53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival

The 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival is opening its doors today lasting until November 11. With a focus on independent cinema, the Festival invites both filmmakers and the audience to a special celebration of film.

This year, 15 films will compete for the Alexander awards in the International Competition section, while the Open Horizons programme features 40 films, 12 special screenings and three tributes: to Finnish Aki Kaurismäki, to German Andreas Dresen and to Iranian Bahman Ghobadi.

The Greek Films section offers visitors the opportunity to view the work of independent filmmakers, as well as a section dedicated to award-wining short films from the city of Drama Film Festival. It also includes a tribute to the late Theo Angelopoulos, the country’s most renowned film director to this date, who is also the subject of a round table discussion.

Other sections include the Balkan Survey, with a Christian Mungiu tribute, and the Agora Film Market. There will also be many more special screenings, exhibitions, concerts and parties throughout the festival. During the festival the city of Thessaloniki becomes a place of discovery and productive dialogue for the Seventh Art.