans Memoria (Sweden/France), and Pamela Hogan’s The Day Iceland Stood Still (Dagurinn sem Ísland stöðvaðist, Iceland/USA).

All in all, TIDF and Agora were well attended as usual. A packed group of Nordic professionals visited the Greek port city, including reps from the Danish Film Institute, Final Cut for Real, CPH:DOX, Film i Skåne, Film i Väst, DocPoint, and Yle, among others.

Over 460 meetings took place between different stakeholders, which can be interpreted as a sign of enthusiasm and creative vibrancy. Nonetheless, every player in the industry seems more cautious about their next market move.

Geopolitical uncertainty — similar to what was observed at the European Film Market in Berlin —took centre stage even more during the public events and informal gatherings organised by Agora.

Socially and politically committed themes were predominant, with many projects in development or nearing completion addressing the erosion of democracy and human rights, alongside more personal, deeply intimate stories of coping with past and present traumas. These narratives were often tied to broader themes of acceptance and diversity, as seen in Bugboy — a trend already evident in recent years across fiction, non-fiction, and animation, now further reinforced by the latest troubling developments.

Speaking to industry professionals in attendance, many praised the quality of the offering, but expressed concerns about reaching wider audiences — especially when tackling difficult subjects or adopting less conventional approaches. A prevailing sentiment is that the power of broadcasters, including public ones, has significantly diminished in terms of presence and budgets. Moreover, the presence and anticipated rise of right-wing governments are expected to pose further challenges, making docmaking a mission increasingly difficult to accomplish.