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CineLink Development Workshop During Slano Film Days
This year, CineLink Workshop is integrated within Slano Film Days which is a unique event format that connects emerging filmmakers with prominent names from the world of film and the film industry
For the first time this year, 14 projects from two Sarajevo Film Festivals’ CineLink strands - CineLink Co-Production Market & CineLink Drama, will participate in an intense five-day workshop in Slano, Croatia from the 17th to 21st of June.
This year, CineLink Workshop is integrated within Slano Film Days which is a unique event format that connects emerging filmmakers with prominent names from the world of film and the film industry. Slano Film Days (which will be held from 18th until 22nd of June 2024) gives the opportunity to filmmakers to discuss the creative process of filmmaking, share their ideas and network.
As the focus of this workshop is script development and production value development, the CineLink team organized a series of meetings with mentors whose work achieved international success. Among the mentors with whom the participants will have the opportunity to develop their films are successful screenwriters and script consultants such as Franz Rodenkirchen, Francoise von Roy, Elma Tataragić, Giacomo Durzi and Ognjen Sviličić, independent and influential producers of art-house films from the region such as Jelena Mitrović, Gabor Krigler, Bianca Oana, as well as Yorgos Tsourgiannis, Anna Rohde, Boban Jevtić, Danna Stern and Henning Kamm.
The selection of CineLink projects features a blend of emerging voices who are presenting their first features and drama series but also directors and creators whose first features and previous projects have had great success on the international festival circuit.
CineLink alumni producer Jelena Angelovski is bringing the directorial debut of experienced writer Staša Bajac, known for writing scripts for successful regional films and TV shows such as THE GROUP (2019), HUMIDITY (2016), and CIVIL SERVANT (2019). Another alumni producer, Genoveva Petrovits, is presenting a debut by Anna Gyimesi, whose short film AFFRIKATE premiered in Sarajevo in 2022.
The line-up also features second films from directors who had notable success on the festival circuit: CineLink alumni producer Dragana Jovović has teamed up with Milica Tomović, winner of the Heart of Sarajevo in 2021 for CELTS (CineLink Co-Production Market 2018, World Premiere Berlinale 2021). Nehir Tuna is bringing his second feature following his debut DORMITORY, which premiered in the Horizons section of the Venice Film Festival in 2023. Matija Gluščević is now working on his second feature after HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WOMAN? premiered in the International Critics' Week at Venice in 2022. Keti Machavariani is presenting her second fiction feature after her debut SALT WHITE, which premiered at Karlovy Vary in 2011. CineLink alumni producer Maria Kontogianni is producing the second feature of Assimina Proedrou, whose film BEHIND THE HAYSTACK won multiple awards at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and was also an Academy Awards Greek entry, Darko Sinko is also presenting a new project, following his debut INVENTORY, which premiered at San Sebastian as part of the New Directors selection in 2021.
CineLink proudly presents fresh talents alongside esteemed alumni who are venturing into the drama series industry for the first time. Among them are Filip Jokanović and Sara Stijović, introducing their project PRAY FOR US, Delyana Maneva, serving as a co-creator alongside Alek Popov for the adaptation of the novel PALAVEEVI SISTERS. and Ipek Ural Demirel and Ali Demirel with THE MAGIC WRAP. Cristina Grosan, an accomplished director in both film and series, is developing her series ANGELMAKER as a creator. Notably, her previous work, THINGS WORTH WEEPING FOR, earned the Best Film award at the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2021, which was developed from CineLink Industry Days. We are delighted to welcome back Pjer Žalica, a Bosnian-Herzegovinian director whose previous films have garnered numerous accolades at the Sarajevo Film Festival, as well as other esteemed festivals. Equally, we are proud to welcome back our CineLink alumni Nemanja Vojinović whose documentary BOTTLEMEN was awarded the Best Documentary - Heart of Sarajevo Award at the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2023, where it premiered globally.
The full CineLink lineup, featuring additional projects from the CineLink Co-Production Market and CineLink Drama, will be unveiled in July.