BFM2020

TIRANA - ALBANIA 12-15 NOVEMBER 2020

France Supports
Balkan Film Market

Qendra Kombëtare e Kinematografisë
Rr. “Aleksandër Moisiu”, nr.77, 1012, Tiranë, Albania
Tel. +355 4 2378 004
info@nationalfilmcenter.gov.al
www.nationalfilmcenter.gov.al

FO
RE
ORD

Time and time again, during this century, the film industry
has faced multiple challenges. Technological revolution,
digitalization, the boom of social networks, the democratization
of content creation and distribution, as well as the
diversification of visual engagements from videogames to
virtual reality – all have had a major impact on the film industry.
And yet, nothing prepared the industry and film professionals
to appropriately face one of the oldest humanity foes, the strike
of a pandemic. Add to that the hard-boiled conspiracy theories
paired with an over-heated political climate and the groundwork
is laid out for major drama.
As all species do, we too, in such extraordinary circumstances
trying to adapt and survive, even if this requires to
fundamentally transform our way of life and sacrifice a lot in
the process. Frequently in the movies, the pandemic serves
as a catalyst that puts everything in a perspective by forcing
the characters to set new priorities and goals, regarding what
matters the most.
Leaving behind pandemics and even wars, the new
opportunities often rise and looking beyond the hardship of the
solitary confinement of these days, we take the time to reflect,
and better prepare for what’s coming up.
It might take a while to overcome the aftershock, and I believe
the marks of this era will stay with us forever. Looking forward
many things might be different, but in the end of the day what’s
gonna remain unchanged, is our human urge to create, to tell
the story of our time and emotionally connect.
ANDAMION MURATAJ
Director

FM
PRO
GRAM

BFM 2020 | PROGRAMME
THURSDAY, November 12
18:00
OFFICIAL OPENING RECEPTION
at Hotel Rogner
Hosted by the French Embassy in Tirana,
A presentation of Balkan Film Market 2020
Attending: representatives of Albania Center
of Cinematography, Embassy of France,
Balkan Film Market, etc.
Eduart Makri
Chairman, Albanian National Center of
Cinematography
Madam Ambassador
Élisabeth Barsacq
Rafaela Rica
BFM Managing Director
Andamion Murataj
BFM Director
FRIDAY, November 13
Tulla Culture Center
10:00
High Pitch (on-line)
Directing the Pitch / Strategies of crafting the
pitch.
Most of creatives spend a lot of time and energy
on the content of the project, but not enough
time and energy on how to present the project to
potential funders and partners. Identify the target
for your project and tailor a custom-fit pitch for
each target.
12.00
Balkan initiatives (on-site)
Get to know the network of festivals, workshops
and other programs with focus in western Balkan
countries. The presentation of programs and
funding opportunities available.

16:00
Balkan Films For Balkan Public (on site)
Think locally act globally - Local film for regional distribution
Starting with the end in mind - developing a production
strategy with distribution in mind.
How to better reach the wide Balkan audiences.
Tips to successful development that makes you aware of
your potential regional market?
Reception Hosted by Albanian Center of Cinematography
Tulla Culture Center
SATURDAY, November 14
Tulla Culture Center
10:00
PITCH BALKAN 2020 – (on line)
Video Streaming
11:00
Creating in time of pandemic (on line)
The raise of “solitary” author projects.
Making use of content libraries, and creatively exploring
new tools and methods.
12:30
Adapting is surviving (on line)
Gaining new skills for the era of the constrains, with regard
to development, promotion and marketing.
16:00
Women - In front and behind the camera (on site)
Leading women confronting issues of today and reflecting
the era.
Woman authors beyond women theme films.
Reception Hosted by Iceberg Communication
Tulla Culture Center

SUNDAY, November 15
Tulla Culture Center
10:00
Good fences make good friends (on site)
Keep the distance during the pandemic and
beyond. Minding your position and respecting the
rules of the set.
11:30
The short punch (on line)
Shorts as a bridge to the film world. Regional
initiatives about the short content.
16:00
Mobile cinema (on site)
Content creating, distributing & consuming via
mobile devices.
Reception Hosted by Balkan Film Market
Tulla Culture Center

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PIT
CH
BAL
KAN

SHIPBUILDING
COUNTRY
BOSNIA
Logline
A coming-of-age road movie, about a young man, who through
reconciliation with his father is able to overcome a failed suicide attempt,
and finally come to terms with the loss of his mother.
Summary
In a moment of crisis, a young Bosnian student of economics with
artistic sensibilities, who has never been able overcome the trauma
of the death of his mother, seems to have had enough and is ready to
commit suicide. Hospitalized, while recovering from the failed suicide
attempt, he embarks on a hard but necessary process of reconciliation
and mutual understanding with his father. After a trip at the Zoo of
Sarajevo, he finally meets a cheerful girl, Amina, who changes his life
forever, compels him to start a new life and part with his past, by coming
to terms with the loss of his mother
Short Bio of the Director
A Sarajevo filmmaker with experiences as a producer, actor, musician,
promoter, photographer, and educator. Active in Sarajevo underground
art scene, he is a contributor to several international film art
organizations. As a young Bosnian director his work not only touches on
the legacy of war in Bosnia, but also reflects on personal experiences
living in the contemporary local scene of Bosnia versus the globalized
world.
Graduated from Sarajevo Business School/Griffitch College Dublin and
Academy of Performing Arts Sarajevo, Zulfikar Filandra, over the past
few year has completed a series of fiction and experimental works. He
is currently developing his fiction feature debut film “Shipbuilding”.
ZULFIKAR FILANDRA
DIRECTOR
zulfikar.filandra@gmail.com

Director`s Statement
“Shipbuilding” will be a coming-of-age and a road movie, and the
main tropes that I am working with are: conflict with the father,
death of the mother, lots of sex, dissatisfaction, youth, yearning
for a higher meaning, travel, movement, sea, flirting with violence,
fascination with filmmaking, and in the end – yearning for peace.
Sex is the mean of grieving the dead mother for my main
character, El. The title Shipbuilding implies a certain process, a
certain wholeness, and further – the complexity of the task to be
done. Much of the story happens by the sea. El is caught
in-between his habits and high unrealised ambitions, hindered by
his youth and lack of capacity to articulate emotions. Likewise, El
is very much more obsessed with how things seem to be than with
how they are, a typical malady of our romantic age.
While writing the script, I was thinking most of first works by
Xavier Dolan, Jean-LucGodard, Jia Zhangke and Terrence
Malick. Most of all, the structure of the script is directly inspired
by the Bob Rafelson film “Five Easy Pieces” (1970). Danis
Tanović, Bosnian Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign
Language Film of 2001was a huge motivation and support while
writing “Shipbuilding” – without Tanović, my script would not
have happened. At the same time – I see this script as a way
of summing up the first 27 years of my life and a sort of farewell
to and remix of my past. Also, for me, “Shipbuilding” is both
a generation lm and an attempt to inject a new and different
sensibility and cinematic style into present Bosnian and regional
cinema.
Because of all of this, I feel that the most natural and appropriate
way to turn my script into my fiction feature debut is to apply the
methods and aesthetics of micro or low budget productions and
documentary lm and shoot tight, small, fast and instinctive in the
attempt to generate and capture bursts of raw and poetic energy.
ISHAK JALIMAM
PRODUCER

3 KILOGRAMS OF HAPPINESS
COUNTRY
BULGARIA
Logline
A 52-year-old woman gets pregrant with her daughter’s baby who can’t
conceive against the law and her husband’s will, thus swirling their lives
in a tango for four. A true story from Sofia, Bulgaria, 2017.
Summary
Parents decide to help their daughter, who can’t conceive
- her father sponsors a third invitro fertilization, and her mother gets
pregnant with the fetus, despite her husband’s protest and agaisnt the
law. Human intervention in this delicate matter swings the world of both
families into chaos. Whose child is this and how many mothers the
baby has are the easy questions in this puzzle, where love, ethics and
law mix in a cocktail of bittersweet tears.
Short Bio of the Director
SOPHIA ZORNITSA
DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
zornitsa.sophia@gmail.com
Zornitsa Sophia is Master of Fine Arts, major in painting, who has
presented at 65 exhibitions internationally and, together with the
convicts, restored the church and the murals in Sofia Male Prison.
Her debut feature as writer, director and producer is MILA FROM
MARS, 2004, with 16 awards, 60 festivals, Bulgarian submission for
the Academy Awards and a national box office hit. Following are the
documentaries DEATH AND ALL THE WAY BACK, 2005 and MODUS
VIVENDI, 2007, and the feature FORECAST, 2009. VOEVODA, 2017,
is her third feature film as writer, director and producer and first as
actress in the leading role. It premiered at Shanghai IFF and Moscow
IFF and is a national box office hit. She has directed 44 episodes in
6 PRIME TIME TV SERIES, the awarded theater play WHEN THE
RAIN STOP FALLING and the opera ZAKHARI, THE PAINTER, which
opened the season 2019/2020 of National Opera and Ballet in Sofia,
Bulgaria.
Her films were selected in over 140 festivals, 40 competitions and
received 19 awards, all are distributed nationally, two of them with
record admissions and two are distributed internationally. Zornitsa
Sophia served as a jury member at Warsaw, Valencia, Plzen film
festivals among others and in the Artistic Committee of Bulgarian
National Film Center and CEE. She leads workshops and “learning by
doing” training on filmmaking in Bulgaria and abroad.

Director`s Statement
Surrogacy through in vitro fertilization – IVF, is undoubtedly a
hot topic. My focus is in the storm whirled by this “intervention in
God’s deeds” and its impact on the human relationships.
I investigate how this choice of free will resonates in all the four
characters, constructing a new universe of unwritten laws.
Through dramedy as our genre, I will touch the cotroversial
topics - dramatical for the characters and sometimes absurd
when the bigger picture applies. I will use an intuitive and
subjective storytelling as cinematic narrative and will bring
contrast though music and sound.
T o t a l B u d g e t
306 573 €
I see the potential in this story in provoking ethical, emotional
even spiritual questions revealing characters who could
overcome all obsticles simply though acceptance.

2000: A POST-WAR ODYSSEY
COUNTRY
KOSOVO
Logline
A coming to age story of a young boy in postwar Kosovo, who in order
to come to terms with his past, joins a small traveling circus.
Summary
Lis, a 10-year old boy, whose father is missing, lives cramped in a small
apartment with his family during early post-war Kosovo. The burden
put up on him to become a man by society, pushes him to fulfill a
suppressed dream and join a small circus crew of 3 French people who
are in Kosovo to entertain the children. Through this journey, Lis will
learn a lot about himself, and the French people about their naivete and
ignorance about a war trauma and the actions it could lead to.
Short Bio of the Director
Born in 1990 in Mitrovica, when Zgjim was 8 years old, he and his family
had to leave Kosovo, because their house was burned down during the
war but after many years of sacrifices and hard work, he could achieve
his dream. Holding a BA and MA from the University of Prishtina in Film
and TV directing, Zgjim is also a prolific screenwriter. Having written
over 150 episodes for TV and tens of short films. Besides filmmaking,
Zgjim was a Film and Drama high school teacher at the American
School of Kosovo. His debut short “A Month” (2017) and second short
Salon (2019), traveled to over 70 film festivals including Cairo IFF,
Atlanta FF, Torino FF, Rhode Island IFF, Brussels SFF, Busan ISFF,
New Directors / New Films, TIFF, Hollyshorts etc. He won 10 awards at
festivals around the world.
ZGJIM TERZIQI
DIRECTOR
His first feature film in development “2000: A Post-War Odyssey” was
selected as part of Berlinale Script Station 2020, Valletta Film Lab 2019
and won a development fund from the Kosovo Cinematography Center.
He is an alumni of Berlinale Talents 2020 and Sarajevo Talents 2016.
zgjim.t@gmail.com

Director`s Statement
Being an introvert child, film wasn’t only escapism for me,
but the main source of joy for my infant persona. From my
recollection, I was exposed to films as early as the age of 4,
when my father bought a VHS recorder. My joy of films turned
into an obsession and eventually brought the autodidact in me,
as I would end up speaking fluent English and German only
from watching films in the respective languages in a matter
of couple of years. Of course, as a toddler I wasn’t watching
Bresson or Fassbinder, but rather Disney animations and
German dubbed Adriano Celentano comedies. 2000:
Total Budget
576 200 €
A Post-War Odyssey is inspired by a childhood experience of
mine. After we returned to Kosovo from being war refugees
in Turkey, we didn’t have where to go, since our house was
burned down during the war. We had to move to a different city.
My parents, grandmother, my brother and I, lived in a one-room
apartment provided by my uncle from end of 1999 to 2002.
Even though I was still a child, I could recognize that this period
was almost anarchical. Water shortage, electricity restriction,
revenge crimes, occupation of private property, smuggling etc.
One day, during my first year there, a trailer interrupted our
football game at an improvised playground. It seemed to have
appear out of nowhere. We were afraid at first, but then a group
of three people came out dancing and juggling. The relief was
immediate. Their routine lasted for about 30 minutes and I never
saw them again. I kept thinking about them through the years;
who they were, where did they go, what did they want, did they
get it. This script is my romanization of their story.
VALMIRA HYSENI
PRODUCER
valmira.hyseni@gmail.com

PLANET 7693
COUNTRY
MONTENEGRO
Logline
Luka, an imaginative nine year old boy tries to heal the disrupted family
relations with the special help of his strange and mysterious friend 7693.
Summary
Luka lives with his family in a very interesting neighborhood in the
suburbs. The family is quite harmonious and pleasant. During a
turbulent period, when the mother suffers a miscarriage in the advanced
state of pregnancy, big misunderstandings and conflicts start emerging
in the family. The father can’t seem to adapt to the new situation in
which his wife, who has always pampered him, no longer cares and
blames him for everything she is unhappy about. His sister Sandra is
not able to fit in with peers. She becomes rough towards her family and
blames them for all of her failures. Left alone, Luka immerges himself in
fiction trying to find a solution for all the problems. He meets a girl in an
abandoned factory complex, where he often spends his time practicing
his “super powers”. She introduces herself as the serial number
7693. The two spontaneously get closer and the girl begins to help
Luka develop a plan that could fix the already endangered family
relationships.
Short Bio of the Director
GOJKO BERKULJAN
DIRECTOR
Born on September 13th 1990 in Cetinje. Graduated from elementary
and high school in his hometown. In 2014, Berkuljan graduated from
the Faculty of Dramatic Arts - Department for TV and Movie Directing in
Cetinje. He is currently working as a director in the National Radio
Television.
Berkuljan worked on various short movies and documentaries as well
as several advertising campaigns, while in 2017 his first movie “Iskra”
was premiered as an independent production of Trust agency from
Podgorica and Cinammon films from Belgrade.
The movie was on the repertoire of many regional and international
festivals and also the Montenegrin candidate of the 91st Academy
Awards in the category Best Foreign Movie in 2018.

Director`s Statement
Considering that I grew up in a family with a special affinity for
science fiction, reflected in my father’s passionate collecting
of SF journals and books, it was inevitable that at some point I
would be “infected” with the same love. In a way I wanted to pay
homage to a time that is gone and from which I never intended
to separate myself.
Total Budget
600 000 €
We wrote the screenplay hoping that one day it would become
an imaginative, fun, emotional and nostalgic cinematic journey
through a short but significant period of life when the world
is seen through the prism of uncompromising sincerity and
compassionate naivety. That time is our childhood.
In order to reach the desired level of sincerity, the story had to
be very personal. We went back to our past, so the characters,
spaces and situations were created as a collage of our
memories that we put into an SF frame through which our main
character Luka observes, perceives and interprets the world.
Of course, this story does not idealize, beautify and simplify the
concepts of childhood and growing up.
Using surreal and sometimes comical solutions, we try to
interpret them critically and analytically, trying to observe them
from several viewpoints instead. Although the world of a child
often looks naive, it is never simple and one-dimensional, but
complex and layered, and a child’s perception is sophisticated,
sincere and direct, but sometimes incomprehensible to adults.
MARKO JAĆIMOVIĆ
PRODUCER
mjacimovic33@gmail.com

EVERYBODY CALLS REDJO
COUNTRY
NORTH MACEDONIA
Logline
Redjo, is the last house worker left in the village. He travels through
different families problems and show us different stories filled with love
and sadness, life and death, in the end everything fades away, and no
one’s calling him anymore.
Summary
In the village of Slupkovo there is a huge emigration. Almost all the
young people left their homes and moved abroad looking for better life.
The village is left only with old people. There is no one to work for 10
euros a day. Then, a man with name Redjo appears. He works all the
things that the villagers need. Redjo, along with his little son Nick and
his wife Hira work together. They work all the things that villagers need.
The film tells us 6 different stories from the perspective of Redjo. But
one day, Redjo meets the most dangerous man in the village, Miftar. He
always makes problems. This time his problems affect Redjo’s life and
completely changes it.
Short Bio of the Director
IBER DÉARI
DIRECTOR
Director, writer, producer, DOP Ibër Deari born in Kumanova,
Macedonia in 1990. He is a director and writer, known for My City
Screams(2015), TOKA(2016), A long way Home(2017). Ibër Deari
is award-winning director, his most recent film as director is My City
Screams. He has been making films since high school, He has also
written and directed a number of short fictional and documentary
videos He continued the Film School in the University of Audiovisual
Arts “ESRA” in Skopje. He graduated in 2013 with the film “LAST
CONFESSION” , and he graduated in the master studies in “ESRA”
and hereby was given the title Master of Arts in the Department of Film
Direction with the film “TOKA” (Land) and graduation paper defence “TO
FILM OR NOT TO FILM”.
ideari@hotmail.com

Director`s Statement
Why this movie, and why exactly at this time? Because now is the best and
the most current time for the main line problem. Although all the people
have escaped to the European countries, and the rest of the world capitals,
we have forgotten that we have slowly left this place, in order not to come
back ever. Life here is really hard, but in Europe is really sad. The idea for
this film stems from the complaints and the hopeless words we hear every
day on television, in cafes, at home, and almost everywhere. Most of the
people who leave the country are unfortunately the young generation.
The question is where does this category of people go? For a better life or a
harder life? They may be doing well in the economic part, but the emotional
part is slowly endangering. Our place was left without young people, where
there is no youth, no prospect, no life. Many companies complain that there
are no employees, many families complain that they have no life, many
adults complain that their children are left without a job. All those people
who already know how is life like living in European countries already know
that it is not easy, they know how it feels. Somewhere between this sad
stories comes out the character of Redjio, which I can say is inspired from
a real person’s life. A poor man who does not generally get into politics to
leave the country for a better life. He loves living a happy and careless life
in Balkans and with his family. He takes advantage of the situation when
somebody is looking for a one day worker. He is always available and
accepts the work. He goes from house to house to work. He is very nice,
loving, and lives only for the family, and for their happiness. Their only wish
as a family is to save some money and go on vacation to the sea for the
first time in their lives. To achieve this dream, they strive to work hard. This
film is essentially a critique of society and policies that the country gives as
a wrong message to the younger generations. As difficult as it is, we still
have to fight to survive in our homes.
But what happens when the crooked people stay on your way? Can you
keep on struggling not to leave, or that becomes impossible? Does anyone
knows the right answers? That is why this film should be filmed and try to
find right solutions. This movie is more like a comedy / drama because you
can easily criticize a society by smiling rather than telling them how wrong
they are. Besides humor Charlie Chaplin has managed to criticize the worst
habits of society. I personally believe a lot in the script and realization of this
film.
Total Budget
600 000 €
Funding Body
Macedonian Film Agency
Kosovo Cinatography Center
RTK
Albanian Film Commission
Manufactura Production
SASHO PAVLOVSKI
PRODUCER
sasho.pavlovski@gmail.com

MAN V.S FLOCK
COUNTRY
NORTH MACEDONIA
Logline
An old village shooter who wants to save his grain from the crow that
eat it, accidentally shoots a young para-chuter, who turns the old rural
‘savage’ into a social media attraction, so the old man is forced to face
an old conflict with his only, daughter – the fierce animal activist.
Summary
While, revenging his son’s death, the best rifle-shooter in a forgotten
North Macedonian village, fills his lonely days by shooting at the crows
damaging his crops. Until one lucky day, straight from the sky falls
a young lad on a parachute. The young man – a foreign blogger in
pursue of adventures, soon realizes the old man’s scarecrows made of
dead birds have become an instant online attraction. The postings of
viral videos of the scarecrows end up triggering a mission of an animal
activists group led by a young girl, who takes it upon her the searching
mission to bring to justice the “crow killer”. Little did she know that the
man she is after, is her own father, who she has not seen in years.
Facing her father and the demons of her past, she also learns that the
old man has assigned the house and the land to his newly found “son”.
Infuriated by anger and jealousy, the fierce animal activist strives to
prove to her father that they still have the same blood, and on a burst
of rage ends up killing a bird in flight. Now on, everything goes downhill
and they have to overcome a lot of troubles. But, once father and
daughter are back together, they put their past behind and seem ready
to start on a clean slate.
Short Bio of the Director
TAMARA KOTEVSKA
DIRECTOR
kotevska.tamara@gmail.com
Tamara Kotevska is a young North Macedonian director who together
with Ljubomir Stefanov, directed the documentary film “Honeyland”
(2019) that received two Oscar nominations, as well numerous awards
at Sundance and other major film festivals. Kotevska and Stefanov
previously worked together on another documentary “Lake of Apples”
She graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts at the Sts. Cyril and
Methodius University in Skopje, with a major in documentary production.
Through her work often, Tamara often explores new forms of
filmmaking, combining fiction, animation and documentaries. She
aims to create unforgettable stories, strong characters and perceptionchanging
messages. Her feature film in development “MAN v.s. FLOCK”
explores the conflict between the traditional and the progressive world.

Director`s Statement
“Man v.s. flock” began with a couple of photos taken 5 years ago,
while I was on a research for a documentary film in a village in
Central Macedonia. There was a wheat field with the breath taking
old fashioned “pagan” scarecrows made of dead birds, decorated
with diverse metal objects. I wanted to find out who makes those,
but the old man who was killing the birds run away, hiding from
the camera, because he was afraid that animal activists will come
after him. However, I managed to take a couple of photos after
all. The photos of the scarecrows waited for a long time before
becoming part of the screenplay I’m working on today. As a film
director with experience mostly in documentaries with strong social
or environmental subjects, I want to create stories with strong
characters, strong plot twists and strong message. The pagan
scarecrows I took photos of and the old man who was hiding from
my modern camera reminded me of the age old battle between
tradition and progress. I was thinking: “too bad I can’t make a
documentary about this man and this pagan tradition, but on the
other hand, I can always imagine how would this story develop if
it was a fiction story. What if the old shooter was discovered by a
young social media influencer and was made an online attraction?”
This is how the story “man v.s. flock’ began and developed in what
it is today.
ANGELA NESTOROVSKA
PRODUCER
angelata@gmail.com

EMERGENCY EXIT
COUNTRY
ROMANIA
Logline
A whole country was hoping to see the last day of Ceausescu s regime
but no one knew when that day was to come.
Summary
Elena is a promising actress in a big theater, called to replace a TV
actress who fled the country in the middle of filming a propaganda show.
Thinking he has a real career ahead of him, he accepts the proposal,
not realizing that he has to compromise his beliefs and identity and recite
patriotic poetry. Being now part of a failing system, of course, she also
falls with it. Tibi and Vlad, exasperated by the system, try to escape the
hermetically sealed country by crossing the Danube. Just when they
thought they had finally reached a safe land in Serbia, they realize they
are stranded on an island, in the middle of the river, without a boat. They
get stuck, oblivious to the fact that they are now free. (Deputy-engineer)
deputy engineer Dorin Popa is asked to become an informant of the
Securitate. After his refusal to do so, someone frames him, making him
pass as a traitor to the system. Now he is forced to comply or he will rot
in prison. However, he has the courage (or the stupidity) to postpone his
answer for the officer who recruits him. Under pressure, sign just when
the system crashes.
Short Bio of the Director
BOGDAN MUREŞANU
DIRECTOR
bogdan@kinotopia.ro
Born on August 10, 1974 in Bucharest, Bogdan Mureşanu studied at the
prestigious “Sfântul Sava” National College. Next, he studied Political
Science, in English, at the University of Bucharest, and he majored
in History of International Relations. Later he worked as a journalist,
but especially as a copywriter in advertising agencies. He shifted from
literature and advertising to screenwriting when he won the HBO TIFF
Scriptwriting Competition for the short script THE HUMAN TORCH.
Bogdan Muresanu is a writer and director, known for The Christmas Gift
(2018), Tuns ras si frezat (2013) and Spid (2016). Having won more
then 50 awards at festivals and galas all around the world in 2018 and
2019, including Clermont-Ferrand and, at the beginning of December,
at the European Film Academy Awards Ceremony, Bogdan Mureşanu‘s
The Christmas Gift became the most successful Romanian short film in
history. On December 17, it was announced among the ten short films
selected for the Oscar race. He wrote scripts for two international feature
films and one animation that are now in production. In 2016, he just
finished his second short film SPID.

Director`s Statement
This is a film composed of a few intertwined stories whose
characters are completely unaware that their present ordeals will
come to an end the very next day. It is a black humor comedy but
filmed and acted in a very realistic manner since Communism
provided enough moments of absurdity. The stories (The
Christmas Gift is one of them though here it is longer, of course)
share a common feeling of useless desperation in a moment when
the so much hated regime had reached the climax of its nonsense.
The characters are also from various walks of life so that we
can have an extended vision of those last hours of Ceausescu’s
hideous reign. They all take place from the morning of 20th of
December to the next day when the dictatorship began to crumble.
DAN BURLAC
PRODUCER
danburlac@gmail.com

FROST
COUNTRY
SERBIA
Logline
A police detective Miryana goes to investigate the disappearance of a girl
in a small dying town in eastern Serbia - region famous for black magic
and strong pagan heritage. Confronting the locals during her investigation,
Miryana succumbs to the influence of pagan milieu and her investigation
becomes an obsession to discover a much bigger secret.
Summary
Few weeks after her father’s funeral, MIRJANA, a Belgrade police
detective goes the small town Topolice and investigate the disappearance
of ADELA SIMIĆ, who was writing and making videos on the witchcraft
and magic. Mirjana stays in the same, old, brutalist architecture-style
hotel as Adela; their rooms are in the same hallway. Initially rejecting the
claims of the locals that Adela was a wannabe witch, Mirjana suspects that
locals did something bad to Adela. Even when, Mirjana finds evidence of
witchcraft in her room, not believing in black magic, she still suspects that
the locals are playing tricks on her.
Slowly, Mirjana starts to feel like Adela, isolated and attacked by villagers.
She calls her police office for help and as the situation escalates further…
Until one day, Mirjana finds a hidden book of Wallachian myths, in Adela’s
room. Soon she realizes that what’s happening is beyond her power of
understanding. And still, Mirjana decides to stay on the mission and find
out what is behind all “the supernatural” occurrences, heading for the
dragon’s belly and finally coming to terms with the legend of the dragon.
Short Bio of the Director
PAVLE VUCKOVIĆ
DIRECTOR
office@plan9.rs
Pavle Vučković is born in 1982. in Belgrade, Serbia. Finished Faculty
of Drama Arts in Belgrade, Film and TV Directing department. Twice
awarded at the Cinefondation competition of Cannes Film Festival for
short films Run Rabbit Run (2003.) and Minus (2007.). Run rabbit run
was shown in various festivals such as Pusan Film Festival, Cottbus Film
Festival, Mar del Plata, Kiev, Milano... Film is in the collection of Museum
of Modern Art New York and was shown in Centre Georges Pompidou
in Paris and in London Tate Modern. Apart short films, he is making and
directing music videos, commercials and TV series. His first film Panama
was premiered in Cannes Film Festival 2015 Official Selection-Special
Screenings section. Panama was sold around the world: Germany, UK,
South Korea, Japan, Ukraine…

Director`s Statement
Frost is inspired by a Balkan myth about a dragon that takes
human shape and finds a lover among humans. The myth
ends with the slaying of the dragon. I perceived this killing as
a metaphorical death of a mystical and spiritual part of human
life. The reason why this subject and idea interest me is the
possibility to use the genre of detective and fantasy film to tell
a story about a psychological search for spiritual, to depict a
quest into the suppressed parts of consciousness and deep
mythological past. Such a detective investigation that examines
our laws of logic, our contemporary outlook, our relationship with
nature, religion, supernatural and finally, our connection with
ourselves is something I find very relevant and interesting.
Frost is also a female version of a dragon-slayer story, but
in frost, the dragon is a symbol of nature, freedom and inner
strength. Miryana, a woman who took over the male role of a
“hero”, is given a choice to kill the dragon/nature (within herself)
or not.
Total Budget
606 532 €
STEFAN MLADENOVIĆ
PRODUCER
mladenovic.stefan@gmail.com

SHADOWS OF MEDITERANEAN
COUNTRY
SERBIA
Logline
Peculiar administration on unknown Mediterranean Island turns the street
artist efforts to return home into a Kafkian process of collecting documents
thus revealing deep secrets of his life.
Summary
In a Mediterranean island, a traveling street performer, feels nostalgic
for his home, but leaving the Island gets complicated. The tiresome
effort of collecting the paperwork necessary for departure go beyond the
administrative frame and look into the most intimate parts of Lazar’s life,
entrapping him in Kafkian reality. The exhausting process of collecting
documents turns into a reconsideration of the meaning of life and deep
secrets hidden from oneself. Worn-out, Lazar makes it to the very end
of the administrative process only to learn that the administration has
archived his whole life and he gets an opportunity to see the complete
archive of his own life.
At the end of the story, we find out that the story takes place on the other
side of life: Lazar died on his journey and the posthumous collection of
documentation serves his spiritual realization and final self-awareness that
will enable him to leave the Island and to spiritually meet with his father.
The outcome of Lazar’s long trip remains uncertain: will he be able to
return to the spiritual home? Who are unusual Clerks and what do they
actually do for Lazar?
Short Bio of the Director
IVAN JOVIC
DIRECTOR
ivanjovic71@gmail.com
Ivan Jovic was born in 1971. He graduated at Teacher Education
Faculty, University of Belgrade and finished his MA studies at Faculty
for Special Education. He also finished film school at Centre for Visual
Communications Kvadrat in Belgrade. He is owner and producer of
Terirem production.
After five years of work on archival-film project “Legacy” he made a
documentary film of the same title, about civilian suffering during the World
War II on territory of Independent State of Croatia in 1941-1945. It is a
unique cinematic monument, made exclusively of the recorded testimony
of 94 survivors (selected from 450 hours of material) and their stories.
Ivan Jovic was a co-screenwriter of the documentary film “I dream and
what’s happening to me”, which deals with the problems of children
who grow up in enclaves on Kosovo. He was also screenwriter of a
documentary series TV Vojvodina recorded about The Fund for the Future
or the program for professional development of children without parental
care.
In 2019 Ivan directed theater play Curie and Claudel, made in coproduction
with Serbian theater Puls Teatar.

Director`s Statement
This film deconstructs the escapist idea of „sunny
Mediterranean”; it deals with the state of mind inherent in
every human being – that feeling that our true, full life is
somewhere else and that there is a need to escape from
the given area of life. The hero is stuck in the otherworldly
conflict with unusual insular administration and is
wandering the narrow streets with sharp and omnipresent
shadows. Locations gamut color will be transferred to the
costume and set design with the dominance of white, deep
blue, sand and black volcanic soil. Lazar is either white
street sculpture or a man with the black box in his hands.
He meets clerks dressed in immobile fabric, surrounded
by the black boxes. Architecture, deep blue sea, main
character immobility as street sculpture, stylization of
the clerks, omnipresence of identical black boxes, the
monotony of the landscape - point to a quality of visual
clarity, minimalism, and sterility. Music accompanies
specified minimalism of the images.
Secured Budget
320.000 €
T o t a l B u d g e t
681.700 €
Funding Body
30.000 € from Media programme;
7.000 € from SEE Cinema Network;
16.000 € from Film Center Serbia for
development,
267.000 € from Film Center Serbia
for production
To apply: Greek Film Center,
Bulgarian National film Center as
minority co-production with
In negotiation: with Greek producer
Effiel Skrobola from View Master film
and Pharos Film Company srl from
Italy.
ANDRIJANA SOFRANIC SUCUR
PRODUCER
andrijana.sofranic@gmail.com
terirem777@gmail.com

Supporting the
Balkan Film Market:
a key element of the French
audiovisual cooperation in
Albania and the Western Balkans
French cooperation is committed to
developing audiovisual and creative
industries in Albania and in the
Western Balkans, in close link with
other European initiatives.
In this regard, the French embassy
has engaged itself by supporting the
Balkan Film Market since its creation
in 2016. It also offers, every year,
a scholarship allowing Albanian young
talents to study at the prestigious
Femis cinema school in Paris.
It helps the Albanian Film Archive
(AQSHF) endeavour of preserving
audiovisual inheritage.
The partnership between the Albanian
and French Film Centers (CNC and
QKK) can also be highlighted.
Besides, the French Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Canal France
International (CFI), the French
operator for audiovisual cooperation,
have launched a regional program
that includes support to audiovisual
creation.

Ministry of Cultural Heritage,
Activities and Tourism
MiBACT
Since 1974, Direzione Generale
Cinema – MiBACT Directorate-
General Cinema (DG Cinema) is
one of the 11 Directorate-Generals
of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage
and Activities (MiBACT), DG Cinema.
MiBACT supports the creation,
production, distribution and circulation
of film and audiovisual works, supports
the opening and modernisation
of cinemas and the adaptation of
technical industries to technological
developments, and helps to establish
Italy’s position in relations with the
institutions of the European Union and
other international institutions.
It also promotes Italy’s image
(including for the purposes of tourism)
through film and audiovisual works,
supports professional training and
moving image education, and studies
and analyses the film and audiovisual
sector.
The main legislative tool the State
uses to intervene in the sector is Law
No. 220 of 14 November 2016 which
governs financial support for the sector
and all the administrative functions
for granting acknowledgments and
administrative procedures.
As well as managing the funds
provided for by the Law, DG Cinema
– MiBACT represents Italy before
EU, the Council of Europe, other
international bodies and international
funds that issue supranational support
to the sector (Eurimages, Ibermedia,
Creative Europe – the MEDIA subprogramme).
DG Cinema – MiBACT also manages
bilateral funds with similar institutions
in other countries to support the
development of international coproductions.
DG Cinema – MiBACT supports
Istituto Luce-Cinecittà S.r.l.,
the Fondazione La Biennale di
Venezia, the Centro Sperimentale
di Cinematografia, the Museo
nazionale del Cinema Fondazione
Maria Adriana Prolo-Archivi di
fotografia, cinema ed immagine,
and the Fondazione Cineteca di
Bologna.
DG Cinema – MiBACT hosts the
Film Commissions’ coordination
body and, in partnership with DG
Tourism and the Film Commissions
themselves, oversees the portal
on locations and on national and
regional production incentives
https://www.italyformovies.it/
Contact info:
Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività
Culturali e del Turismo
Direzione Generale Cinema
Address:
Piazza Santa Croce in
Gerusalemme, 9A
00185 Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39 06 67233400
Email: dg-c@beniculturali.it
Website: www.cinema.beniculturali.it

Anica, Associazione
Nazionale Industrie
Cinematografiche
Audiovisive e Multimediali
Italian Film And Audiovisual
Multimedia Industries
Association
Founded in 1944, ANICA (National
Association of Film and Audiovisual
Industry) is the association which
represents Italian film and audiovisual
multimedia industries when dealing
with political and union institutions;
while also establishing relations with
all the key players in the promotion of
films and communication products in
Italy and abroad. ANICA is member
of Confindustria (the Italian Industry
Confederation), actively representing
the film industry.
The association is divided into three
sections: producers, distributors and
technical enterprises (printing and
development, film studios and soundsets,
equipment rental, editing, audio
and video post-production, dubbing
and transport).
ANEM (the National Association
of Theatre Owners), Cartoon
Italia (Association of Animation
Producers), and UNEFA (Union of
Film and Audiovisual Exporters) are all
adherents of ANICA.
As the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences’ representative
in Italy, ANICA selects Italy’s Oscar
candidate for Best Foreign Film. It is
also a founding partner of the “David di
Donatello” Award, as well as, being a
part of AGICOA (the Association for the
International Collective Management of
Audiovisual Works).
Furthermore, ANICA is a permanent
member of FAPAV (the Italian
Audiovisual and Multimedia
Protection Federation). It has
enhanced offices, offering services
required to meet the needs of
its members, that deal with the
changing economic and technological
environment: tax benefits for those
who invest in the production and
distribution of Italian cinema, access
to credit, relations with regional and
local institutions, studies, quantitative
analysis and context information
related to specific instruments for
the audiovisual sector. In terms of
International promotion, ANICA,
in collaboration with the public
institutions in charge, is consolidating
itself in seasoned markets and
opening new opportunities for the
internationalization of audiovisual
companies, and particularly, of Italian
audiovisual products.
With this goal in mind, ANICA – in
conjunction with the APT (Association
of Television Producers), with the
support of the Ministry for Economic
Development, the Ministry of Cultural
Heritage and Tourism, Italian Trade
Agency (ICE) and Regione Lazio –
has developed MIA, the International
Audio-Visual Market, which takes
place in autumn in Rome.

UNIONE EUROPEA
REGIONE PUGLIA

T

BAL
KAN
FILM
CEN
ERFOCUS
MONTENEGRO

The Film Centre of Montenegro has been in existence for over
a year, which may sound somewhat unbelievable.
Among many positive outcomes, the most important is the
promotion of Montenegro as a ready and committed partner
on the regional and European scene. In the previous period,
which, in terms of rhythm and challenges on the road, reminds
us of John Ford’s “Stagecoach”, we managed to form a team,
set up a new film fund, organize support for film production at
different stages and types, cooperate with regional and European
institutions and participate in various initiatives and projects.
We are proud that we succeed in supporting and cooperating,
in different ways, with our neighboring countries:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo,
Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia, and slowly, I hope,
expand the framework of co-production cooperation. Soon,
Montenegro becomes a member of Eurimages, and thus
rounds up the international network framework.
The future of the cinema of the region is, above all, in
cooperation at all levels and in different models, which stands
as the most important goal in front of us. As the best examples
from Europe prove time and again, the limited capacity
production countries, among which Montenegro is a specific
micro-cinema, increase their professional capacities, create
more attractive contents and realize the interested market only
through comprehensive collaboration and exchange. In the
following period, we must further explore models of possible
cooperation and learn through the exchange of experience.
The Balkan Film Market is, in this sense, a great place to meet
and launch new initiatives.
Sehad Cekic
Director Film Center of Montenegro

ILM
PRO
DUC
TION

ALBANIAN
COM
PANI
ES

90 Production
Bujar Alimani
0697252161
alimanifilm@hotmail.com
A. A.
Aida Kasemi
0682048417
aidakasemi@yahoo.com
A.B FILM
Adele Budina
0693531988
adelebudina@gmail.com
A.R Production
Ajola Daja
0695203319
ajoladaja.ad@gmail.com
Action Production
Gerta Qurku
0692039544
gertaqurku@yahoo.com
ALBASKY FILM
Paskal Semini
0684626416
paskalsemini@gmail.com
Albimazh (albimages) Studio
Kreshnik Hashorva
0692031531
albimagestudio@yahoo.com
Anima Pictures
Amantia Peza
0696086005
amantia.peza@anima.al
Ardit Sadiku Films
Ardit Sadiku
0685743312
ardisad@gmail.com
ART FILM
Emir Gramo
0684016821
turkeshiemira@gmail.com
ARTALB Film Production
Gentian Koçi
0692321352
artalbfilm@gmail.com
B&G Film Production
Besnik Bisha
0692059993
besnikbisha@yahoo.com
Big Screen Production
Gerian Kuka
0692021870
gerian.kuka@aed.al
BLACK BOX
Tan Kazazi
0676094339
tan_kazazi@hotmail.com
Black Stubborn Sheep
Saimir Gongo
0683830248
saimir77@yahoo.com
Bota Shqiptare
Genti Gjonaj
0682065280
gentgjonaj@yahoo.com
Bunker Film +
Eno Milkani
0682080356
enomilkani@gmail.com
CINEMANIA
Jaklid Gace
0685098650
contact@cinemania-al.com
CREATIVE BOX
Ermir Destani
0692277994
ermir.destani@gmail.com
D’ART+
Gledis Bica
0676013103
gledisbica@gmail.com
Eclipse SA Film Production
Spartak Pecani
0692081784
takpecani@yahoo.com
Edit 4
Vjolana Murataj
0676356969
violanamurataj@gmail.com
EJF Production
Jonid Jorgji
0694063304
jjorgji@gmail.com
ELEMENT STUDIOS
Regis Canaimeri
0692318142
elementstudios.al@gmail.com

Emblem
Eliodor Markja
0682000678
emarkja@emblem.al
Era Film
Sabina Kodra
0692055550
sabinakodra@gmail.com
Erë Film
Mihal Rama
0682169171
erefilm@hotmail.com
EuroFilm
Vladimir Prifti
0674155207
ladprifti@gmail.com
Filterfilm
Parid Andoni
0692030309
paridjanis@yahoo.com
Fotokozmos
Dhori Jano
0675566806
fotokozmos@albaniaonline.com
Gentius Film
Genti Kame
0694030120
contact@gentikame.com
Grishaj Film Production
Adi Grishaj
0675507633
adigrishaj@gmail.com
Gulf Production
Omid Karimi
0696002000
www.gulfproalbania.com
Hija Film
Irdit Kaso
0696740567
irdit.kaso1@gmail.com
Idea
Ilir Harxhi
0672000099
harxhiilir@yahoo.com
Kaçak
Anila Balla
0697537338
anilaballa@live.com
KAVALO STUDIO
Endri Dani
0693014189
endri_dani@hotmail.com
Kinostudio DarDan
Ina Zoto
0696090690
info@dardan.al
KKOCI Productions
Fatmir Koci
0698805026
kocifatmir6@gmail.com
KONCENTRAT
Ervin Çoba
0695243841
koncentratmcs@gmail.com
Kube Studios
Erfort Kuke
0672050031
ekuke@kubestudios.com
Lissus Media
Andamion Murataj
0697447031
lissusmedia@gmail.com
Makers Production
Mateus Çingi
0694333345
mateocingu31@gmail.com
Maku
Artan Maku
0672021634
maku.production@yahoo.com
Media Vizion
Genc Dulaku
0692026371
gdulaku@icc-al.org
MEDIAVISION
Namik AJAZI
04 2415996
niko_ajazi@yahoo.com
Mov(i)e On
Artan Malaj
0692184338
artanmalaj@gmail.com
ULTI MEDIA STUDIO NOSITI
Edmond Topi
0692036190
infonositi@gmail.com

O2 Movie Production
Erion Bubullima
0672326002
erionbubullima@gmail.com
ON FILM PRODUCTION
Dritan Huqi
0692056175
tanhuqi@gamil.com
ORA FILM
Kujtim Çashku
0692057119
kujtim@afmm.edu.al
Papadhimitri Film Production
Dionis PAPADHIMITRI
0672060422
papadhimitrifilmproduction@gmail.com
PARTIZANI PRODUCTION
Herta Basha
0696568971
partizaniproduction@gmail.com
Pika Pro
Albert Malltezi
0692086666
amalltezi@pikaproduction.com
Pro Motion Studio
Valbona Xhelili
0689010854
xhelilivalbona@yahoo.com
Production Cinemania
Steljo Gace
0675629285
cinek_roshi@yahoo.com
PROJEKT-SXHJ
Elida Maku
0672070957
elida_pajovi@yahoo.com
Silver Dream Productions
Artur Gorishti
0674646099
silverdreamproduction@gmail.com
SKA-NDAL
Elida RASHA
0692238956
rashaelida@yahoo.it
SOFILMS
Lorina Pepo
0685050445
lori.pepo@gmail.com
TEO FILM
Atina Laco
0697574968
teofilm.contact@gmail.com
Tirana Film Institute
Agron Domi
0672088771
gondomi@yahoo.com
Tunnelfilm
Florenc Papas
0699337607
tunnelfilm@gmail.com
VIDEOLINE
Endrit Delisula
0692269858
edelisula@gmail.com
YLLIRI Films
Astrit Hykaj
069427045
shekulliiri@yahoo.com
Zig-Zag Film
Mevlan Shanaj
0686047877
mevlanshanaj@gmail.com
R&T ADVERTISING
Adrian Ruci
0692032073
aruci@rtadvertising-al.com
S K FILM
Saimir Kumbaro
0692092001
saimirkumbaro@gmail.com
SHOWS AND PUBLICITY PRODUCTION
Marco Truppa
0693070200
saimir77@yahoo.com

BFM
www.balkanfilmmarket.com

ILM
FEST
VALS
N ALB
NI

Contact
Njësia 5, Pall.1 Maji
Shk.18/54, 01101
Tirana-ALBANIA
+355672088771
info@tiranafilmfest.com
www.tiranafilmfest.com
Contact
+355 (0) 682147062
www.anifestrozafa.al
artanmaku@anifestrozafa.al
arturdauti@anifestrozafa.org
Contact
+355682070701
enomilkani@gmail.com
www. filmfreeway.com
Contact
Email: info@deafilmfest.al
infonositi@gmail.com
Tel: +355 69 20 36 90
facebook: deafilmfestival
Contact
Rruga Aleksandër Moisiu
nr.78, Kinostudio
Tirana, Albania
+35542365188
info@ihrffa.net
www.ihrffa.net
Contact
Korça, Albania
info@koshfest.com
www.koshfest.com

UDIO
UAL
VI
SE
RVI
ES
IN ALBANIA

Contact
+355 68 20 48 417
aidakasemi@yahoo.com
office@aafilmfilmcompany.com
www.aafilmfilmcompany.com
Contact
Autostrada Tr-Dr, Km 7
Tirana, Albania
+355 696090690
info@dardan.al
www.dardan.al
Contact
Str Myslym Shyri,
P. 55/1 Shk1 Ap 3
Tirana, Albania
+355672060422
www.papadhimitriproduction.com
Contact
Rr. Mihal Duri No. 123/3
Zip. 1000, Tirana, Albania
+ 355 67 20 21 649
www.kubestudios.com
contact@kubestudios.com
Contact
Tel:+355 69 20 22903
Mail: Info@provideo.al
spironino@provideo.al
www.provideoalbania.com

OTHER
INEMA
OGRA
PHIC
NSTITU
ION

Contact
Rr .Aleksandër Moisiu,
No.76/1,
Tirana, Albania
info@aqshf.gov.al
www.aqshf.gov.al
Contact
Addr: Rr. Abdyl Frasheri,
P. Pegaso, Shk.1, Ap.35,
Tirana, Albania
+355 672088771
albaniafilmcommission.com
Contact
thealbaniancinemaproject.org
Facebook
The Albanian Cinema Project

OUR AIM IS TO ACCOMPANY OUR
CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS
nilorfilm@icloud.com

ANDAMION MURATAJ
BFM DIRECTOR
andamion.murataj@balkanfilmmarket.com
RAFAELA RICA
BFM MANAGING
DIRECTOR
rafaela.rica@balkanfilmmarket.com
ILIR BUTKA
BFM INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
ilir.butka@balkanfilmmarket.com
MAJLINDA TAFA
BFM COORDINATOR
majlinda.tafa@balkanfilmmarket.com
SUELA TUCI
BFM PROJECT MANAGER
KEJSI KURANI
BFM HOSPITALITY
hospitality@balkanfilmmarket.com
BFM TEAM
FRENSIS LLOJI
BFM DIGITAL MARKETING
SPECIALIST
EDVIN QEFALIA
BFM DESIGNER

This catalog and other promotional materials for BFM 2020
were made possible thanks to the contribution of the following
institutions, to which we are deeply grateful:
ALBANIAN CENTER OF AUDIO VISU AL
& CINEMATOGRAPHY