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Αγορά Agora

Agora

ANIMASYROS Agora 2026 The ANIMASYROS Agora, now in its 12th consecutive year as a dedicated section of the Festival, has established itself as a dynamic meeting point for animation professionals, fostering collaborations among directors, producers, distributors, artists and industry professionals from Greece and around the world. In 2026, the Agora places a special emphasis on Ireland, this year’s Country of Focus, exploring the growth and future of one of Europe’s most dynamic animation ecosystems. A key highlight is a conversation between Andrew Fitz Patrick, widely regarded as a founding figure of Irish animation, and Moe Honan, President of Animation Ireland and CEO of Moetion Films, while the wider programme also examines talent development, financing, production and international cooperation between Ireland and Greece.

At the heart of the Agora is the ANIMASYROS Pitching Forum, supported by SKY express, the Festival’s Official Air Carrier. Its three-day Pitching Coaching Workshop, led by Tünde Vollenbroek, Elliott Palmer and Viviane Vanfleteren, with invited speakers including Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Joanna Quinn, will bring together eight animation professionals from the wider Mediterranean and Balkan region to develop their projects and prepare them for the international market. The programme culminates in the Pitching Sessions, where the selected projects are presented before an international panel of industry professionals and potential partners. A €1,500 award by ERT will be presented to one of the selected projects, while the winning project will also receive a SKY express flight ticket valid across the airline’s network. The Agora also presents a wide programme of masterclasses, presentations, talks and networking sessions, bringing leading figures of contemporary animation into direct contact with emerging and established professionals.

Agora As part of ANIMASYROS’ commitment to strengthening the Greek animation sector, the three-day Animation Producer Workshop returns for a second year, led by Elisa Beli Borrelli and supported by EKKOMED. Designed for Greek animation producers and creators, it focuses on project development through a DIY approach, collaborative and alternative production models. Greek Animation Talks also return, offering Greek creators the opportunity to discuss their work, creative challenges and good practices, this year hosted by the Greek actress Alina Kotsovoulou. Finally, the Animation Speed Dating Sessions powered by Enterprise Greece return for a fourth year, offering selected Greek creators a series of focused 15-minute meetings with internationally established producers and artists, with the aim of developing co-productions, collaborations and professional opportunities in the international animation scene. Through its programme of pitching, professional development, exchange and networking, the ANIMASYROS Agora continues to connect the Greek and international animation communities and create new opportunities for collaboration.

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Pitching Forum Tutors

Tünde Vollenbroek ΝL

Eliott Palmer UK

Viviane Vanfleteren BE

A key figure in the European animation industry, Tünde Vollenbroek creates animation in all shapes, sizes, genres, and age brackets, as well as graphic novels for young adults. Throughout the past 17 years, she ran animation production house Studio Pupil where their short films won over 60 awards, headed the KLIK (now Kaboom) animation festival program and the KLIK West Coast Tour in the US, wrote in-depth articles for Cartoon Brew as their European correspondent, and took part in Animation Sans Frontières. Tünde is a two-time recipient of the Trickstar Business Award, served on numerous festival juries such as Zagreb and Playgrounds, and teaches and coaches whenever she has the time.

A lifelong fan of cartoons, Elliott is an animation producer and writer who began his career working on Danger Mouse at the BBC before joining Nickelodeon International as Animation Production & Development Manager. Since going freelance in 2020, he has produced and developed projects with companies and studios including King Bert, Gigglebug, and BBC Studios, and is particularly passionate about championing animation created by and depicting underrepresented cultures.

Viviane Vanfleteren is the founder and CEO of Vivi Film, an independent Belgian film production company. Her credits include, among others, The Triplets of Belleville and The Secret of Kells, both nominated for an Academy Award®, as well as animated series such as Upside Down River and Ewilan’s Quest. The feature film Titina was released in 2023, followed by The Polar Bear Prince in early 2025. Today, Viviane is developing, financing and producing a range of animated series and feature films at different stages of production. She is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

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Pitching Forum Projects

Dance of Spirits Short - 8’

Living abroad, a young man has grown distant from the grandparents who raised him, retreating into raves and sleepless nights. A phone call brings him back to his Bulgarian village during Surva, a centuries-old winter ritual in which masked dancers drive away evil spirits. As the celebration begins, he is confronted with a fur mask made for him long ago. Gradually, rave, memory and ritual begin to merge, drawing him into a surreal encounter with the family, home and emotions he has spent years avoiding. Writer & Director: Zlatelina Tsokova Producer: Baran Sedighian Script Coach: Rozemarijn in ‘t Veld

Zlatelina Tsokova BG Zlatelina is a Bulgarian animation director and illustrator based in the Netherlands. Her work combines psychological horror, surreal imagery and expressive hand-drawn animation to explore memory, identity and altered perception. Her graduation film, Tech Check (2024), created during the Master’s programme in Animation at St. Joost School of Art & Design (MIVC), visualises anxiety through an increasingly distorted perception of reality. She is currently developing the animated short Dance of Spirits, first shaped during the SYAA Animation Workshop organised by Animest and further developed through the Playgrounds NEXT Talent Programme. Her work aims to merge culturally rooted storytelling with genre cinema and a deeply personal visual language.

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Pitching Forum Projects

Milk Skin Short

A young woman begins her day with a familiar bathroom routine. In the mirror, she notices a small blemish on her skin and tries to ignore it. The more she resists, however, the stronger the urge to fix it becomes, until she finally gives in. As she stares at her reflection, the blemish appears to grow and transform, forming a second face within her own. What begins as a simple attempt to erase an imperfection spirals into a disturbing confrontation with herself. Trapped in a trance-like cycle of control and compulsion, she loses all sense of time as her obsession reaches a devastating extreme, leaving her isolated from the world beyond the mirror. Writer & Director: Evridiki Papaiakovou

Evridiki Papaiakovou CY A multidisciplinary designer and artist from Cyprus with a background in Graphic Design. After completing her Master’s degree in Animation, she expanded her practice into animated film. Her work has been exhibited in Estonia and Latvia, and she has also been actively involved in animation workshops for children. Evridiki enjoys experimenting across different media, allowing her visual language to evolve in response to her surroundings and creative environment.

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Pitching Forum Projects

Millennials

Adult Comedy TV Series 10 x 24’

Millennials is an adult animated comedy about a group of women whose quarter-life crises have followed them well into their 30s. At the centre are best friends Nikki and Stephanie. Nikki is trying to build her “creative empire” while living back at home with her overbearing Greek mother. Stephanie is a reformed party girl turned housewife and mother, quietly wondering, “Is this it?” As they chase their youth while trying to grow up, their insecurities come to life as chaotic characters, derailing every attempt at emotional progress. Director & Producer: Rhea Lazarides Writers: Rhea Lazarides, Giulia Rozzi

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Rhea Lazarides CY

Giulia Rozzi US

Rhea Lazarides is a Cypriot animation creator and producer with more than 15 years of experience in development, visual development and production. She spent over a decade working across London animation studios, including Blue Zoo Animation Studio, on productions for CBeebies, Nickelodeon, PBS Kids and Warner Bros. She is the founder of 32D Productions, where she develops original, character-driven animation with a particular focus on female-led stories. She is currently developing Millennials, an adult animated comedy about identity and the messy realities of modern adulthood. Rhea studied Animation at University of the Arts London and later trained in 3D character animation at Animation Mentor and the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Los Angeles.

Giulia Rozzi is an award-winning writer, comedian, producer and TEDx speaker. She has appeared on Conan, After Midnight, Comedy Central, Chelsea Lately and truTV, and has written for HBO Max’s South Side, MTV’s Girl Code and Silent Library, and TV Land’s Younger. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Refinery29, Esquire and HuffPost, as well as in several anthologies. She has created and produced numerous original stage shows, including the critically acclaimed solo show Bad Bride. She currently cohosts the seasonal dinner variety event Giulia & Will’s Night Out, co-produces the annual Cancer Is A Joke event with WeGotThis.org, and writes the Substack newsletter Seven Bodies.

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International Mifa Campus Pitching Forum Projects Pitching Forum Projects

Rain- Off Short 7’-9’

After years of bringing rain to funerals, a Cloud feels burnt out and can no longer cry. Desperate, it wanders through the city in search of something that might move it to tears. When a Sparrow falls on top of it, the Cloud discovers that the bird is struggling to fly and decides to help it rejoin its migrating flock. After repeated attempts, the Sparrow finally takes to the air. As the flock begins its journey to Africa, the two friends say goodbye. Watching the Sparrow fly away, tears well up in the Cloud’s eyes until it finally bursts into tears. Directors & Writers: Chrysiida Alexandraki, Nikos Bourloukas Producer: Isavella Alopoudi

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Nikos Bourloukas GR

Chrysiida Alexandraki GR

Nikos Bourloukas was born in Katerini, Greece, in 1999. He studied Graphic Design and Visual Communication at the University of West Attica and further specialised in Animation and Storyboarding through postgraduate studies in 2D and 3D Animation. Since 2020, he has worked as an animator on Greek and European productions, including Mister Paper (Ketnet, ERT & AVROTROS), Gegone (ERT), Valemon: The Polar Bear Prince (Funny Tales), Travel Bugs (Neda Films) and Pytheas Travels (Onassis Foundation). He currently works as an Animator and VFX Designer. For the past two years, he has collaborated with Chrysiida Alexandraki on a number of projects presented at regional and international festivals and pitching forums, including Cartoon Springboard.

Chrysiida Alexandraki was born in Chania, Greece, in 2000. She graduated from the School of Film at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with an integrated Master’s degree in Screenwriting. In 2020–2021, she studied Audiovisual Communication at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) through the Erasmus+ programme. She has since worked mainly as an assistant on shortand long-form productions, collaborating with studios such as Funny Tales and broadcasters including ALPHA TV. She has participated in several screenwriting workshops, including MFI Script 2 Film Workshops in Nisyros and ERT’s Microfilm, and currently works as an Assistant Producer. For the past two years, she has collaborated with Nikos Bourloukas on projects presented at regional and international festivals and pitching forums, including Cartoon Springboard. 14

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Pitching Forum Projects

The Daughters of Automatons Short 10’-15’

In a far-future Greece rebuilt with newly discovered ancient technology, two cyborg crime fighters, Thoe and Pyrfora — known as the Daughters of Automatons — are tasked with hunting down Vangelas, a middle-aged souvlaki chef who has stolen an ancient relic resembling a gyro cutter from an archaeological site. After a destructive first clash in a Greek café, Vangelas disappears. With no clue to his whereabouts or intentions, Thoe and Pyrfora must track him down and recover the stolen relic before he can carry out his insane plan. Will they stop him in time? The future of Athens is in their hands. Director: Panagiotis Arvanitakis

Panagiotis Arvanitakis GR Panagiotis Arvanitakis (Entelechus) is a graduate of the Department of Psychology at Panteion University and a self-taught illustrator and animator. He is currently developing his professional practice in animation, while continuing to create his own work. He has also contributed to a range of animation and film projects, including collaborations with the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and several independent productions.

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Pitching Forum Projects

Youssef Short

Following the fall of Assad, Kamel returns to Syria after 15 years — not to Aleppo, but to a village he has never visited, to see his dearest friend. On the train, memories resurface: a boarding school in 2012, Youssef standing on a bench, trembling with fear as he shouts “Freedom,” inspiring Kamel to stand beside him. Kamel arrives not at a door, but at a headstone. As he sits beside it, lays down flowers and confronts grief and survivor’s guilt, he is drawn into the village’s annual celebration marking Assad’s fall. There, an old woman tells him the tale of the three rabbits and of the path Syrians took in the years after the revolution. In her words, Kamel finds the strength to move forward. Director, Writer: Kami Hloubi

Kami Hloubi SY Born in Aleppo, Syria, and raised around the world, he is a creative director, motion designer and multidisciplinary artist working across cultures and disciplines. He began freelancing in 2018, teaching himself through online resources and gradually expanding from video editing and graphic design into animation and directing. He is currently studying Animation at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and is on exchange at Tokyo Zokei University. As he approaches graduation, his focus is increasingly on film and animation direction, with an ambition to develop a distinctive voice across both fields.

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Pitching Forum Guest Lecturers

Joanna Quinn UK

Kerdi Oengo EE

British animator Joanna Quinn discovered animation while studying Graphic Design in London. Her graduation film, Girls Night Out, introduced the iconic character Beryl and won three awards at the Annecy International Animation Festival in 1987. Beryl went on to feature in Body Beautiful and Dreams & Desires – Family Ties, films exploring gender, oppression and the eccentricities of human nature. In 1993, Quinn’s Britannia further established her reputation with its critique of British imperialism. Her most recent Beryl film, Affairs of the Art, was nominated for an Academy Award. Joanna has won four BAFTAs and three Emmys and has received two Academy Award nominations. She holds three Honorary Doctorates and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art. More recently, she has supported women animators in Gaza and promoted films made by displaced children, leading the global initiative To Gaza with Love, which has produced more than 300 films from over 50 countries.

Kerdi Oengo has been Executive Producer at the stop-motion animation studio Nukufilm Studios since 2003, following a career producing live-action feature films that began in 1986. She has worked as producer or production manager on more than 60 animated shorts and two internationally co-produced animated features: Lisa Limone and Maroc Orange (2012) and Captain Morten and the Spider Queen (2018). In 2023, the short film Koerkorter (Dog Apartment) was shortlisted for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Short Film. She has lectured in production at the Estonian Academy of Arts’ Animation Department and the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, and also teaches animation and film production in Estonian high schools. Kerdi is CEO of the Estonian Animation Association, a member of the Council of the Estonian Filmmakers Association, and a member of the Board of the European Animation Awards – Emile Awards.

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Pitching Forum Guest Lecturers

Yanni Lolis GR

Sergio Kotsovoulos GR

He studied International Relations at Tufts University, Graphic Design at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and Interactive Media and Film Editing at Vancouver Film School. He has worked as a motion graphics designer, art director and creative director in the advertising and music industries, specialising in online and interactive applications. He co-founded the production company Lokey, where he worked as a producer and co-director on music videos and short films, and is also a co-founder of the art collective Medea Electronique. From 2020 to 2025, alongside Marineta MAK Kritikou, he coordinated the Agora of ANIMASYROS International Animation Festival, producing an extensive programme of workshops, round-table discussions, masterclasses and networking events, including Pitching Forum collaborations with Folimage, the Fontevraud Residency and Annecy’s MIFA Campus.

Sergio Kotsovoulos is a film director and set designer who has worked on numerous television productions and commercials for major production companies in Greece. He lectures in Documentary Filmmaking at the University of the Aegean and in Animation at AKTO College. His animated short film Echo, which he directed and co-produced, premiered in 2021 and has since screened at more than 90 festivals, receiving over 25 awards and 15 nominations, including selections at several BAFTA, Canadian Screen Awards and Academy Award®-qualifying festivals. Since 2014, he has been part of the design and film bureau WITHIN and has served as one of the Creative Directors of SYNERGASTIRION, receiving numerous Greek advertising and design awards. Sergio is a founding member of ASIFA Hellas and a voting member of the ASIFA-Hollywood Annie Awards.

The ANIMASYROS 2026 Agora Pitching Forum Jury consists of Lynn Nwokorie (UK), Nancy Denney-Phelps (BE), Elliott Palmer (UK), Yanni Lolis (GR) and Kerdi Oengo (EE).

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Pitching Forum Jury

The winning project will receive a €1,500 cash prize presented by ERT, as well as a SKY express flight ticket valid across the airline’s network.

Lynn Nwokorie UK

Nancy Denney-Phelps BE

Lynn is a Film Relationship Manager for the British Council and a Programme Advisor for the BFI London Film Festival (LFF) and SXSW Austin. She is also an Executive Producer, currently working independently and previously at Dorothy Street Pictures, and has provided editorial consultancy for film organisations including Gotham Film & Media Week and We Are Parable, championing documentary and narrative filmmakers throughout their careers. Previously, Lynn was a Doc Society Fund Manager, working across a range of film funds including the BFI Doc Society Fund, the Bertha Doc Society Journalism Fund and the Pulse Fund.

Nancy Denney-Phelps is an animation journalist, historian, lecturer and pitching coach who has been active in the international animation community for more than two decades. Based in Ghent, Belgium, she has presented lectures, curated programmes and moderated discussions at major festivals including Annecy, Animafest Zagreb, ANIMASYROS, Anilogue and the MOVE Summit. A regular contributor to Animation World Network (AWN) and other publications since 1995, she is the author of On the Animation Trail (Routledge, 2024). Nancy serves on the boards of ASIFA International and ASIFA-San Francisco and is Secretary of the Emile European Animation Awards. Her honours include the Giannalberto Bendazzi Award for Animation Journalism and a Lifetime Achievement Award from AnimaKom.

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Pitching Forum Jury

Elliot Palmer UK

Yanni Lolis GR

Kerdi Oengo EE

Bio on p. 8

Bio on p. 19

Bio on p. 18

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Pitching Forum Ambassador

Themis Bazaka GR Themis Bazaka is one of Greece’s most distinguished actresses, with an extensive career in film, theatre and television. A graduate of the Drama School of the National Theatre of Northern Greece, she also studied at the Actors Studio in New York. Her acclaimed film work includes Rembetiko, Stone Years, Quiet Days in August, Akrovates tou Kipou and A Blast. She has received several major acting distinctions, including awards at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the Valencia Film Festival, as well as a Special Mention at the Venice Film Festival for her performance in Stone Years. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. At ANIMASYROS 2026, she takes on the role of Pitching Forum Ambassador, lending her experience, artistic insight and distinctive presence to a platform dedicated to supporting emerging animator creators and bringing new stories closer to the screen.

Photo © Aris Rammos

Art Direction: From Sensation to Animation

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Day 1 Masterclass

Maya Merigeau reflects on her journey from animation school to becoming an art director at Cartoon Saloon, exploring how her mentors, Irish mysticism and nature, and her own relationship with drawing shaped a distinctive approach to animation. Through examples from her work, she will discuss how experimental, sensorial and meditative elements can inform the visual language of both short and feature films. Focusing on her acclaimed short Genius Loci, she will trace the film’s journey from its origins and screenwriting process through the challenges of directing and production to its festival run.

Maya Merigeau FR Maya Merigeau was born in France in 1983 and studied animation at EMCA in Angoulême. After an internship at Cartoon Saloon, she joined the studio as Background Supervisor on Tomm Moore’s The Secret of Kells. She later wrote and directed the short Old Fangs and served as Art Director on Moore’s Song of the Sea. After ten years at Cartoon Saloon, she returned to France to develop a more personal filmmaking practice, writing and directing Genius Loci (2020). Based in Paris, she is currently writing her first animated feature while art directing several projects in production, including Tomm Moore’s Kindred Spirits and Matisse Gonzalez’s Condenaditos.

The Body in Motion: Music & Movement in Animation

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Day 1 Roundtable Discussion

What happens when music starts to move? Bringing together Dimitris Armenakis, Juan Pablo Zaramella and Renata Gąsiorowska, this roundtable explores the relationship between music, movement and animation, from music videos and choreography to visual storytelling. The speakers will discuss how rhythm, energy and emotion are translated into animated images, and how music and movement can shape the way we experience and understand them.

Dimitris Armenakis GR Dimitris Armenakis is a director and animator based in Athens. He graduated from the Department of Audio & Visual Arts at Ionian University in 2017 and received an MA in Narrative Animation from the Royal College of Art in 2019. Since then, he has worked across documentaries, music videos, commercials, animated series and short films. His first professional short, The Synthetic Age, produced by Frenel, premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and has since continued its international festival run.

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Day 1 Roundtable Discussion The Body in Motion: Music & Movement in Animation

Moderator

Juan Pablo Zaramella AR

Renata Gąsiorowska PL

Thomas Künstler IT/GR

Juan Pablo Zaramella is an independent director and animator from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the creator of more than ten internationally acclaimed short films. His film Luminaris earned a Guinness World Record in 2018 as the most awarded short film, with 328 prizes, including the Audience Award and FIPRESCI Award at Annecy in 2011. Following his 2022 short Passenger, he is currently developing his first feature film, I Am Nina, as well as a new pixilation short, Anamorfia.

Renata Gąsiorowska is an animator and cartoonist from Kraków, Poland, and a graduate of the Animation Department of the Łódź Film School. She has directed five short films, several animated music videos and a number of comics published internationally. Her graduation film, Pussy, received numerous awards, while her later short Home in a Shell was produced for HBO Poland as part of the At Home anthology. Based in Łódź, she is currently developing her first animated feature film.

Thomas Künstler is an Italian director and stop-motion animator based in Athens. He graduated in Film Production from the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, UK, in 2015. His work is often inspired by Greek music and culture. His recent stop-motion short Pink Mountain was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the Hellenic Film Academy Awards and has screened at more than 80 festivals. Alongside his filmmaking practice, he leads animation workshops for children in Greece and abroad in collaboration with various festivals. He is a Berlinale Talents alumnus and is currently developing his new stop-motion short, Endless Hole. 27

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Queering the Frame: Animation & Social Change

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Day 1 Roundtable Discussion

Can animation challenge the stories we tell and the way we see the world? Bringing together Leo Luna Robert-Tourneur and Elisa Beli Borrelli, this roundtable explores animation as both a political and creative tool for expressing queer perspectives and fostering social change. The speakers will discuss how storytelling can question established norms, amplify marginalised voices and engage with issues of identity, power and representation, while also reflecting on the possibilities and limitations of animation as a medium for advocacy.

Leo Luna Robert-Tourneur BE Leo Luna Robert-Tourneur was born in Liège, Belgium, where he began his artistic journey as a teenager. He later moved to Paris to study Animation Filmmaking at LISAA. Following professional experience in Belgium, France and Ireland, he returned to Belgium and settled in Brussels to develop his own films. After working on music videos and artist residencies, he began developing his first short film, Hold Me Tight, with Vivi Film. The film premiered at SXSW, went on to screen at more than 100 festivals and received over ten awards, including at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. His second short, My Name Is Lilith, has also been selected at numerous international festivals, including Annecy.

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Day 1 Roundtable Discussion Queering the Frame: Animation & Social Change

Moderator

Elisa Beli Borrelli IT/IE

Tünde Vollenbroek ΝL

Elisa Beli Borrelli is a director, visual development artist and illustrator based in Ireland. They worked for several years as a comic book artist in Italy before relocating to Dublin to pursue a career in animation. Their work has been presented at international festivals and published in several countries, combining a strong illustrative practice with a distinctive approach to visual storytelling.

Bio on p. 8

We build cultural connections, support creative networks between UK and Greece and showcase UK talent globally through grants, exhibitions, and exchange programmes.

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Day 1 Roundtable Discussion Teaching Animation at RCA: Art & Research How can education encourage experimentation and new ideas? Dr Samantha Moore and Dr Katerina Athanasopoulou present their approaches to teaching animation at the Royal College of Art, exploring how artistic practice, experimentation and research come together in the classroom. They will discuss with Professor Eva Stefani, how education can encourage students to develop their own creative voices, question the possibilities of the medium and discover new ways of making and thinking through animation.

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In collaboration with

Dr Samantha Moore UK Dr Samantha Moore has been Head of Animation at the Royal College of Art since 2023 and has taught, led and developed higher education programmes since 1995. The RCA’s MA Animation programme has been running for over 40 years, producing some of the most distinctive voices in international animation. A practitioner-researcher with a particular interest in collaborative animation practice and animated documentary, Moore has screened her films internationally and received numerous accolades, including a BAFTA nomination (2024) and two awards from the scientific journal Nature (2010, 2016). Her work was featured in The New York Times in 2023, and her award-winning film Visible Mending premiered at ANIMASYROS that same year.

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Day 1 Roundtable Discussion Teaching Animation at RCA: Art & Research

Moderator

Dr Katerina Athanasopoulou GR

Professor Eva Stefani GR

Dr Katerina Athanasopoulou is an artist-researcher working with animation for both screen and gallery spaces. Through moving image, writing and immersive tools, her practice places the body at the centre of the experience. Her work includes commissions from the Onassis Foundation, London College of Fashion and Animate Projects, with support from Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England, and has been presented at international exhibitions, conferences and festivals. She was a British Animation Awards finalist and directed animation for a BAFTA-winning documentary series. Katerina is Tutor (Research) in MA Animation at the Royal College of Art and co-editor of the journal Animation Practice, Process & Production (AP3).

Eva Stefani is a filmmaker specialising in documentary and experimental film. She teaches Film History and Theory, with an emphasis on documentary, at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Her work has been presented and awarded at numerous international festivals and major exhibitions, including documenta 14 and the 2019 Biennale, while retrospectives of her work have been held at international experimental film festivals, including Oberhausen. She has published two books on documentary and a book of poetic prose. Her latest film, Ancestors, produced by the Athens Epidaurus Festival, premiered in June 2026.

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Art Direction: Story Shaping Style

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Day 2 Masterclass

How does a story shape a film’s visual language? José Luis Ágreda shares his approach to art direction, guided by a simple principle: the story comes first, followed by the director’s vision, and only then by the art director’s personal style. Drawing on his work on two strikingly different films, Robot Dreams and Decorado, he will trace their creative processes in parallel, exploring how each film developed its own distinctive visual identity. Through this comparison, Ágreda will reflect on the role of personal style in art direction and how it can evolve and adapt to serve the story and the director’s vision.

José Luis Agreda ES Originally trained as a press illustrator and comic book artist, José Luis Ágreda has established himself as an art director on some of the most acclaimed European animated features of recent years. His credits include Robot Dreams (dir. Pablo Berger), nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature; Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles (dir. Salvador Simó); and Decorado (dir. Alberto Vázquez). These films have received major international recognition, including Goya Awards, prizes at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature.

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When Sound Tells the Story: Image is the Body of a Film, Sound is its Soul

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Day 2 Masterclass

A film is a complex interplay of visual storytelling and emotional depth created through sound. As the saying goes, image is the body of a film, while sound is its soul. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, Olivier Calvert will share his inspirations and his approach to building the unique sound universe of a film. He will explore how even the smallest visual detail can become the starting point for a distinctive sonic identity, while highlighting the essential collaboration between director, composer and sound designer throughout the creative process.

Olivier Calvert CA Based in Montreal, Olivier Calvert has crafted the sound design of numerous acclaimed animated films over the past 25 years. He has collaborated with leading Canadian filmmakers including Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (The Girl Who Cried Pearls), Theodore Ushev (Blind Vaysha), and Alison Snowden and David Fine (Animal Behaviour). His international collaborations include Priit and Olga Pärn (Luna Rossa, Pilots on the Way Home), Joanna Quinn (Affairs of the Art), Regina Pessoa (Kali the Little Vampire), Georges Schwizgebel (Jeu, Romance) and Florence Miailhe (Conte de quartier). Calvert is also known for his work in live-action cinema and was part of the sound team on Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, which won the Academy Award® for Best Sound Editing in 2017.

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Agora

Day 2 Roundtable Discussion Building Bridges: Distributors, Festivals & Audiences What shapes a short film’s distribution journey? As the ways we discover, access and watch films continue to evolve, distribution strategies are adapting to new realities. Bringing together Alexandra Allen, Ambre Anagnostides and Lynn Nwokorie, this roundtable will explore a film’s path through the industry, from festival strategy and premiere choices to relationships with programmers, distributors and cultural organisations. The speakers will also discuss the role audiences can play in driving unexpected forms of circulation and extending a film’s reach and visibility.

With the support of

Alexandra Allen PT Alexandra Allen was born in Porto, Portugal, and holds a degree in Fine Arts and a Master’s in Illustration and Animation. A multidisciplinary freelance artist, she works across animation and illustration, developing independent projects, illustrating books and collaborating with animation studios. Her animated shorts have screened and received awards at national and international festivals. Committed to independent animation, she is co-founder of the cooperative O Covil and works as a distributor at Olharapo Filmes, where she manages and promotes the circulation of independent animated films.

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Day 2 Roundtable Discussion Building Bridges: Distributors, Festivals & Audiences

Moderator

Ambre Anagnostides FR

Lynn Nwokorie UK

Laure Goasguen FR

Ambre works in the Festival Department at Miyu Distribution, specialising in the distribution of animated short films. She focuses on the international circulation and visibility of films, supporting their festival strategy, selection and promotion worldwide.

Bio on p. 21

Passionate about cinema, Laure Goasguen studied Cinema and Audiovisual Studies at Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris, followed by a professional degree in Cultural Product Marketing specialising in Cinema and Audiovisual Media. After completing an internship at Miyu Distribution, she joined the company as Head of Festival Distribution, working internationally for eight years until December 2025. She now works as a freelance consultant, offering strategic guidance and delivering lectures and workshops on film distribution. She also serves as International Curator for the ANIMASYROS Agora.

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Day 2 Roundtable Discussion Pitch Perfect: The Art of Matching How do you make your project stand out and find the right creative match? Bringing together Nuno Beato and Viviane Vanfleteren, this roundtable explores what makes a pitch compelling from a producer’s perspective and how directors can communicate their story, vision and ambitions effectively. Speakers will share with Nancy Denney-Phelps, an experienced pitching coach herself, what they look for in a project, how they assess its potential and what can turn a strong pitch into a meaningful creative and professional partnership.

With the support of

Nuno Beato PT Nuno Beato is the founder and CEO of Sardinha em Lata, and an acclaimed producer and director with nearly three decades of experience in animation and international co-productions. He has played a key role in the development of original Portuguese animation projects and in expanding their international reach. His credits include My Grandfather’s Demons, the first Portuguese stop-motion feature, which premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, as well as the series Alice’s Diary, co-produced with RTP, TVE and Disney. He has also been involved in the Goya Award-winning productions The Monkey and Decorado. Nuno is President of APPA – Portuguese Animation Producers Association and co-creator of MAIA – Ibero-American Animation Market. He also teaches at university level, sharing his experience in cinema, animation and production.

Agora

Day 2 Roundtable Discussion Pitch Perfect: The Art of Matching

Moderator

Viviane Vanfleteren BE

Nancy Denney-Phelps BE

Bio on p. 8

Bio on p. 21

Through the Looking Glass with Nancy: Art Direction in Animation

Agora

Day 2 In conversation with

A regular session of the ANIMASYROS Agora, In conversation with brings animation journalist and historian Nancy Denney-Phelps into conversation with leading figures from the international animation scene. This edition, she talks with acclaimed art director and background artist José Luis Ágreda about his journey into animation, the evolution of his visual practice and the art of building worlds on screen. Their discussion will explore his work on Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles, including the challenge of reimagining the world of Luis Buñuel’s notorious 1933 film Las Hurdes: Tierra Sin Pan, as well as his collaborations with major animation filmmakers including Alberto Vázquez. As always, expect unexpected turns, personal stories, plenty of laughter — and, naturally, a glass of wine to keep the conversation flowing.

Nancy José Luis BE Denney-Phelps Agreda ES Bio on p. 21

Bio on p. 35

With the support of

Personal Is Universal: Animated Documentary

Agora

Day 3 Roundtable Discussion

What makes a personal story become a shared experience? Babis Alexiadis and Maria Stanisheva will discuss the process of turning experiences, memories and perspectives into animated documentaries that can resonate beyond their individual stories. They will address the balance between personal expression and broader historical, social and human perspectives and look at how animation can bring complex or intimate stories to life.

Babis Alexiadis GR Babis Alexiadis is an animator working primarily with traditional animation across film, theatre, music videos, commercials and site-specific installations. His work includes large-scale projection projects, touring opera productions and commissions for cultural institutions in the UK and Greece. His recent projects include the animated film Other, which received Second Prize at the European Animation Competition of Eleusis 2021 – European Capital of Culture, as well as animated and interactive audiovisual work for the Benaki Museum, the Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika Gallery and the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi.

Agora

Day 3 Roundtable Discussion Personal Is Universal: Animated Documentary

Moderator

Maria Stanisheva BG

Maria Sampatakaki GR

Maria Stanisheva is a film director, producer and founder of ANIMADOCS, specialising in social-issue documentaries, animation and hybrid forms. The animated documentary Father, which she produced in 2011, received 28 awards, including the Golden Dove for Animated Film at DOK Leipzig. Her 2016 animated campaign Together to End Male Guardianship, commissioned by Human Rights Watch Saudi Arabia, reached more than 10 million viewers and contributed to legislative change. She is currently developing Finding Home, an animated documentary series, TV special and installation project about climate displacement, as well as I’m Every Woman, her first animated documentary feature, co-directed with Ruxandra Gubernat and art-directed by Martina Scarpelli. Maria is a Berlinale Talent, a Redford Center grantee and a 2024 New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow.

Maria Sampatakaki is a historian specialising in Public and Applied History. Her career began at the Diplomatic Archives of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy, and she has since developed an extensive body of research, writing and teaching on modern Greek history. In 2004, she introduced the term and practice of applied history in Greece, working with companies and foundations to transform historical research into meaningful cultural content. This experience led to the creation of Historistai Concept Office, which develops projects connecting primary historical research with culture, communication and entrepreneurship.

Meet the Studios: Inside Today’s Greek Animation Scene

Agora

Day 3 Presentation

What does it take to build a stronger Greek animation industry? Bringing together three studios with distinct trajectories, this session offers a glimpse into the diversity and evolution of Greece’s contemporary animation landscape. The speakers will share their experiences, challenges and ambitions, reflecting on what it means to create, collaborate and grow within the Greek industry today.

Panos Xenakis GR Panos Xenakis is an Animation Director, Creative Director and Co-founder of Mascista. With a background in fine arts and more than two decades of experience, he works at the intersection of animation, visual storytelling, art and technology. His practice combines creative direction with hands-on expertise in character development, animation and production. He leads projects from early concept to final execution, collaborating with artists and creative practitioners to develop distinctive and meaningful visual experiences. Driven by curiosity and a strong belief in the expressive power of animation, Panos continues to explore new forms of storytelling, creating worlds, characters and ideas that connect art, culture and imagination.

Agora

Day 3 Presentation

Moderator

Mikaela Kakaridi Deligianni GR

Fokion Xenos GR

Kleopatra Korai GR

Mikaela Kakaridi Deligianni is an award-winning illustrator and character designer specialising in visual development for short films, animated series and commercial productions. She currently serves as Lead Character Designer on the animated series Occupation Witch, in collaboration with Funny Tales and Lazy Sunday. In 2022, she received the Disney+ Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival for My Superhero Husband, which she co-created with Alex Tagali. She was also awarded a scholarship at Cartoon Springboard for her project Soft Queer Stories. In 2025, driven by a passion for storytelling, she co-founded Moodycat Studio, a creative agency based in Athens. The studio focuses on visual development and collaborates with industry professionals to support projects from initial concept through to production.

Fokion Xenos is an animation director and designer based in Athens. His work focuses on playful, bold storytelling, combining visual experimentation, emotional honesty, humour and colour. Blending practical and digital techniques, he creates distinctive visual worlds across film, television and commissioned projects. His graduation film Heatwave, made at the National Film & Television School, received awards at festivals including the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cinekid, Athens International Film Festival and ANIMASYROS. It screened at more than 60 international festivals, including Annecy, Anima Mundi, Encounters and LIAF, and was shortlisted for the Student BAFTA in Los Angeles. Based in Athens, he works as a freelance animation director, educator and producer. His recent credits include co-directing the children’s animated series Gegone for ERT and producing the second season of Mr Paper. He also served as Secretary and Board Member of ASIFA Hellas from 2020 to 2026.

Kleopatra Korai is a director, animator, co-founder of Lokey animation studio and a founding member of the Medea Electronique art collective. Her work spans 2D and stop-motion animation, motion graphics, short film and documentary filmmaking, as well as commercials, music videos and commissioned projects. She has collaborated with international and Greek institutions including the Doha Film Institute, Asian Para Games, Ultima Festival, Onassis Stegi, Greek National Opera, McGill University, Warner Music and EMI Music Greece. Earlier in her career, she worked with the production companies Artoon and Aronis-Efthymiadis, as well as Aardman Animations in the UK. Since April 2026, she has served as President of ASIFA Hellas.

Agora

Day 3 Roundtable Discussion Focus Ireland Cycladic Chat: The Irish Animation Journey A one-to-one laid-back conversation with Andrew FitzPatrick and Moe Honan, looking back at the colourful history and evolution of Irish animation through a personal lens, while exploring where the sector stands today and where it might be heading.

With the support of

Andrew Kavanagh birthday drawing 49

Agora

Day 3 Roundtable Discussion Focus Ireland Cycladic Chat: The Irish Animation Journey

Andrew Fitzpatrick IE

Moe Honan IE

Andrew Fitzpatrick is Chairman of Dublin-based international production and distribution company Monster Entertainment. Established in 1998, Monster produces programming in-house and works with producers worldwide to distribute their content across international territories. The company is currently producing its first CG animated feature film and has a number of projects in development. Prior to Monster, Andrew spent more than ten years running the Don Bluth companies, which included Europe’s largest animation studio, employing more than 420 people.

Moe Honan is the founder and CEO of Moetion Films, based in Galway in the west of Ireland. She is an independent producer of award-winning animated feature films and television series, including Moetion Films’ 2015 debut feature and international success Two by Two – Ooops! The Ark Has Gone..., which earned the company the Producer of the Year Award at Cartoon Movie 2016. Its sequel, Two by Two – Overboard!, was released internationally in 2020 and 2021 and topped the UK box office. Moe also co-developed and co-produced The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh, the third film in the award-winning Niko trilogy, released in late 2024. She is currently developing a slate of projects supported by Creative Europe and Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland.

He held a number of senior positions, including Chairman. Don Bluth Studios produced a series of major theatrical animated features, including An American Tail, which became the highest-grossing animated film of its time upon its release in 1986.

Moe also works as a Casting Voice Director on animated feature films for the international market. Alongside her company roles, she is Chair of Animation Ireland and serves on the board of Animation in Europe. 50

Composing Music for Animated Short Films: Improvisation Is Composition

Agora

Day 3 Presentation / Demonstration

This workshop offers a practical introduction to creating original music for animated short films and demystifies the scoring process. Through case studies drawn from diverse animation styles, Nik Phelps will show how each project’s visual language, pacing and emotional tone shape the musical approach. From the first viewing of a film to the final mix, he will walk us through his organised, repeatable workflow, covering palette building, spotting, cue development and collaboration with directors.

Nik Phelps BE Nik Phelps is a Texas-born composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Ghent, Belgium. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Frank Zappa to They Might Be Giants and has recorded extensively with Tom Waits on five albums and three film soundtracks. Active in film and animation since 1988, he founded the Sprocket Ensemble in 1996 to bring live music and animated film together, earning an ASIFA Annie Award nomination for his work on The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat. His scores and performances have been presented at festivals around the world, and he continues to compose, perform and lead workshops exploring the relationship between music, image and storytelling.

Agora

Day 4 Roundtable Discussion Focus Ireland From Greece to Ireland: Building Animation Ecosystems What helps an animation industry grow and thrive? Bringing together voices from Greece and Ireland, this roundtable explores how training, funding, industry initiatives and international collaboration can help build stronger animation ecosystems. Speakers will share perspectives from their respective professional contexts, discussing the structures that support talent and production, as well as the challenges and opportunities involved in creating a sustainable environment for animation professionals and companies.

Graham Holbrook IE Graham Holbrook is an award-winning Director and Creative Director at Treehouse Republic. He has developed and directed a wide range of television series and films, including the international co-productions Hey Fuzzy Yellow and Mortina, Marvel’s Hit-Monkey, and the award-winning short film Violent Volition. He is currently leading the development of the new series Dandelion and Captain Carrie, while also serving as Series Director on Treehouse Republic’s latest original production, Chainsaw.

Moe Honan IE Bio on p. 50

Agora

Day 4 Roundtable Discussion Focus Ireland From Greece to Ireland: Building Animation Ecosystems

Moderator

Deirdre Barry IE

Anna Kasimati GR

Ronan McCabe IE

Deirdre Barry is Programme Director of the National Talent Academy for Animation, a Screen Ireland-funded initiative managed by Animation Ireland that provides training, professional development and short film funding for the Irish animation sector. She began her career in Los Angeles, working with HBO, and since 2009 has been CEO of the Ireland-based production company Avalon Films, where she develops, produces and co-produces animated and live-action television series and feature films.

Anna Kasimati is Head of the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Greece at the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece (EKKOMED). With a background in Communication and Cultural Management, she supports audiovisual professionals in accessing Creative Europe MEDIA funding and provides guidance on project development, production and international cooperation. She represents the Programme at European networks, conferences, markets and film festivals. She is also a member of EFAD and EFARN and serves as Executive Secretary of the SEE Cinema Network.

CEO of Animation Ireland, the trade association representing Ireland’s animation studios. With more than 30 years of experience in the media industry, he has worked extensively in the development, financing and commercialisation of intellectual property in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA. He regularly represents the Irish animation sector at international markets, festivals and industry events and serves on the board of the Galway Film Fleadh. Previously, he was Managing Director of the award-winning production company Double Z Enterprises.

With the support of 53

Agora

Day 4 Presentation Greek Animation Funding: A Step-by-Step Guide This session offers a practical introduction to funding opportunities available to the Greek animation sector. From identifying the most relevant schemes and understanding eligibility requirements to preparing and submitting a strong application, speakers will guide participants through the key stages of the funding process and highlight the tools and resources available to support projects and professionals.

With the support of

Eirini Andriopoulou GR Eirini Andriopoulou is Director of the Education and Heritage Unit at the Directorate General for Greek Cinema of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED). An internationally recognised media and cultural policy expert, she has more than 20 years of experience in Media and Information Literacy, with a particular focus on empowering young people in the Cultural and Creative Industries and fostering critical and creative expression in the digital age. She also serves as Executive Director of CIFEJ – the International Centre of Films for Children and Young People, under the auspices of EKKOMED. At international level, she has worked as an expert with the European Commission, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the United Nations and the OSCE. She is Deputy Representative to Creative Europe MEDIA and an elected European and North American representative on the UNESCO Global MIL Board for 2026–2028.

Anna Kasimati GR Bio on p. 53

Agora

Day 4 Roundtable Discussion Greek Animation Funding: A Step-by-Step Guide

Moderator

Alexandra Kitsanta GR

Athena Kalkopoulou GR

Alexandra Kitsanta is Head of the Film Education and Awareness Portfolio at the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED). She holds a degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Master’s degree in Local and Regional Government in Europe from Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg. She has extensive experience in public administration, having worked at the Greek Ministries of Labour, Finance and Environment. She joined EKKOMED in 2023 and, since March 2025, has been responsible for the Film Education and Awareness portfolio, focusing on audiovisual literacy, education and professional training initiatives. She also manages funding schemes supporting the development of Greek film and audiovisual institutions.

Athena Kalkopoulou is a creative producer and publicity expert with more than 20 years of experience in the United States and Greece. She is a Producer with ANIMASYROS Productions and, from 2020 to 2023, served as Director of Promotion at the Greek Film Centre. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with leading international organisations and festivals including the Sundance Institute, SXSW and the San Francisco International Film Festival.

Agora

Day 4 Roundtable Discussion Erenvó-Kainotomó Programme: Innovation in Audiovisual Education How can new approaches to education open up new ways of learning and creating? This showcase will introduce the Erenvó-Kainotomó Programme, its aims and achievements, highlighting how innovation, creativity and collaboration can be integrated into learning to support the next generation of creators. The Programme is co-funded by the European Union through the Competitiveness Programme 2021–2027, within the framework of the NSRF 2021–2027.

Anastasia Manou GR Anastasia Manou is the Founder, President and CEO of White Fox S.A., with more than 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, audiovisual production, culture and emerging technologies. She has developed and delivered pioneering projects in 3D animation, holograms, virtual and augmented reality, digital exhibitions and educational technology. Her work includes collaborations with public institutions, cultural organisations and international partners, with a particular focus on connecting creativity, technology and education with innovation, cultural development and meaningful social impact.

With the support of

Agora

Day 4 Roundtable Discussion

Moderator

Christos Androutsos GR

Vassilis C. Karamitsanis GR

Danai Vardali GR

Christos Androutsos is a Computer Engineer specialising in artificial intelligence, digital health and medical device cybersecurity. He holds an MSc in Digital Health from the University of Ioannina and a BSc in Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics from the University of Thessaly. Over the past six years, he has worked on EU-funded research and innovation projects at the University of Ioannina and FORTH, developing AI-driven solutions across biomedical informatics, generative AI and cybersecurity. His work includes multimodal health data, generative AI pipelines for 3D animation and security-by-design frameworks, alongside extensive experience in international research consortia and competitive funding programmes.

Vassilis C. Karamitsanis is President and co-founder of ANIMASYROS International Animation Festival and President of the European Animation Awards (Emile Awards). A lawyer by training, he has been a member of the Athens Bar Association since 2002. He served as President of ASIFA Hellas from 2015 to 2023 and as Chairman of the Board of the Greek National Opera from 2018 to 2019. In 2018, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic, and since 2025 he has served as Secretary General of CIFEJ – the International Centre of Films for Children and Young People.

Born in Kavala, Greece, Danai holds a BA in Journalism & Communication from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and has studied Cultural & Creative Industries at King’s College London and Film & Media Studies at the University of Copenhagen. She has nearly 20 years of experience across media, culture and communications, working as a journalist, producer, writer and communications consultant for publications, cultural organisations, agencies and brands in Greece and abroad. Based in Athens, she works freelance across journalism, TV and advertising, with a focus on culture. She joined Animasyros in 2016 as part of its communications team and currently coordinates International Relations and Agora.

Agora

Animation Speed Dating

For the fourth year, we are happy to present the very successful activity: the Animation Speed Dating, supported by Enterprise Greece. Up to 15 Greek creators will participate in 15’ meetings with internationally renowned producers and artists from all around the world, to discuss with them issues that touch all the production stages of an animation film and to help them pitch their idea with the aim of finding co-productions or other professional opportunities at an international level.

Participating Professionals Viviane Vanfleteren BE Producer (Vivi Film)

Maria Stanisheva BG

Director/Producer (ANIMADOCS)

Kerdi Oengo EE Producer

Andrew FitzPatrick IE

Chairman of Monster Entertainment

Graham Holbrook IE

Ambre Anagnostides FR Head of Festival Distribution (Miyu Distribution)

Alexandra Allen PT

Distributor (Olharapo Filmes)

Lynn Nwokorie UK Film Relationship Manager (British Council)

Anna Kasimati GR

Head of Creative Europe MEDIA Programme (Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center)

Creative Director (Treehouse Republic)

Anastasia Manou GR

Nuno Beato PT

Educator/Head of Erenvó-Kainotomó Programme

Producer (Sardinha Em Lata)

Elliot Palmer UK Producer

Agora

Producer’s Workshop As part of ANIMASYROS’ ongoing commitment to strengthening the Greek animation industry, an intensive three-day Animation Producer Workshop returns for its second edition, led by Italian-Irish director Elisa Beli Borrelli. Designed specifically for Greek animation producers and creators, the workshop explores project development through a D.I.Y. approach to animation production. It will show how to bring projects to life while maintaining a clear creative vision outside traditional funding structures by drawing on the support and shared resources of the animation community. Working from a scene inspired by an Irish cinema classic, specially revisited for the occasion, participants will gain hands-on experience of creative and resourceful production methods. Following a short introduction to the animation production pipeline, aimed at helping producers communicate more effectively with directors and creative teams, participants will develop a storyboard before moving into the production and post-production phases. By completing an entire sequence within three days, they will learn how thoughtful creative and technical choices can make ambitious projects achievable, while acquiring practical tools and a workflow they can apply to their own future low-budget projects.

Τutor

Elisa Beli Borrelli IT/IE Bio on p. 30

With the support of

Agora

Programme

Agora presentations take place at the Cultural Centre of Hermoupolis. Special accreditation is necessary for the Agora activities. Free admission to the discussion “European Cinema in Focus”, held at the Cultural Centre of Hermoupolis. Animation Speed Dating powered by Enterprise Greece takes place at the Apollon Theatre.

Επιμελητηρίο Κυκλάδων (Αίθουσα Βαλμά) Cyclades Chamber of Commerce (Valmas Hall)

Πνευματικό Κέντρο Ερμούπολης Cultural Centre of Hermoupolis

14:00 – 18:00

10:30 – 11:30

17:10 – 18:00

Pitching Forum Workshop Tünde Vollenbroek NL Elliott Palmer UK Viviane Vanfleteren BE

Masterclass Καλλιτεχνική διεύθυνση: Από την αίσθηση στο ανιμέισον Art Direction: From Sensation to Animation Maya Merigeau FR

Συζήτηση Roundtable Queering the Frame: Ανιμέισον & κοινωνική αλλαγή Queering the Frame: Animation & Social Change Leo Luna Robert-Tourneur BE Elisa Beli Borrelli IT/IE Tünde Vollenbroek ΝL

Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του Pitching Forum Open only to Pitching Forum Participants

Αρχοντικό Κοή Kois Mansion 10:00 – 14:00 Εργαστήριο Παραγωγών Ταινιών Ανιμέισον Animation Producer Workshop Elisa Beli Borrelli IT/IE Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του εργαστηρίου Open only to Animation Producer Workshop participants Με την υποστήριξη του ΕΚΚΟΜΕΔ Εθνικού Φορέα Κινηματογράφου και Οπτικοακουστικής Δημιουργίας

With the support of the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center - National Body for Film & Audiovisual Creation

16:00 – 17:00 Συζήτηση Roundtable Το σώμα σε κίνηση: Μουσική & κίνηση στο ανιμέισον The Body in Motion: Music & Movement in Animation Renata Gąsiorowska PL Juan Pablo Zaramella AR Dimitris Armenakis GR Thomas Künstler IT/GR Συντονισμός | Moderator

Agora

Τετάρτη | Wednesday 23.09

Συντονισμός | Moderator

18:10 – 19:00 Συζήτηση Roundtable Διδάσκοντας ανιμέισον στο RCA: Τέχνη & έρευνα Teaching Animation at RCA: Art & Research Dr Samantha Moore UK Dr Katerina Athanasopoulou GR Professor Eva Stefani GR Συντονισμός | Moderator Με την υποστήριξη του Βρετανικού Συμβουλίου With the support of the British Council

Επιμελητηρίο Κυκλάδων (Αίθουσα Βαλμά) Cyclades Chamber of Commerce (Valmas Hall)

Πνευματικό Κέντρο Ερμούπολης Cultural Centre of Hermoupolis

10:00 – 18:00

10:30 – 11:20

17:10 – 18:00

Pitching Forum Workshop Tünde Vollenbroek NL Elliott Palmer UK Viviane Vanfleteren BE

Masterclass Καλλιτεχνική διεύθυνση: Όταν η ιστορία διαμορφώνει το ύφος Art Direction: Story Shaping Style José Luis Ágreda ES

Συζήτηση Roundtable Pitch Perfect: Η τέχνη του σωστού match Pitch Perfect: The Art of Matching Nuno Beato PT Viviane Vanfleteren BE Nancy Denney-Phelps US/BE

Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του Pitching Forum Open only to Pitching Forum Participants

Αρχοντικό Κοή Kois Mansion 10:00 – 14:00 Εργαστήριο Παραγωγών Ταινιών Ανιμέισον Animation Producer Workshop Elisa Beli Borrelli IT/IE Leo Luna Robert - Tourneur BE Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του εργαστηρίου Open only to Animation Producer Workshop participants Με την υποστήριξη του ΕΚΚΟΜΕΔ Εθνικού Φορέα Κινηματογράφου και Οπτικοακουστικής Δημιουργίας With the support of the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center - National Body for Film & Audiovisual Creation

Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας της Ισπανίας & του Ινστιτούτου Θερβάντες With the support of the Embassy of Spain & Cervantes Institute

11:30 – 12:30 Masterclass Όταν ο ήχος αφηγείται την ιστορία: Η εικόνα είναι το σώμα μιας ταινίας, ο ήχος η ψυχή της When Sound Tells the Story: Image Is the Body of a Film, Sound Is Its Soul Olivier Calvert CA Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας του Καναδά

Συντονισμός | Moderator

Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας της Πορτογαλίας With the support of the Embassy of Portugal

18:10 – 19:00 Συζήτηση Roundtable Μέσα από τον Καθρέφτη με τη Nancy: Καλλιτεχνική Διεύθυνση στο Animation Through the Looking Glass With Nancy: Art Direction in Animation José Luis Ágreda ES Nancy Denney-Phelps US/BE

With the support of the Embassy of Canada

Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας της Ισπανίας & του Ινστιτούτου Θερβάντες

16:00 – 17:00

With the support of the Embassy of Spain & Cervantes Institute

Συζήτηση Roundtable Χτίζοντας γέφυρες: Διανομείς, φεστιβάλ & κοινό Building Bridges: Distributors, Festivals & Audiences Ambre Anagnostides FR Alexandra Allen PT Lynn Nwokorie UK Laure Goasguen FR

Agora

Πέμπτη | Thursday 24.09

19:30 - 21:00 Υπογραφή Βιβλίου Book signing Beryl Joanna Quinn UK & Les Mills UK

Συντονισμός | Moderator Με την υποστήριξη του Βρετανικού Συμβουλίου

With the support of the British Council

Επιμελητηρίο Κυκλάδων (Αίθουσα Βαλμά) Cyclades Chamber of Commerce (Valmas Hall)

Πνευματικό Κέντρο Ερμούπολης Cultural Centre of Hermoupolis

10:00 – 13:30

10:30 – 11:20

17:00 – 17:50

Pitching Forum Workshop Tünde Vollenbroek NL Elliott Palmer UK Viviane Vanfleteren BE

Συζήτηση Roundtable Το προσωπικό είναι οικουμενικό: Ντοκιμαντέρ ανιμέισον Personal Is Universal: Animated Documentary Babis Alexiadis GR Maria Stanisheva BG Maria Sampatakaki GR

Συζήτηση Interview Cycladic Chat: Η διαδρομή του ιρλανδικού ανιμέισον Cycladic Chat: The Irish Animation Journey Andrew FitzPatrick IE Moe Honan IE

Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του Pitching Forum Open only to Pitching Forum Participants

Θέατρο Απόλλων Apollon Theatre 20:00 – 21:00 Greek Animation Talks powered by EKKOMED Alina Kotsovoulou GR Συντονισμός | Moderator

Με την υποστήριξη του ΕΚΚΟΜΕΔ Εθνικού Φορέα Κινηματογράφου και Οπτικοακουστικής Δημιουργίας With the support of the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center - National Body for Film & Audiovisual Creation

Συντονισμός | Moderator

11:30 – 12:30 Παρουσίαση Presentation Γνωρίστε τα στούντιο: Στη σύγχρονη ελληνική σκηνή ανιμέισον Meet the Studios: Inside Today’s Greek Animation Scene Panos Xenakis GR Mikaela Kakaridi Deligianni GR

Fokion Xenos GR Kleopatra Korai GR

Συντονισμός | Moderator

15:30 – 16:30 Παρουσίαση Presentation Παρουσίαση Agora Pitching Forum Agora Pitching Forum Presentation Panagiotis Arvanitakis GR The Daughters of Automatons Evridiki Papaiakovou CY Milk Skin Rhea Lazarides CY & Giulia Rozzi US Millennials Chrysiida Alexandraki GR & Nikolaos Bourloukas GR Rain-Off Zlatelina Tsokova BG Dance of Spirits Kami Hloubi SY Youssef

Agora

Παρασκευή | Friday 25.09

Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας Ιρλανδίας, Culture Ireland, Animation Ireland With the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Greece, Culture Ireland, Animation Ireland

18:00 – 18:50 Παρουσίαση / Επίδειξη Presentation / Demonstration Συνθέτοντας μουσική για ταινίες ανιμέισον μικρού μήκους: Ο αυτοσχεδιασμός είναι σύνθεση Composing Music for Animated Short Films: Improvisation Is Composition Nik Phelps US/BE Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας Ιρλανδίας, Culture Ireland, Animation Ireland With the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Greece, Culture Ireland, Animation Ireland

19:00 – 20:00 Συζήτηση Roundtable O Ευρωπαϊκός Κινηματογράφος στο Επίκεντρο European Cinema in Focus Elvira Forte GR Irene Andriopoulou GR Kerdi Oengo EE Maria Anestopoulou GR Συντονισμός | Moderator

Με την υποστήριξη του Γραφείου του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου στην Ελλάδα και του ΕΚΚΟΜΕΔ With the support of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Greece and the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center

Επιμελητηρίο Κυκλάδων (Αίθουσα Βαλμά) Cyclades Chamber of Commerce (Valmas Hall)

Πνευματικό Κέντρο Ερμούπολης Cultural Centre of Hermoupolis

10:00 – 11:30

10:00 – 10:50

12:00 – 12:50

Pitching Forum Workshop Tünde Vollenbroek NL Elliott Palmer UK Viviane Vanfleteren BE

Συζήτηση Roundtable Από την Ελλάδα στην Ιρλανδία: Χτίζοντας οικοσυστήματα ανιμέισον From Greece to Ireland: Building Animation Ecosystems Deirdre Barry IE Moe Honan IE Graham Holbrook IE Anna Kasimati GR Ronan McCabe ΙΕ

Συζήτηση Roundtable Πρόγραμμα ErenvóKainotomó: Καινοτομία στην οπτικοακουστική εκπαίδευση Erenvó-Kainotomó Programme: Innovation in Audiovisual Education Anastasia Manou GR Vassilis Karamitsanis GR Christos Androutsos GR Danai Vardali GR

Με την υποστήριξη της Πρεσβείας Ιρλανδίας, Culture Ireland, Animation Ireland

Με τη συγχρηματοδότηση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης - ΕΣΠΑ 2021 - 2027 - Επιχειρησιακό Πρόγραμμα Ανταγωνιστικότητα 21-27

Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του Pitching Forum Open only to Pitching Forum Participants

Συντονισμός | Moderator

With the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Greece, Culture Ireland, Animation Ireland Με την υποστήριξη του Γραφείου Δημιουργική Ευρώπη Media Desk Hellas

Agora

Σάββατο | Saturday 26.09

Συντονισμός | Moderator

Co-financed by the European Union - ESPA 2021-2027 - Competitiveness Programme 21-27

With the support of the Media Desk Hellas Office

11:00 – 11:50 Παρουσίαση Presentation Χρηματοδότηση ελληνικού ανιμέισον: Οδηγός βήμα προς βήμα Greek Animation Funding: A Step-by-Step Guide Anna Kasimati GR Irene Andriopoulou GR Alexandra Kitsanta GR Athena Kalkopoulou GR Συντονισμός | Moderator

Με την υποστήριξη του ΕΚΚΟΜΕΔΕθνικού Φορέα Κινηματογράφου και Οπτικοακουστικής Δημιουργίας With the support of the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center- National Body for Film & Audiovisual Creation

Θέατρο Απόλλων Apollon Theatre 13:00 – 15:00 Animation Speed Dating powered by Enterprise Greece Είσοδος μόνο στους συμμετέχοντες του Animation Speed Dating Open only to Animation Speed Dating Participants

Agora

Industry Agora Participants List

Merigeau

Art Director / Director

Renata

Gąsiorowska

Director

Juan Pablo

Zaramella

Director

Dimitris

Armenakis

Director

Thomas

Künstler

IT / GR

Director

Leo Luna

Robert-Tourneur

Director

Elisa

Beli Borrelli

IT / IE

Writer / Director

Tünde

Vollenbroek

Writer / Director / Retired Producer

Dr Samantha

Moore

Head of MA & MFA Animation programmes, Royal College of Art, London

Dr Katerina

Athanasopoulou

Director / Tutor for Animation MA, Royal College of Art, London

Eva

Stefani

Director / Professor of Film Studies, Department of Communication and Media Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

José Luis

Ágreda

Art Director

Olivier

Calvert

Sound Designer

Ambre

Anagnostides

Head of Festival Distribution, Miyu Distribution

Alexandra

Allen

Distributor, Olharapo Filmes

Lynn

Nwokorie

Film Relationship Manager, British Council

Nuno

Beato

Producer, Sardinha Em Lata

Viviane

Vanfleteren

Producer, Vivi Film

Nancy

Denney-Phelps

US / BE

Animation Historian / Journalist

Maria

Stanisheva

Director / Producer, ANIMADOCS

Babis

Alexiadis

Director

Maria

Sampatakaki

Historian / Concept Office for Public & Applied History (Historistai)

Panos

Xenakis

Producer, Mascista

Industry | Agora Participants List

Maya

Kakaridi Deligianni

Senior Character Designer and Concept Artist, Moodycat Studio

Fokion

Xenos

Director / Producer, Out.there collective

Kleopatra

Korai

Head of ASIFA Hellas

Elliott

Palmer

Producer

Kerdi

Oengo

Producer, Nuku Film

Yanni

Lolis

Creative Director

Andrew

FitzPatrick

Chairman, Monster Entertainment

Moe

Honan

Chair of Animation Ireland / CEO of Moetion Films

Nik

Phelps

US / BE

Composer

Elvira

Forte

Public Relations Officer, European Parliament Liaison Office in Greece

Irene

Andriopoulou

Director of Film Education and Heritage, EKKOMED

Deirdre

Barry

Director, The National Talent Academy for Animation

Graham

Holbrook

Creative Director, Treehouse Republic

Anna

Kasimati

Head of the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk, Greece, EKKOMED

Ronan

McCabe

CEO of Animation Ireland

Alexandra

Kitsanta

Head of Film Education and Awareness, EKKOMED

Athena

Kalkopoulou

Production Manager, Animasyros Productions

Anastasia

Manou

Educator / Head of Erenvó-Kainotomó Programme

Christos

Androutsos

Senior Researcher, Department of Medical Technology & Intelligent Information Systems, University of Ioannina

Sergio

Kotsovoulos

Director / Set Designer

Joanna

Quinn

Director

Les

Mills

Producer

Alina

Kotsovoulou

Actress

Industry | Agora Participants List

Mikaela

Panagiotis

Arvanitakis

Animation Artist

Evridiki

Papaiakovou

Animation Artist

Rhea

Lazarides

Animation Producer

Giulia

Rozzi

Creative Professional

Chrysiida

Alexandraki

Producer

Nikolaos

Bourloukas

Animation Artist

Zlatelina

Tsokova

Animator, Illustrator

Kami

Hloubi

Animation Artist

Industry | Agora Participants List

Pitching forum Participants

Producer Workshop Participants Dimitris

Armenakis

Director

Evita

Kambas

Animation Artist

Ioanna

Sampidou

Artist

Spyros

Boukas

Animation Artist

Tina

Mamali

Animation Artist

Yiannis

Domosidis

Animation Artist

Speed Dating Participants Anna

Oikonomou

—

Animator, Illustrator

Despi

Markaki

—

Director

Dimitris

Iosifidis Hokmetidis

—

Director / Producer

Eleni

Exarchou

—

Composer, Pianist, Orchestrator

Orestis

Ladenis

—

Digital Creator, Teacher

Panos

Voulgaris

—

Creator, Writer, Producer

Pamos

Ioannidis

—

Creator, Writer

Συνδιοργανωτές | Co - organizers

�εσμικός εταίρος / Κύριος εθνικός φορέας κινηματογράφου και οπτικοακουστικής δημιουργίας Institutional partner / Main national body for ﬁlm & audiovisual creation

Επίσημος χορηγός αερομεταφορών Ofﬁcial airline partner

Υποστηρικτής Αγοράς Agora supporter

Yποστηρικτές | Supporters

Διεθνείς υποστηρικτές | International supporters

Χορηγοί | Sponsors

�εσμικοί συνεργάτες | Institutional partners

Χορηγοί βραβείων Awards sponsors

Με τη συγχρηματοδότηση Co-funded by

Ακαδημαϊκοί συνεργάτες | Academic partners

Δημιουργικοί συνεργάτες | Creative partners

Χορηγοί φιλοξενίας | Hospitality sponsors

Χορηγοί εστίασης | Catering sponsors

Χορηγοί επικοινωνίας | Media sponsors

Παραγωγός | Production

Πάγιος χορηγός ακτοπλοϊκών μεταφορών Ferry transport standard sponsor

2026 artwork and mascot by Petros Christoulias__design by synthesee.com

Co funded by:

animasyros.gr