09/03/2026 - The co-founder and managing director discusses the concept behind the event’s 13th edition, its focus on filmmakers and craft, and how the forum connects film students with industry professionals

Ahead of the 13th edition of the Visegrad Film Forum (see the news), set to take place in Bratislava from 11-14 March, Cineuropa spoke with the event’s co-founder and producer Jakub Viktorín about the forum’s evolving role as a meeting point between emerging filmmakers, film students and established international professionals. Viktorín reflects on the forum’s mission, its informal yet internationally orientated environment for young filmmakers, and how the programme balances established industry voices with emerging talent.

Cineuropa: Could you summarise what is being prepared for this year’s edition of the Visegrad Film Forum?
Jakub Viktorín: This year marks the 13th edition of the Visegrad Film Forum, and in many ways, we are continuing with a format that has proven successful over the years. Each edition motivates us to prepare the next one, and since the concept resonates with both audiences and guests, we maintain the core structure while refining the programme.

The key difference between our event and a typical film festival is that filmmakers themselves are the main focus. At most festivals, films are the primary attraction, and filmmakers are an added value; at the Visegrad Film Forum, it’s the opposite, as the guests and their creative processes are at the centre, while the films serve mainly as illustrations of their work.

Visitors can expect lectures and master classes by international film professionals representing different areas of filmmaking. We do not focus solely on directors, but also invite specialists such as production designers, visual-effects artists and sound professionals, offering audiences a broader perspective on the filmmaking process.

Another important part of the programme is our collaboration with European film schools. This year, we will welcome students and faculty members from FAMU in Prague, the Budapest Film School, the Łódź Film School, the University of Television and Film Munich, and the Georgian National Film School in Tbilisi. They will present student films followed by discussions about filmmaking practice and education.

Among the highlights is the visit of Oscar-winning sound designer Chris Munro, who received one of his Academy Awards for Black Hawk Down. We will screen the movie, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of its release, and Munro will discuss his professional approach to sound design. The film was notable for its pioneering use of multi-channel sound recording, making his session a chance to explore both the technological and the creative aspects of sound in large-scale productions.

We are also organising a workshop called the Peer-to-Peer Film Criticism Workshop, in collaboration with the Ljubljana Film School, aimed at critics, journalists and anyone interested in writing about cinema. Over three days, participants will reflect on films screened at the forum and discuss different approaches to film criticism with a lecturer from the University of Ljubljana.

Have you observed any tangible impact of the forum on the students who attend?
Since the forum is not structured as a project-based workshop, we do not track outcomes in a formal way. We cannot claim that someone attends the forum and then immediately reaches a specific career milestone. However, the connections created during the event sometimes lead to opportunities. Some students have gone on to study abroad after meeting people here, while others have secured internships through contacts with international professionals.

In today’s European film industry, projects are often realised as international co-productions, so it is important for young filmmakers to learn how to navigate that environment. The forum offers a first encounter with an international professional context, but in an informal and accessible setting. This atmosphere is intentional. When young filmmakers later attend major festivals such as Berlin or Venice, they often find themselves in a far more competitive environment where networking can be overwhelming. Our aim is to create a space where they can experience international exchange without that pressure.

How do you shape the programme and select your guests each year?
The programme develops in two main ways. On the one hand, we invite established filmmakers with whom we have been in contact for a long time. Coordinating schedules with active professionals can sometimes take several years.

At the same time, we try to reflect emerging voices in cinema. This year, for instance, we invited Andrius Blaževičius, whose film How to Divorce During the War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrius Blaževičius
film profile] was selected for Sundance and went on to win an award there. We managed to organise a special preview screening at the forum, which will be one of the film’s first screenings after Sundance.

For him, the forum also offers an opportunity to present the movie to new audiences, as the screening is organised in cooperation with Febiofest (see the news). At the same time, because he is still at an early point in his career, he may feel closer to young filmmakers attending the forum than to some of our more established guests.

The programme also includes professionals from different filmmaking departments. Is that intentional?
Yes, absolutely. Cinema is fundamentally a collaborative art form, so we want audiences to understand how different creative roles contribute to the final result. For example, this year we are hosting production designer Uli Hanisch, known for projects such as Babylon Berlin, The Queen’s Gambit and Cloud Atlas [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile]. He will discuss how production design helps shape cinematic worlds and how his department collaborates with the rest of the creative team.

Are you planning any structural changes to the forum in the future?
At the moment, we are not planning any major changes. The format works well, so we prefer to refine it, rather than transform it. There is some natural variation each year, particularly regarding participating film schools. Within the Visegrad region, we maintain a core presence from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, while other schools rotate.

One constant partner is the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (VŠMU), which co-organises the event. The forum takes place on its campus, and the school provides essential technical and organisational support. Students can attend the programme and engage directly with international guests, which remains one of the forum’s key benefits.