Thessaloniki Festivals and Events

One of Greece's only international film events, Thessaloniki's ten-day film festival takes place in the Olympion Cinema Complex, with fringe events in nearby venues. Screening around 150 movies every year, the festival has a juried international competition for directors' first and second films, showcases of Greek and Balkan cinema, retrospectives of master directors and many other events, including concerts and art exhibitions.

A truly international event, that is in charge by Michel Demopoulos since 1992, who has overseen its expansion. The festival makes a point of screening dynamic and forward-looking world cinema in its New Horizons section.

Thessaloniki International Film Festival

Started in 1926, the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF) is one of the biggest in the Mediterranean and it held at the town's Exhibition Centre. If you're planning to visit Thessaloniki as a tourist, this is definitely not the best time to go, because drawing participants from most of the countries in the world, the TIF sees people promoting everything from industrial equipment to Christmas decorations via construction, transport, clothes and food. It also draws around half a million business folk from the city every year.

This film festival is a Greece's major annual documentary and it takes place at the Olympion Cinema, focusing on contemporary social and cultural issues.

This event attracts around 16,000 people and international press coverage. Launched in 1999 and has grown in popularity ever since, the main focus is on global social and cultural developments in the 21st century and regular sections include Views of the World, Recording of Memory, Stories to Tell and Portraits-Human Journeys. Alongside the main programme, the many fringe events include seminars, conferences, school screenings and exhibitions. There is a particular emphasis on European directors and projects and an International Doc Market catering to TV companies.

The Dimitria Festival, held throughout the town of Thessaloniki, presents a wide range of music, theatre and dance and is the biggest event on the town's annual calendar. The mix of the traditional with the avant-garde and the range of events is impressive, featuring theatre, opera, dance, music, art and literary seminars. Past contributors have included Alan Bates, Peter Hall, Harold Pinter and major national ballets, operas and symphony orchestras.

Video Dance is Thessaloniki's international festival of dance film, it focus on the relationship of movement and moving image, showcasing experimental contemporary dance film and archive material. As well as providing a fascinating visual experience for audiences, the event is important in terms of preserving dance choreography for the future.

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