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The second edition of the Forum "Exploring Synergies: Managing Intellectual Property Across Creative Industries" organized in Budva, Montenegro

"Exploring Synergies: Managing Intellectual Property Across Creative Industries" forum was supported by UNESCO and endorsed through the "Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans" (CC4WBs) programme funded by the European Union

"Exploring Synergies: Managing Intellectual Property Across Creative Industries" successfully took place in Budva, Montenegro (11-14 April) after its’ debut edition in 2024 held in Mokrin, Serbia. Organized by the CineLink Industry Days of the Sarajevo Film Festival in partnership with Film Center Montenegro, the three-day forum focused on the synergy between audiovisual and publishing industries, with presentations and discussions on intellectual property rights management in creative industries.

The previous edition allowed participants to expand their knowledge, meet representatives from the publishing and audiovisual industries, exchange information and experiences, and initiate a conversation about the potential synergy between the two industries. From this forum, the CineLink Books initiative emerged - a program dedicated to connecting literature and the film industry by showcasing novels with adaptation potential. This initiative has already resulted in the first concrete collaboration between the publishing and audiovisual sectors.

Publishers and authors are increasingly recognizing the importance of understanding the process of adapting literary works into screenplays. In response, this year’s forum centered on hands-on learning through a simulated writers' room led by Goran Stanković and Vuk Ršumović. Two parallel teams, comprising of writers, publishers, screenwriters, and directors, collaborated to develop concepts for the first season of a drama series inspired by a novel. The initiative not only offered writers and publishers a deeper understanding of the adaptation process, but also provided screenwriters and directors with valuable, practice-based experience in collaborative story development.

The program was designed to enhance creative and professional skill sets across disciplines, fostering the exchange of techniques and storytelling strategies within a writers' room setting. The second part of the forum featured lectures, discussions, and case study presentations, offering real-example insights into the challenges and opportunities of adapted content and regional challenges. Structured as a peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, this segment placed particular focus on training, skills development, and the strengthening of collaborative competencies among producers, creators, and publishers.

Here's what some of the attendees had to say:

Jasna Novakov Sibinović, Geopoetika Publishing

“Following last year’s participation in the CineLink Books programme of the Sarajevo Film Festival and the successful presentation I gave there, this follow-up as a participant in the Writer’s Room, held within the forum "Exploring Synergies: Managing Intellectual Property in the Creative Industries", brought me a new, exciting, inspiring, and eye-opening experience. The programme left a strong impression on me, primarily thanks to the team that combined talent and intelligence with warmth, sensitivity, and wit. As an editor in a publishing house, this experience will certainly influence how I read manuscripts in the future, as the aim of connecting these professions lies in the shared commitment to finding unusual and important stories, ones we will first read and then watch.”

Goran Stanković, Creator

“This workshop was an opportunity for us, as a region that already produces a significant number of series formats, to truly focus on the most important element of every project: writing. The Sarajevo Film Festival has recognized that this particular segment demands deeper education, better organization, and stronger collaboration in order to raise the quality of series being developed in our region. In a short but intense period, we managed to exchange experiences, address key questions, and jointly develop a concept for adapting a novel, serving as a concrete example of how collaborative writing can function. For me personally, the most valuable part of the workshop was the openness among authors and the space in which no one had to know everything, but everyone was invited to contribute. Programmes like this are not only useful—they are essential if we truly want to build a sustainable, smart, and connected regional industry and create series that don’t all look alike, but instead carry authenticity, clarity, and a genuine need to say something meaningful.”

Nađa Petrović, Writer

“It is an indescribable honor for me that so many brilliant and respected colleagues from the worlds of film and literature dedicated two days of work to my novel. For me, above all, it’s a huge boost and motivation to continue working both in film and in prose writing. Honestly, I was a bit afraid of how the whole process would unfold and whether working on Medusas would be emotionally overwhelming, especially since the piece is very intimate and closely tied to my own life. However, as soon as we stepped into the first writers’ room, all my fears disappeared. I realized how kind-hearted everyone was, how committed they all were to giving their best, how each person connected to the story in their own way and brought in different ideas from their own world, thereby expanding my own. After just two days of work, I think we all came up with some brilliant solutions and proved to ourselves and others what so many creative minds can achieve in such a short time. Most importantly, I believe we also grew closer and created connections that will continue long after Budva.”

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The “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs) project, funded by the European Union, is focused on fostering dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. Over a 48-month period, the CC4WBs project aims to improve the performance of the cultural and creative sectors in order to enhance skills, knowledge, access to financial aid to increase competitiveness and sustain co-production and circulation of goods and services in the Western Balkans.