Industry Youth! Pitching Forum

Klasja Habjan (Zagreb, 1993) works in illustration, graphic design, and writing. She graduated in visual communications in 2016, and in 2018 she founded the studio klasja&zita. She has exhibited in Zagreb, Novigrad, and at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Her book Duh Bauhausa was included in the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava. She illustrated the award-winning picture book Tminice and is the recipient of the Croatian Designers Association (HDD) Prize for the visual identity of the series Moderna vremena.

Since 1991, he has been a producer for Noé Productions in Paris. His credits include Before the Rain (1994) by Milcho Manchevski (Oscar nomination), No Man’s Land (2001) by Danis Tanović (Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film), etc. In 2003 he started the Paris based production entity, A.S.A.P. Films, together with Danis Tanović and his fellow producer Marc Baschet. He has since produced many films, with Foxtrot (2017) by Samuel Maoz as one of the most recent ones (ZFF 2017).

Nikica Zdunić graduated in law and film directing in Zagreb. Her student films were screened and awarded at festivals from San Sebastián to Sarajevo, along with the Rector’s Award and other Croatian honors. She co-wrote the series Sram, leads workshops, and was appointed vice-president of the Croatian Film Directors’ and Producers’ Association this year.

A second-rate tambura player Marko, teams up with his third-rate friend Marin, to go on an adventure through the Croatian countryside in search of Jagica, a girl he met at a music festival and is now convinced she is “the one” – the woman he will spend the rest of his life with. He and Jagica face the hurdles of tradition and patriarchy, as well as various questions about who loves whom, how much, and in what way.

Dražen Bošnjak (director)
Dražen Bošnjak (Split, 2004) started making films at the age of 10. In 2015, he enrolled in the Secondary School of Design, Graphics, and Sustainable Construction in Split, where he created Playbill and Slo, which went on to win multiple awards. He is studying film directing at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb.

Ivana Brajdić (producer)
Ivana Brajdić is studying production at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Since 2022, she has been working as a production assistant on TV commercials. She was the executive producer for the Cinehill Festival and the World Theatre Festival. She is currently a producer at the artistic organisation de facto, where she works in performance art.

Ana is an empathetic daughter who is taking care of her ill mother, Breda. When they receive the news that Breda’s cancer is terminal, Ana tries to find some emotional connection with her mother, who somehow does not care about the prognosis and instead preoccupies herself with seeking justice against the homeowners’ association and their unfair selection process of facade contractors.

Mark Džamastagić (writer/director)
Mark Džamastagić is a screenwriting student at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television, University of Ljubljana. His background in stand-up and improvisational comedy paved his way into filmmaking. He wrote and starred in the short mockumentary Professional Amateurs, which received an award at the Independent Film Festival 2022 in Ljubljana.

Gala Atanasova (producer)
Gala Atanasova (2001) began her audiovisual career after co-producing and directing the non-budget documentary film What Colour is Wednesday. She is pursuing a master’s in Film and TV Production at AGRFT, where she has collaborated on various student projects as PA and producer, and is Head of Video Production at a marketing agency in Ljubljana.

One evening, mysterious cleaners enter a film archive. While the entire media archive from the past is in danger of disappearing, one archivist is trying to save his personal film archive. As he watches the scenes that defined his life, television cartoons, documentary reports, and home videos, he must decide whether to disappear and merge into the image or burn trying to preserve it.

Adna Dautović (writer)
Adna Dautović (Travnik, 2003) is a fourth-year dramaturgy student in Sarajevo. In 2023, she worked as the coordinator for student and short films competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival. She is a selector for the international high school theatre festival Juventafest. Her ten-minute drama Chat is included in this year’s MESS program.

Nadja Paranos (producer)
Nadja Paranos (Sarajevo, 2000) is a final-year student at the Department of Production and Management at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo. In addition to student projects, she worked as an assistant for the CineLink program of the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, she attended the Trieste Film Festival Academy.

Sandra returns to her childhood village with only a faded photograph of a house beneath a walnut tree. As she searches for the house, strangers, memories, and silences make her question her own identity.

Vanja Vujin (director)
Vanja Vujin is a film director and screenwriter from Belgrade, studying at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts. He has made short fiction, documentary, and experimental films exploring the themes of memory and belonging. His films screened at various festivals, and he founded the film conference RAMPA.

Mina Adamović (producer)
Mina Adamović is a third-year Film and TV Production student at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. She has produced over 20 student films, directed two documentaries, and works for the Industry section of Beldocs festival. Her film You Need to Be Persistant screened at 20 festivals and won three awards.

Nemanja comes to his girlfriend Maša’s name day celebration. There, he faces awkward and comical situations that reveal deep family disagreements. The event has attracted another family member, an uncle who brings trouble wherever he goes. What was supposed to be a peaceful family lunch and the occasion to meet the son-in-law turns into a family farce.

Jelena Šarić (director, writer)
Jelena Šarić (Herceg Novi, 2002) graduated in film directing with the film Tiha voda brijeg roni in 2024. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in film directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje. She participates in various projects and volunteers at the Sarajevo Film Festival and the Herceg Novi Film Festival. She is currently completing her internship at the production company Artikulacija Film, gaining valuable professional experience.

Pavle Vujović (production associate, DOP)
Pavle Vujović (Podgorica, 2002) worked on over 10 short films and 30 music videos/commercials (Who see, Vojska Crne Gore, ugosti.me, NVO Prima, etc.) as a student. He worked as a colourist for the documentary film Ova dobra zemlja (Underhill FF – Grand Prize, FIPA FF Biarritz) and the feature film 15 i po (HNFF 2025 – Special Mention).

Ana, traumatized by years of abuse from her ex Marko, tries to overcome her fear after therapy advice. When she goes out, a man resembling Marko follows her, trigering a chase. Ana seeks help from police, but they dismiss her and detain her for carrying self-defense items.

Jana Golaboska (director)
Jana Golaboska is a photographer and film directing student. She has directed two short films and is looking forward to presenting her latest project, connecting with fellow film students, discovering their work, and learning from new experiences.

Simon Gegaj (DOP)
Simon Gegaj is a student of cinematography. With his first short film premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this year. He is excited for what is ahead and the collaborations with other directors and cinematographers in creating something worth watching.

Clara (8) finds her beloved cat dead, hit by a car. Her mother explains the afterlife, and together they decide to hold a funeral. But Clara grows fearful that her cat might go to hell for killing a bird. The thought unsettles her, so before the funeral, she comes up with her own plan — letting birds eat the cat’s body, believing they will forgive its guilt and fly it to heaven.

Yue Marie Feng (director)
Yue Feng is a director from China, currently studying film in Slovenia. She has worked as a live TV director at China Central Television and was part of the host broadcast crew at the 2022 Asian Games. Her latest projects as a film director include the animated film The King’s Last Refuge and the experimental film Welcome to 2028.

Éva Júlia Boros (producer)
Éva Júlia Boros comes from Budapest, Hungary, and is currently an MA student at UNG. She works as a screenwriter, director, and producer. She has directed three short films, written screenplays for several projects, as well as producing a short film.