Young Filmmakers and Artists from across the Western Balkans Six Connect, Learn and Collaborate in Sarajevo
20 August 2026
Twenty-five young filmmakers and artists from across the Western Balkans Six gathered in Sarajevo for six days of learning, exchange and networking at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival (Photo: RCC/Jasmin Sakovic)
RCC’s EU-funded WBYL brings students from across the region to SFF prestigious programmes
Sarajevo – The Second Regional Conference on Youth Cultural Cooperation, organised by the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) EU-funded Western Balkans Youth Lab (WBYL) in cooperation with the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), brought together students from film and art academies across the Western Balkans Six for an intensive programme focused on professional development, cultural exchange and collaboration within the 32nd SFF. Twenty-five young filmmakers and artists from across the Western Balkans Six came together in Sarajevo for six days of learning, exchange and networking, connecting with some of the most renowned names in international cinema and exploring new opportunities for regional cooperation.
The six-day programme featured masterclasses with Academy Award-nominated actor Woody Harrelson, two-time Academy Award nominee Emily Watson, Academy Award-winning Polish director Paweł Pawlikowski, and two-time Academy Award-winning director Asghar Farhadi. Participants also took part in roundtables and case-study workshops with leading professionals from the cultural and creative sectors, as well as a high-level panel featuring Amer Kapetanović, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, and Luigi Soreca, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Young filmmakers and artists need more than opportunities to learn from established professionals. They also need spaces where they can meet their peers from across the region, exchange ideas and build relationships that can grow into future collaborations. By bringing them together to be a part of SFF programmes, one of the Europe’s most important film festivals, we are creating a space where learning, networking and regional cooperation happen at the same time,” said Ognjen Marković, Team Leader of the Western Balkans Youth Lab.
Beyond learning from leading international professionals, participants highlighted the opportunity to connect with peers from across the region as one of the most valuable aspects of the Conference. The programme also gave young filmmakers a platform to present their work, with their short films screened as part of a dedicated side event during the Sarajevo Film Festival.
“Opportunities like this are extremely important for young artists because they give us the chance to meet people who are at the same stage as us, who have different experiences. We got the opportunity to learn from each other, exchange ideas and, hopefully, continue working together in the future,” said Uma Zuban, a young filmmaker and student at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, whose film Can the Blind Believe in God? was screened at the Sarajevo Film Festival during the Student Forum.
The Conference demonstrated how culture can turn regional cooperation from an abstract concept into real connections between people. By bringing together young filmmakers and artists from across the Western Balkans, it created space not only for learning and professional development, but also for new friendships, creative partnerships and collaborations that can extend beyond the Conference and across borders.
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The Western Balkans Youth Lab 2 (WBYL2) is an EU-funded project implemented by the Regional Cooperation Council that promotes sustained and structured regional dialogue between young people and policy-makers.
The Regional Cooperation Council works to advance regional cooperation, connectivity and European integration across South East Europe, with a strong focus on creating opportunities for young people. Through initiatives such as the EU-funded Western Balkans Youth Lab, RCC supports youth participation, regional exchange and the development of skills and networks that can help young people play a more active role in shaping the region’s future.
The Sarajevo Film Festival is one of the Europe’s most established and internationally recognised film festivals, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals, emerging talent and audiences from across Europe and beyond. Alongside its film programme, the Festival has become an important platform for professional exchange, new voices and the development of the regional film sector.