Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche will present her first film as a director, the nonfiction feature In-I In Motion, at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece next month. This significant event, taking place from March 5 to 15 in the port city of Thessaloniki, will highlight Binoche’s collaboration with acclaimed British dancer and choreographer Akram Khan, marking an important moment in her evolving career.
Festival Announcement and Binoche’s Role
At a press conference on Wednesday, the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (TiDF) revealed its full program for the 28th edition, emphasizing Binoche’s participation not only as a filmmaker but also in her capacity as President of the European Film Academy. The festival underlined the special opportunity audiences will have to engage with Binoche directly, stating,
“The radiant star will share thoughts, impressions and experiences with the audience on her recently acquired dual capacity both in front of and behind the camera, in an open discussion held within the context of the Festival,”
TiDF said.
Extensive Documentary Lineup with Numerous Premieres
This year’s festival will showcase over 250 documentaries, including a record 80 world premieres alongside 32 international and 11 European debuts. The opening night will feature the international premiere of Ivy Meeropol’s Ask E. Jean, a film about E. Jean Carroll, the only woman reportedly to have defeated Donald Trump twice in court in sexual assault and defamation cases. The festival’s closing film will be Mr. Nobody Against Putin, directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pavel Talankin, the film’s subject. Uniquely timed with the Oscars night on March 15, TiDF will host a screening followed by a viewing party at Thessaloniki’s historic Olympion Theater, celebrating nominees including Athens native Yorgos Lanthimos for his production work on the Best Picture contender Bugonia, which also earned Emma Stone a Best Actress nomination.
A Festival Deeply Engaged with Global Turmoil
Set amid ongoing international crises such as the war in Ukraine, violence in Gaza, and escalating tensions involving Iran, TiDF has boldly embraced a political stance, unlike the recent Berlin Film Festival, which avoided such positions. Festival leaders remarked on the intensity of global anxiety, stating,
“From Ukraine and Gaza to Sudan and Iran, and to every place where democracy, justice, and human rights are being tested, the anxiety about what comes next remains intense,”
followed by,
“The hope that conflicts might come to an end, that peace, stability, and social cohesion might prevail, cannot take shape as long as violence, racism, hate speech, and authoritarian political practices are being normalized. As long as the machinery of war remains in motion, openly threatening global stability, there is no room for complacency. Here, at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, we have the fortune, the joy, and above all the responsibility to underline the importance and the true power of the art of documentary, the indelible power of memory and truth.”
They further emphasized the festival’s mission, saying,
“Grounded in our belief in the universal values of freedom, democracy, equality, inclusion, and dignity, we have prepared a festival that brings into view what is unfolding in the world. What concerns us. Without footnotes. This is the direction we follow in order to provide a safe framework for talented and tireless documentary filmmakers from around the world to present their work. Work that, at times, entails risk and a personal cost greater than what the camera allows to be seen. That is why bringing these filmmakers and their invaluable work to the Festival’s audience, and their meaningful interaction over 11 days in Thessaloniki, is for us a mission of the highest importance.”
To allow broader access, many festival films will be available on the TiDF digital platform online.filmfestival.gr.
Honoring Remarkable Filmmakers and Presenting Greek Cinema
This edition of TiDF places a spotlight on several distinguished contributors to cinema. Vouvoula Skoura, a pioneering Greek filmmaker known for redefining memory, history, and time, will be honored with the Festival’s honorary Golden Alexander award alongside a special tribute featuring twenty of her films. The American multimedia artist Bill Morrison, celebrated as the “poet laureate of lost films” by The New York Times, will also receive the Golden Alexander and perform a public masterclass, with six of his works being screened.
Additionally, the esteemed film producer Yorgos Papalios, famed for his role in the renaissance of Greek cinema and support of emerging filmmakers, will be acknowledged with the Golden Alexander award. TiDF will feature the documentary Running on Waves by Yannis Karapiperidis, which focuses on Papalios, who also will serve as a jury member for the International Competition section.
Greek cinema remains a significant presence with 57 domestic films participating across various sections: International Competition, Newcomers Competition, Film Forward, Open Horizons, and Platform+. Notably, Platform+ documentaries will be available for streaming from March 6 through 20, enabling prolonged viewing for audiences. Among the Greek productions presented are Why the Mountains Are Black: Rituals, produced by COSMOTE TV and directed by Fivos Kontogiannis, and …One Road the Sea, produced by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) and directed by Voula Kostaki.
Details of International Competition Sections
The festival features four competitive sections. The International Competition lineup includes 14 films, three originating from Greece, vying for the Golden Alexander and a 12,000-euro cash reward, along with the Silver Alexander and a 5,000-euro prize. The Newcomers section showcases 14 debut or second films from emerging directors, also with three Greek entries, competing for the Golden Alexander – Dimitri Eipidis, accompanied by 10,000 euros, and a Silver Alexander prize of 4,000 euros.
The Film Forward category spotlights unconventional cinema with 10 films, including three Greek titles, competing for the Golden Alexander Film Forward accolade and a 6,000-euro prize, as well as a Silver Alexander with 3,000 euros. Additionally, the Immersive: All Around Cinema section offers eight pioneering films contending for the Golden Alexander Immersive and a 2,000-euro prize. This section will also include the interactive installation HeartBeat, Son cœur a trouvé sa cadence dans le silence des rencontres by French visual artist Fanny Fortage, also known as Bonnie Lisbon.
Other festival programming highlights include the Open Horizons section dedicated to dynamic documentaries, the Top Docs section showcasing exceptional documentary works, and the NextGen segment focused on younger filmmakers.
Desmond Child Documentary World Premiere and Agora Initiatives
The festival will premier Desmond Child Rocks the Parthenon, a documentary featuring the legendary American composer and producer Desmond Child, who will attend alongside director Heather Winters and Phoebus, a notable composer and lyricist. This film adds a musical dimension to the festival’s diverse offerings.
The TiDF Agora, the festival’s developmental division, will operate both in person and online, providing resources for upcoming documentary filmmakers. Activities include the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, Docs in Progress, Agora XR Lab, Agora Boost, Agora Talks, and Talking Heads, all designed to foster new projects and industry connections. Additionally, the Agora will collaborate with the European Film Academy for a Think Tank of leading European documentary professionals and introduce a delegation of four Basque Country producers presenting their works to industry experts. These initiatives underscore the festival’s commitment to supporting documentary talent and innovation.
Spotlight on Selected International Competition Films
Among the International Competition’s world and international premieres are notable films offering diverse themes and narratives:
- Bugboy (Lucas Paleocrassas, Greece-Denmark–France, 2026, 88 min): The film centers on George, a reserved teenager with misaligned eyes who copes with his parents’ divorce and social isolation by bonding with a cricket named Isabella. This poignant coming-of-age story explores transformation and self-acceptance through unlikely companionship.
- The Golden Grip (Fokion Bogris, Greece, 2026, 94 min): This documentary chronicles the life of Kostas, a ruggedly built Cretan who left his village in the 1960s hoping to become a star. Though often cast in minor tough-guy roles, his career spans five decades and an array of Greek cinematic styles, shedding light on the often overlooked role of supporting actors in film history.
- The Way Elsewhere (Eirini Vourloumis, Greece, 2026, 82 min): Set in Athens, the film portrays the lives of three veteran taxi drivers navigating the city’s challenges amid crisis and hope. The narrative blends musical elements with intimate observations, unveiling themes of memory, routine, and longing within the urban landscape.
- All About the Money (Sinéad O’Shea, Ireland, 2026, 95 min): This politically charged documentary follows Fergie Chambers, a communist insurgent combating capitalism from within the system. It provides an urgent investigation of contemporary financial power structures through a compelling, complex protagonist.
- Around Paradise (Yulia Lokshina, Germany, 2026, 122 min): Examining a secluded Paraguayan community founded by a German leader, this film explores issues like far-right extremism, colonialism, and digital technology through a darkly humorous, metaphysical lens, reflected in the isolated settlers’ quest for an ideal but troubling paradise.
- Birds of War (Janay Boulos & Abd Alkader Habak, UK-Syria–Lebanon, 2026, 85 min): A love story unfolds between two journalists documenting the Syrian civil war, separated by distance but united in their mission to reveal the human stories beneath the headlines over 13 years of conflict.
- Candidates of Death (Maciej Cuske, Poland, 2026, 90 min): Chronicling a decade-long journey, this film records a father and his sons collaboratively making an amateur horror film. The documentary captures the bittersweet interplay of growing up while retaining youthful imagination.
- Closure (Michał Marczak, Poland-France, 2026, 108 min): The film tracks a father’s search for his missing son Chris, who vanished after standing silently on a Warsaw bridge. This powerful narrative delves into themes of loss, mourning, and the elusive pursuit of closure.
- Derek vs Derek (James Dawson, UK, 2026, 88 min): Against a Devonshire countryside backdrop, two neighboring farmers named Derek embody contrasting agricultural philosophies—intensive farming versus ecological conservation—offering an insightful and often humorous reflection on modern environmental ethics.
- La Pietà (Rafa Molés & Pepe Andreu, Spain–Iceland–Lithuania, 2026, 82 min): This contemplative film centers on seven Icelandic siblings who isolated themselves to study the natural world around Europe’s largest glacier. It meditates on memory, ecological loss, and the fragile relationship between humans and the environment.
- Nuisance Bear (Gabriela Osio Vanden & Jack Weisman, USA-Canada, 2026, 90 min): An elder Inuit’s narrative of Churchill, Manitoba—the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”—weaves together human and animal stories under the shadow of human-induced environmental change and mass industrialization, presenting a deeply ecological cinematic experience.
- Soap Fever (Inka Achté, Finland-Sweden, 2026, 78 min): Set during Finland’s economic downturn after the Soviet Union’s collapse, this documentary explores the cultural impact of American soap operas, especially The Bold and the Beautiful, as a form of escapism during harsh times.
- The Beauty of Errors (Jukka Kärkkäinen, Finland-Norway-Sweden, 2026, 94 min): Revisiting subjects from a prior film, this documentary examines the evolving yet complex father-son relationship across time in rural Finland, blending raw emotional intimacy with cinematic sensitivity.
- The Golden Swan (Anette Ostrø, Norway-Sweden-Denmark-Netherlands, 2026, 88 min): Through personal archives and present-day reflections, this film recounts the final weeks of Norwegian artist Hans Christian Ostrø, who was kidnapped and executed in Kashmir in 1995 by militants. It is a story of courage, moral resistance, and forgiveness amid tragedy.
Impact and Significance of the Festival
The Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival offers an unparalleled platform for documentary filmmakers to engage with pressing global issues through their craft, especially during a period marked by political unrest and humanitarian crises. Juliette Binoche’s directorial debut adds star power and artistic significance, showcasing the festival’s blend of celebrated figures and emerging talent. The event’s openness to politically charged content and its commitment to fostering new voices via initiatives like the Agora signals a determined effort to maintain documentary film as a vital medium for truth and memory.
As the festival unspools over 11 days, audiences in Thessaloniki and online will encounter an expansive array of perspectives and narratives that not only illuminate the current state of the world but also affirm the enduring power of documentary cinema to provoke thought, empathy, and change.
