Selected Projects Announced for the first Co-Production Development Forum of Beyond Borders 2026
Following the open call for proposals for the pilot edition of the Co-Production Development Forum, set to take place during the 11th edition of the Beyond Borders Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival (August 23–30, 2026), the festival is pleased to officially announce the final selection of projects.
The evaluation committee, headed by Rudy Buttignol C.M, released the following statement regarding the selection process:
“We are pleased to announce that the response from the Greek documentary community to the Beyond Borders Coproduction Development Forum was outstanding and exceeded our expectations. We received 28 high quality proposals at various stages of development and on a variety of subjects, ranging from history to migration to human rights. Selecting only five projects was most challenging. However, we chose the projects that, in our opinion, could most benefit from working closely this summer with our small team of decision makers from Aljazeera, Arte, ERT, and ZDF. Our sincere thanks to the all the filmmakers who submitted their work to this pilot development program.”
Official Selection 2026:
- The Empire –Directed/Produced by Dimitra Babadima
- Child Brides: The Missing Piece –Directed by Photini Lambridi & Produced by Marina Danzi
- Ideal Homeland –Directed/Produced by Gregory Vardarinos
- Hitler’s Excavation at Olympia –Directed/Produced by Nikos Chrisikakis
- Music From the Unseen Journey: Tcha’s Journey –Directed by Petros Kolotouros & Produced by Leonidas Liambeys
About the Forum
Scheduled from August 24 to August 27, 2026, on the island of Kastellorizo, this four-day intensive development incubator is designed to equip Greek filmmakers with the strategic infrastructure and networks necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Under the mentorship of Rudy Buttignol C.M., participating teams will engage in structured one-to-one meetings, specialized masterclasses, and an immersive “mock” pitch session simulating international forum environments.
Over the course of the event, delegates will interface directly with senior commissioning editors and executives from prestigious international broadcasting institutions including ARTE, Al Jazeera, ERT, and ZDF.
For its inaugural year, this forum is exclusively dedicated to Greek productions or co-productions under the auspices of EKKOMED, aiming to elevate Greek cinema on the eve of the 39th European Film Awards, which Athens will host.
It is reminded that hospitality accommodation on the island is covered by the Festival for selected participants. Delegates are responsible for arranging and covering their respective travel expenses. Upon official selection, a standard registration fee of 75 Euros is required to secure placement in the program.
The 11th edition of Beyond Borders is held with EKOMED as the Main Institutional Partner, under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is proudly supported by Awards Sponsors ERT and ZDF; Official Catalogue Sponsor Ministry of National Defence; Accommodation Sponsors Aegeas AMKE and Swiss Film; Supporters Hellenic Parliament, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), and the Latsis Foundation; alongside Contributors to the Subtitling Costs the Embassy of Germany in Athens, the Embassy of Spain in Athens, the Embassy of Slovakia in Athens, and the French Institute in Athens.
Festival photographs can be downloaded HERE, and film stills are available HERE.
The official trailer for the 11th edition can be viewed HERE.
For more information, please visit www.beyondborders.gr or contact the festival team directly at info@beyondborders.gr.
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