The 83rd Venice International Film Festival opened on Wednesday with Greece showcased as this year’s Focus Country of the Venice Production Bridge.
Throughout the festival, the initiative Greece in Focus will showcase the dynamism of the Greek film and audiovisual industry, presenting selected projects and professionals through a series of Market activities, according to the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED).
Multiple Greek projects will be highlighted in this context and three Greek films will be screened; two as part of the Horizons competition of the Festival, and one in the schedule of International Critics’ Week.
Highlighting international partnership opportunities
As part of the Focus, a significant Greek delegation will travel to Venice, including representatives of funding bodies, producers, creators, broadcasters and platforms, sales agents and distributors, as well as VR/XR/AR professionals and post-production companies.
The Venice Production Bridge 2026 programme will offer a comprehensive overview of Greece’s film and audiovisual industry through specially curated panels, professional meetings, and networking events, strengthening international partnership opportunities, EKKOMED notes.
Greek projects will participate in the Venice Gap – Financing Market, while recent publications suitable for film or television adaptation will be presented at the Book Adaptation Rights Market. Greek co-productions in post-production will be featured in the Final Cut in Venice programme, professionals will take part in meetings with international platforms at Meet the Streamers, Greek filming locations will be presented at the VPB Locations Market, and immersive technology projects will be showcased at the Venice Immersive Market.
Greek films featured at 83rd Venice International Film Festival
As part of this year’s special Focus on Greece programme at the Venice Film Festival, Greek cinema and immersive projects will be showcased, highlighting the strength of Greece’s audiovisual creative sector while boosting prospects for international partnerships and co-productions.
The projects taking part in the Venice Gap Financing Market – Focus on Greece are “African Grey” by Yorgos Gousis, “Lionfish” by Thanasis Trouboukis, “Patrimonial Fears and Other Illusions” by Elina Psykou, “The Smuggler” by Kaveh Bakhtiari and “Wake” by Thelyia Petraki.
Meanwhile, “The Mysteries of Eleusis” by John Fitzgerald and Simon Critchley will participate in the Venice Immersive Market – Focus on Greece. “Visitor” by Spyros Boukas will participate in the Biennale College Cinema – Immersive.
Greek films showing at 83rd Venice Film Festival
Three films that have received support through funding programmes run by the National Centre for Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME) will be presented at the 83rd Venice Film Festival.
Jacqueline Lentzou’s second feature film, A Day in the Life of Jo: Phaedra Chapter, a drama with supernatural elements, has been selected for the Horizons competition at the festival, which focuses on new trends and some of the most innovative voices in contemporary world cinema, alongside 18 other films from around the world. It is produced by Avion Films and Atalanti S.A., and co-produced by Kelek Film, 4A4 Productions, ERT S.A. and Haris & Co.
The short film Tropic of the Mourning Gecko, written and directed by Stavros Markoulakis, will have its world premiere, also at the Horizons competition. Shot in Crete, the film is a co-production between Greece, France and the Netherlands.
Also taking part in the parallel Settimana Internazionale della Critica (International Critics’ Week) programme is Our Share of Sand, directed by Shalini Adnani and co-produced by George Karnavas of Heretic Productions.
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