Athens Casts Its Vote in the International Emmy Semi-Final Round of Judging
For the third consecutive time, Athens had the honour of hosting the Semi-Final Round of Judging for the International Emmy Awards 2025. Following rigorous international standards, Greek film and television professionals confidentially evaluated nominated series in the "Best Drama Series" category. The Athens Film Office of the City of Athens, operating under Develop Athens, organised the event, supporting the city’s strategy to emerge as an international hub for audiovisual production.
Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, stated: "Athens is steadily becoming a sought-after player on the global film and television stage. It hosted the Emmy Awards semi-final evaluation, and in January 2027, it will become the first city in Southeastern Europe to host the European Film Awards ceremony. This is yet another vote of confidence that highlights Athens’ momentum on the global cultural scene.”
Ioannis Georgizas, CEO of Develop Athens, added: "Our collaboration with the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences proves that Athens isn't just following trends—it's shaping them. Through the Athens Film Office, we're building infrastructure, opening new pathways, and strengthening the city's position on the international stage. It's a great honour and responsibility to be part of this global celebration of television creativity.”
Athens' Growing Impact on Audiovisual Production
To date, the City of Athens, through the Athens Film Office, has supported over 450 productions, including series and films for platforms and channels such as Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, BBC, Discovery, Cosmote TV, and MEGA. In the past 18 months alone, six major international productions, with a total value exceeding €35 million, have been filmed here, bringing significant revenue to the city.
The Athens Jury and the Awards Process
The Semi-Final Round of Judging for the International Emmy Awards took place on June 16, 2025, at the St. George Lycabettus Hotel. The Athens evaluation will determine one of the four final nominees in the "Best Drama" category, with official nominations set to be announced by the International Academy this autumn.
The 53rd International Emmy Awards Ceremony will be held on November 24, 2025, in New York City.
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*This initiative is part of the project “Promotion, Support, and Development of Tourism in the City of Athens” under the Attica 2021–2027 Program, MIS 6018475. The project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
