STORYLENS - Documentary Film Production School: Empowering Young Talents in Rural Areas

Novi Sad, Serbia – The Creative Industries Cluster of Vojvodina from Novi Sad, an organization dedicated to developing creative entrepreneurs and talents, implemented the STORYLENS project in cooperation with the „Čirikli” association from Bački Petrovac. This initiative aims to involve young people in creating media content about the cultural and social challenges faced by national minorities in rural areas. At the heart of this project was the Documentary Film Production School, held in Maglić and Bački Petrovac.

The goal of the STORYLENS project is to empower talented individuals and media activists from minority groups in rural areas, enabling them to acquire the knowledge and skills for creating documentary media content on socio-cultural topics. This is precisely where the Documentary Film Production School played a crucial role. Through a series of educational workshops, hands-on training, and public debates, participants, under professional mentorship, built the necessary skills to produce high-quality documentary content that raises awareness and promotes a better understanding of these issues.

The School provided comprehensive training that included theoretical and practical segments, as well as workshops dedicated to project writing, marketing and communications, and the distribution of audiovisual content. Participants had the opportunity to shoot films based on their own scripts, take on leading roles, and address various topics important to them. The result of this hard work is inspiring audiovisual works that were shown at a solemn premiere and certificate ceremony held at the Municipality of Bački Petrovac, as part of the celebration of World Roma Day on April 8. You can view these school documentaries at: https://www.kvik.rs/storylens/radovi-polaznika-skole-dokumentarnog-filma.

„The greatest success of the Documentary Film Production School lies in empowering young people to tell their own stories and to spark dialogue through film about topics that intrigue them,” stated Ružica Kovačević, journalist and mentor. She added that participants were given the tools and knowledge, and they reciprocated with incredible creativity and authentic content.

Tatjana Kalezić, the Cluster Manager, highlighted: „What particularly gladdens us is that after the project's completion, participants expressed a desire to pursue professional careers in the audiovisual industry, seeking recommendations for enrolling in acting school in Novi Sad and for enrolling in production colleges in Italy.”

One of the participants, Uroš Stanisavljević, described his experience: „The Documentary Film Production School enabled me to learn everything from scriptwriting to shooting and editing. With this experience, I've decided to pursue further knowledge and build my career in the AV industry.”

„This project is of immense importance for the youth in our multicultural environment,”, stated Danijela Bogdanović, President of the local partner organization Čirikli and Coordinator of the Office for Roma Issues in the Municipality of Bački Petrovac. „The Documentary Film School offered young people from diverse backgrounds a unique opportunity to express themselves, develop valuable skills, and contribute to better mutual understanding through the powerful medium of film, and it truly empowered the youth in our community.”