01/12/2005

Thessaloniki International Film Festival organizers are thinking of expanding the length of Crossroads, the main networking event from three to five days, to accommodate increasing interest from the Balkan and Mediterranean film industry for which it mainly caters.

This year was the first ever for the Crossroads forum, a networking initiative where producers with script projects with some kind of Balkan or Mediterranean attributes were given the chance to meet decision makers from all over the world, November 24-26.
Twenty seven producers from 14 European countries presented 27 projects to movers and shakers from the UK, France, Spain and Canada. According to the organizers more than 250 half hour one-to-one meetings took place during the three day period. Although verbal agreements were made, the Festival organizers did not keep records of any individual deals that may have been achieved during the meetings. They did witness thought a need for more time.
“Considering it was our pilot event we can brand it a success. But we can also safely say that it wouldn’t harm to add at least a couple of days to the event, to give all people involved more room for maneuver” comments Fenia Kossovitsa, one of the Crossroads coordinators, adding that her after festival report would definitely make suggestions towards that direction.

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Festival organizers agree that the festival’s focus should remain on its international film programming but she would like to see Crossroads also expanding, as it offers a rare chance for filmmakers from the Balkan peninsula and the Mediterranean basin to meet with key industry people on what is essentially home turf. “The interest was there and was evident. We just have to sustain it with the right moves” Kossovitsa adds.