“Immortal Flowers,” a debut documentary about underground rave culture in Ukraine, won big at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s industry awards Wednesday night.
The film, which is a U.S.-Ukraine co-production, took home the top prize in the Docs in Progress section, the 2|35 Post-Production Company Award in post-production services.
Directed by Brian Logvinsky, it combines elements of fiction and documentary to tell the story of young people chasing the high of Ukraine’s underground dance parties amid strict curfews, air raids and fears about being drafted to defend the country against Russian forces.
Romanian producer Ada Solomon, representing a jury that included sales agent and festival programmer Anja Dziersk and film critic Ahmed Shawky, said the trio was “captivated” by the synopsis alone.
“What if the world’s best party unfolds amid a nation ravaged by years of catastrophic war?” the jury statement read. “Gaining rare access to vibrant young people brimming with energy and doubt, uncertain if tomorrow even exists, the filmmakers reveals how living fearlessly in the moment becomes a primal defense.”
“Immortal Flowers” is produced by Harrison Jaffee and Anna Konik for Catharsis Pictures and Tommaso Rositani of FFB Pictures, in co-production with Eugene Rachkovsky of Ukrainian collective Tabor Production. Logvinsky’s previous directorial effort, the short film “Catharsis,” starring Blondie lead vocalist Debbie Harry, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
The top prize in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum went to “Nava Mamă,” from Romanian filmmaker Ana Vijdea. The film, about a teenage boy on a quest for resilience, identity and belonging, won a €10,000 ($11,500) cash prize from the International Emerging Film Talents Fund (IEFTF).
Representing a jury that included Swedish producer Malin Hüber and DocsBarcelona Pro head Èric Motjer, IDFA Bertha Fund executive director Selin Murat said the winning project “touched us deeply.”
“Navigating the inner and outer worlds of an incredible young person with intimacy and delicacy, this debut feature filmmaker shows resilience, sensibility and creativity in the constant adaptation of life’s constraints,” the jury statement read. “Together, the filmmaker and their protagonist create a magical space for true collaboration and the exploration of youth.”
“Nava Mamă” is produced by Ana Vijdea, Ana Gheorghe and Cosmin Nicoara for Romania’s Remora Films, in co-production with Louis Beaudemont of France’s Les Steppes Productions.
Representing the host nation, another big winner Wednesday night was “Unwanted Past,” from director Thanassis Vassiliou and producer Konstantinos Vassilaros of StudioBauhaus, which interrogates painful chapters in 20th-century Greek history through the lens of one family. The film won the Onassis Film Award, a cash prize of €5,000 ($5,800), and the ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award.
The ceremony came to a bittersweet close with the news that Agora head Angeliki Vergou, who’s run the Thessaloniki festival’s industry arm since 2022, will be stepping down from her post, although she’ll remain on board in the role of Agora Advisor, international partnerships and development.
Festival general director Elise Jalladeau praised Vergou’s “incredible work” at the helm of the industry event.
“Her vision and energy, her expertise and interpersonal skills, her heart, her intuition, her leadership have enabled our two Agoras to become benchmarks for the European audiovisual sector,” said Jalladeau. “Fortunately, she will remain with us as part of our team, to continue this work and work with us to make European and regional cinema and documentaries even stronger and more meaningful.”
At the ceremony’s close, the Agora team presented an emotional Vergou with a golden accreditation badge.
“This is the greatest team I have ever worked with, and I’m very proud to be part of it, and I’m going to cry, so I’m not going to continue,” Vergou said. “But I will continue being with you anyway. You’re stuck with me anyway.”
Here’s the complete list of winners of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s Agora awards:
Onassis Film Award: “Unwanted Past,” Thanassis Vassiliou
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Awards
IEFTF Award for Best Documentary in Development: “Nava Mamă,” Ana Vijdea
ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award: “Unwanted Past,” Thanassis Vassiliou
Eurodoc Award: “Voices,” Persefoni Miliou (Special Mention: “The Last Class,” Michele Fornasero)
Aylon Productions Digital Services Award: “Who We Are,” Sophie Ataya
Beldocs XR Academy Award: “Nothing Is Ever Really Lost,” Anna Szylar
Mediterranean Film Institute George Kalogeropoulos Award: “The Last Class,” Michele Fornasero
Paradiddle Pictures Guidance Award: “Makasi,” Danae Maria Samara
Crew United Prize: “Moving Still,” Ioanna Tsoucala
DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award: “Who We Are,” Sophie Ataya
DAE Consultancy Award: “Of the Trees Unmoved,” Nino Benashvili
Docs in Progress Awards
2|35 Post-Production Main Award: “Immortal Flowers,” Brian Logvinsky
Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award: “Landwards,” Rama Ayasra
Impronta Films Guidance Award: “Mati 2307,” Marianna Kakaounaki
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