Balkan Film Festival in Pogradec/ Tradition, innovation and artificial intelligence in the 15th edition

2025-09-17 10:33:00, Kulturë CNA

Balkan Film Festival in Pogradec/ Tradition, innovation and artificial

The 15th edition of the Balkan Film and Culinary Festival has kicked off in the tourist town of Pogradec. This is one of the most enduring cultural events in the region, which for a decade and a half has brought together cinema, art, traditions and Balkan flavors, turning the lakeside city into a meeting point for artists, directors, producers and the general public.

Balkan Film Festival in Pogradec/ Tradition, innovation and artificial

Producer Gerta Qurku says that the festival has managed to maintain freshness and interest, thanks to the newest films that come from the Balkan countries every year. This edition features numerous productions with short, feature films, but also documentaries, which have become increasingly present in the program.

" This year we are in our 15th year. We are very happy to be in this edition and like every year we have the newest productions from the Balkan countries that are present with short, feature films and documentaries ," said producer Qurku.

Organizer and director Eno Milkani says that this year, documentaries have stood out more than ever. According to him, this genre is gaining ground because it is easier to produce, requires less funding, and the topics it addresses are often closer to the public. This makes the festival even more diverse, bringing new perspectives on the Balkan reality.

"When it comes to selecting films, this year there has been a better flow of documentaries. Documentaries have apparently become very trendy due to the fact that they are easier to make than feature films, require less money to produce, and the topics they propose are very interesting, " said organizer and director Eno Milkani.

Balkan Film Festival in Pogradec/ Tradition, innovation and artificial

But the most special innovation of this edition is related to technology. For the first time, the festival has reserved a full day for artificial intelligence. Through a special seminar, it will be discussed how AI has begun to influence the film industry and what opportunities it offers for directors and producers of the future. Tomorrow's evening will also bring a musical performance, where traditional Balkan rhythms will be combined with experiments created by artificial intelligence, creating an unusual mix between Balkan Rock, Balkan Jazz and modern sounds.

"The newest one, which is also global, is related to artificial intelligence. Tomorrow is almost dedicated to AI, as it has begun to intervene in cinema, and for this we will have a seminar, to see a new form of involving artificial intelligence in filmmaking. At dinner we will have an hour of music with Balkan rhythms combined by AI with different genres, such as Balkan Rock, Balkan Jazz."

However, the festival does not forget its heritage either. The organizers have also thought about the public that appreciates the cinema of the past. The program also includes an old restored Albanian film, giving another dimension to the activity and reminding the public of the roots of our cinematography.

" However, this does not mean giving up on the past. We will present the old Albanian film restored, so there will be things for all people's desires, for those in Pogradec, for those who will join us from the Balkans and for those who will come from Tirana."

Balkan Film Festival in Pogradec/ Tradition, innovation and artificial

In addition to cinema, music also gives life to the festival. The opening ceremony was accompanied by a performance by singer Niki Zaimi. For him, this is one of the most beautiful experiences of the season, because Pogradec makes him feel at home. Zaimi, known for rock music, this time brought Albanian sounds intertwined with his style, considering the concert as a way to get closer to the festival audience. He also confessed that one of his passions is film music and that he sees this collaboration as a natural connection between the art of sound and that of cinema.

"It is the greatest honor for me to be part of the opening ceremony of the Balkan Film Festival. It is a pleasure to play in Pogradec because we always feel at home and I believe it is a good end to the summer season for us. We usually play rock but seeing the audience and their love, we will try to play as much Albanian music as possible, of course without leaving rock. One of my passions is film music, where I started to learn production. One of the first topics I learned was how to create film music, and having such a connection, I feel like I am inside the film and for me it is fun."

For several days, the city of Pogradec will remain in the center of cultural attention, where visitors will have the opportunity to attend film screenings, participate in seminars, taste Balkan cuisine and experience the festive atmosphere of music. The Balkan Film and Culinary Festival has thus become a tradition that not only promotes art and culture, but also strengthens the role of Pogradec as a significant cultural tourist destination on the Balkan map./ CNA