Importance of international co-productions: Exclusive screening of ''DJ Ahmet''
EFAD held an exclusive screening of the North Macedonian feature film DJ Ahmet at Cinema Galeries in Brussels, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of North Macedonia, the North Macedonia Film Agency, and the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.
The film, written and directed by Mr Georgi M. Unkovski, is a co-production between North Macedonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Serbia.
The event was held in the presence of Mr Zoran Ljutkov, Minister of Culture and Tourism of North Macedonia, Mr Chris Marcich, President of EFAD, and Mr Zulfi Ismaili, Ambassador and Head of Mission of North Macedonia to the European Union.
The screening attracted a full audience and brought together representatives of European institutions, diplomats and film professionals, reflecting the strong interest in European stories and in the role public support and European cooperation play in enabling them to travel across borders.
Panel Highlights
The screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring Mr Sashko Potter Micevski, Director of the North Macedonia Film Agency, and Mr Georgi M. Unkovski, moderated by Ms Julie-Jeanne Régnault (European Producers Club). The exchange focused on the importance of sustained public support for European co-productions, the inspiration behind the film and the message it conveys, as well as the broader development of the audiovisual sector.
Speakers highlighted co-productions as a key instrument for strengthening creative collaboration, connecting authors and producers to wider European networks, opening access to new markets and audiences, and ensuring visibility for the creative forces of smaller film industries within the European audiovisual space. By enabling creative, financial and technical collaboration across borders, co-productions allow filmmakers to pool resources, reach wider audiences and strengthen the circulation, cultural and linguistic diversity of European works. Strengthening co-production frameworks and public support mechanisms therefore remains essential for the vitality and competitiveness of European cinema.
About the Film
DJ Ahmet tells the story of a 15-year-old boy in a rural Macedonian village who dreams of becoming a DJ while navigating tradition, identity and aspiration in a conservative environment. Beyond a coming-of-age story, the film speaks to wider European themes of freedom of expression, cultural dialogue and the capacity of local stories to travel across borders. As a co-production between four European countries, it shows how international cooperation enables creative risk-taking and ambition in smaller markets.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received major audience and jury recognition, and has since been selected by several leading international festivals across Europe and beyond, including the Sarajevo Film Festival, Stockholm International Film Festival, and Sydney Film Festival.