Representatives of the film centres of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro signed an important document on 17 August, during the CineLink Industry Days at the Sarajevo Film Festival. The Memorandum of Cooperation concerns the ReActing as a Star programme, aimed at actors, casting directors and talent agents from the region of the former Yugoslavia. It offers them networking possibilities, and therefore increases their mobility and visibility on the European film-industry stage.

The programme was initiated by the Slovenian Film Centre, and it was launched at the second edition of KRAFFT (the Kranj Actors’ Film Festival), which took place this June (see the news). It was organised by producer Tina Hajon under the slogan “Play locally, act internationally!” The signing of the memorandum demonstrates the commitment of the regional film centres to empowering, encouraging and promoting the professional development of actors from the countries in this region, thereby abiding by the motto of the first edition of the event.

“Until now, actors have lacked a true platform that would enable them to present themselves in our region, as well as in Europe, in order to promote their work. Our region certainly has some talented actors, and our cooperation will allow them to introduce themselves and acquire new knowledge and experience, which, in turn, will make it possible for them to cooperate even beyond regional borders,” said Nataša Bučar, director of the Slovenian Film Centre.

“By signing the Memorandum of Cooperation between the countries in the region, I believe that we will be able to work in a number of fields and, above all, strengthen the cooperation between actors and directors. Openness and the possibility for the actors to work abroad is an additional bonus for all future participants,” said Chris Marcich, director of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

All of the signatories of the Memorandum of Cooperation emphasised the importance of the first edition of the ReActing as a Star programme, as did all of the participants in the event itself in Sarajevo, who were enthusiastic about it and clearly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know their fellow actors, casting directors and talent agents from the region and beyond, as well as share what is truly important to them: innovative ideas that will lead to progress, both locally and regionally.

The second edition of ReActing as a Star will take place in June next year, as an integral part of the third edition of the KRAFFT Film Festival in Kranj, Slovenia.