16th Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival
– DISTORToΠia – How do you mirror reality –
BBB Cine-Forum III
Sarajevo Talents Workshop with Mia Avdagic – “Unlocking the Potential of Talents Sarajevo: Crafting Your Path in Regional & International Cinema”
How can emerging filmmakers from the Balkans find their path in today’s complex film industry? What makes a talent stand out in regional and international cinema? This workshop invites participants to explore the opportunities offered by Talents Sarajevo, one of the most significant training and networking platforms for young film professionals in Southeast Europe and in the Balkans.
This session will introduce the history and structure of Talents Sarajevo, a regional hub of the renowned Berlinale Talents programme, founded in 2007 within the Sarajevo Film Festival. Over the years, it has supported hundreds of professionals of the film industry to connect, collaborate, and launch their careers within the European and global cinema landscape. It will take place at Galata University on Sunday, 09/11, at 14:00, conducted in English. To secure your spot, please apply the participation form.
Through this interactive talk, participants will understand what Talents Sarajevo is and how it operates within the Sarajevo Film Festival framework. Explore how the programme can serve as a launch pad for their career in the film industry. Identify the key modules, selection process, and what makes a strong and competitive application. Reflect on how to prepare themselves, in terms of skills, mindset, and projects, to fully benefit from such an initiative. And finally, engage in open discussion and Q&A about opportunities, challenges, and next steps for emerging filmmakers from the region.
Instructor:
Mia Avdagić (b. 1999, Sarajevo) graduated in Production and Management at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo, where she is now an Assistant Professor.
Since 2019, she has been part of the Sarajevo Film Festival team, currently working as CineLink Training and Skills Coordinator and Talents Sarajevo Manager, and serves as Head of Programming at Slano Film Days.
She produced several films and theatre plays that have premiered at festivals around the world.
Currently, she is developing two feature films. She is a member of the Association of Filmmakers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mia is the first recipient of the Amira Lekić Award, recognizing outstanding young women beginning their careers in film and television production.
About Talents Sarajevo
Launched as a regional edition of Berlinale Talents, Talents Sarajevo aims to foster creative exchange and professional growth among emerging filmmakers from Southeast Europe and the Southern Caucasus. Through masterclasses, discussions, and hands-on labs, the programme encourages collaboration, networking, and innovation, helping young talents navigate the international film landscape.