Thessaloniki: Adaptation Of Ioanna Karystiani’s ‘Swell’ Among 2026 Agora Works In Progress Titles

EXCLUSIVE: Eleven titles from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region have been selected to take part in the 2026 Agora Works in Progress sessions at the 2026 Thessaloniki Film Festival.

Thessaloniki’s Agora Works in Progress focuses on films in the post-production stage that have a connection to the Mediterranean region and Southeastern Europe. During the event, the selected films are presented to key players in the industry, including sales agents, distributors, producers, streaming platforms, and festival programmers, with the aim of helping the films secure finishing funds, attract sales agents, secure festival premieres, and establish crucial partnerships.

This year’s AGORA Works in Progress Jury features Maria Drandaki, Producer and Founder of Homemade Films (Greece), Wouter Jansen, Founder and Head of Sales & Acquisitions of Square Eyes (Austria), and Gabriela Trujillo, Programmer at Quinzaine des cinéastes / Directors’ Fortnight – Cannes FF (France).

Among the selected titles is Swell, the new film by Alexandros Voulgaris (The Boy), which will screen as a sneak preview at the AGORA WiP presentations. The film is based on the multi- awarded book of the same name by the celebrated author Ioanna Karystiani.

Films that have participated in previous editions of the Agora Works in Progress include Tonia Mishiali’s The Lion At My Back (Karlovy Vary IFF – Crystal Globe Competition 2026 – Prize of the Ecumenical Jury); Ivan Marković’s Promised Spaces (Cannes FF – ACID Cannes 2026); and Thanasis Neofotistos’s The Boy With The Light-Blue Eyes (SXSW London 2026).

Scroll down to see the full list of Works In Progress titles. The Agora Works in Progress program will run from November 8 to 12.

2026 Agora Works in Progress Titles:

1970
Director: Darko Lungulov, Production: Snezana van Houwelingen – This and That Productions,
Serbia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Croatia

AVANOS

Director: Panagiotis Charamis, Production: Alexis Tsoukalas – Pan Entertainment, Greece

THE CROSSROAD

Director: Mari Gulbiani, Production: Kate Kalandarishvili – MIDIFILM, Georgia

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN

Director: Diego Llorente, Production: Lara Lobo – Failo Cine, Co-production: Virginia Bogliolo – tarkiofilm, Rubén González – Báltico Media, Spain, Uruguay

THE LAW OF THE FLIES

Director: Tunahan Kurt, Production: Zeynep Ekmekci – FARO, Türkiye

THE LONGEST NIGHT

Director: Ismet Sijarina, Production: Leonora Lushtaku and Ismet Sijarina – Thumbs Up,

Co-production: Dejan Iliev – DMF doo Production, Florenc Papas – Tunnelfilm
Kosovo*, Albania, North Macedonia

With the support of: Kosovo* Cinematography Center (QKK), Albanian National Cinematography Center (QKK), and North Macedonia Film Agency.
Developed with the support of eQuinoxe Europe.

MIGNON

Director: Sofia Georgovassili, Production: Antigone Rota, Stelios Cotionis – Foss Productions, Co-production: Irina Malcea-Candea – Luna Film, Greece, Romania

RÍO MASACRE
Director: Sylvie Weber, Production: Anouk Shad-Ripe GmbH, Co-production: Lukas Rinner – Nabis Filmgroup, Austria

SWELL Out Of Competition

Director: Alexandros Voulgaris (The Boy), Production: Dionyssis Samiotis – Tanweer Productions, Giannis Iakovidis – Black Orange, Co-production: Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center, ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation), Onassis Culture

Greece

WINTER SEMESTER

Director: Dimitris Koutsiabasakos, Production: Mary Kolonia – Lucid Dreamers Productions, Greece

YIANNIS
Director: Kyros Papavassiliou, Production: Kyros Papavassiliou – Drytree Films, Co-Production: Konstantina Stavrianou – Graal, Cyprus, Greece