Greek Queer Romance ‘Bearcave,’ Turkish Drama ‘The Hunchback’ Take Top Honors at Thessaloniki’s Industry Awards
Christopher Vourlias Greek filmmaker Stergios Dinopoulos’ queer romantic adventure “Bearcave” and Turkish director Ahu Ozturk’s drama “The Hunchback” took the top prizes at the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s industry award ceremony Wednesday night.
Dinopoulos’ feature debut, based on a 2023 short film of the same name, won the Authorwave Post-Production Award, the top prize in the Agora’s Works in Progress section, offering image services in post-production.
The Crossroads Co-Production Forum, meanwhile, gave its top honors — the Two Thirty-Five Co-Production Award, offering full post-production image and sound to a film that’s currently in development — to “The Hunchback,” Ozturk’s sophomore feature and the follow-up to her 2015 Berlinale premiere “Dust Cloth.” “Bearcave,” which tells the story of a mystical cave and an unexpected betrayal that spurs a romantic adventure between two childhood friends, was praised by the jury for its “unique style, rebellious characters and important story [that] convincingly reflected the uncompromising character displayed by the film and its team.” Accepting the award alongside her director, producer Krysianna Papadakis said: “It’s a weird reality we’re living in, and I feel like it’s a privilege to be making fiction, at least in this environment.
I’m very grateful to have this opportunity, and also to all of us for propping up this industry with our imagination.” The top prize in the Crossroads Co-Production Forum went to “The Hunchback,” which follows the close bond between two women who are suddenly forced to confront unspeakable loss.
