Thessaloniki's industry strand, Agora (3-11 November), is hosting a series of Agora Talks, which are industry-focused discussions and presentations aimed at providing valuable insights and practical knowledge to accredited guests of Agora and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. These sessions, conducted in partnership with various collaborators, cover a diverse range of topics, including co-production opportunities, financing tools, mental health within the industry and sustainable film production, among others. All sessions are being held at the MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography.

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Starting on Monday 6 November, Agora launches its new collaborative initiative, "Bridge to the North", aimed at fostering collaboration between the South and the North, with Lithuania as the first guest country. This scheme aims to promote partnerships and cultural exchange between Greece and Lithuania, including discussions on financing and artistic endeavours. The line-up of speakers features Athena Kartalou, managing director of the Greek Film Centre, and Laimonas Ubavičius, director of the Lithuanian Film Centre. Lithuanian producer Maria Razgute (M-Films) and Greek producer Yorgos Tsourgiannis (Horsefly Productions) will also share their co-production experiences. On the same day, the Audiovisual Producers' Association of Greece (SAPOE) will present a discussion on selective funding and financial strategies in Greece, with insights from local industry experts and European perspectives.

The following day, a discussion titled "Human and Company Sustainability in Film Production" will focus on the growing mental-health crisis in the film industry, exploring the intersection between human and company sustainability. Producers Jean-Laurent Csinidis (Films de Force Majeure) and Vicky Miha (Asterisk*) will offer valuable insights during the discussion, which is co-organised with ACE Producers. It will also feature strategic creative economy expert Juliane Schulze and will be moderated by Louise Højgaard Johansen (Sane Cinema). Later that day, the session "Take the Money and Run: State and Private Financing Tools" will address the need for alternative financing sources beyond public support and local broadcasters, exploring private financing options. This session includes Caroline von Kühn, director of Faliro House, and Julie-Jeanne Régnault, secretary-general of EFAD, with producer and economics consultant Arkaitz Basterra (Moby Dick Investment) serving as the moderator.

On the Wednesday, a discussion titled "Climate Storytelling: A Conversation" aims to emphasise the role of art, particularly cinema, in promoting environmental awareness and action. It will explore how incorporating environmental elements into narratives can shape audience perceptions and stimulate informed social discourse about climate issues. The conversation features as its speakers producer Bassam Alasad (Greener Screen), and filmmaker and sustainability coordinator Emma Doxiadi (Everybodies). Subsequently, there will be a panel discussion titled "Going 'Glocal': Building Strategies for Networking in the Audiovisual Industry", which delves into the importance of networking strategies and innovative tools for professionals seeking to expand beyond local boundaries and participate in the global audiovisual arena, with contributions from representatives of the Film Office-Central Macedonia, Venia Vergou of Crew United Greece and German producer Felix Gerd Schneider (Avriofilms).

On the Thursday, a parallel event at the Greek Film Centre stand will focus on green filming practices and their integration into film and audiovisual production in Greece. This collaborative effort between the Greek Film Centre and the Hellenic Film Commission, in partnership with TorinoFilmLab, offers innovative training programmes on sustainable film production and marks the launch of the Green Film Workshop call for Athens in 2024.

The Agora Series programme is dedicated to exploring the creative aspects of series screenwriting, and offers a rich array of industry events and networking opportunities, highlighting talent and audiovisual projects in the region. The schedule includes panel discussions, master classes and networking sessions.

The Agora Series Talks kick off on Saturday 4 November with the panel "Storytelling: A Narrative Bridge Between Film and Series", bringing together creators from the Mediterranean region to discuss script development for series and its connection to cinema. Subsequently, Agora Series will host "From Script to Screen: Does IP Matter?" in collaboration with the European Producers Club, focusing on European regulations safeguarding intellectual property in the audiovisual sector.

Finally, on the Sunday, two insightful sessions will take place: "How the Greek Audiovisual Ecosystem Embraces Creativity", featuring key figures from the Greek audiovisual industry and institutions discussing strategies to strengthen the sector, and "Series Content: Leading the Way to Diversity and Inclusion", which explores best practices for diversity and inclusion during the creation, production and audience dissemination of series.