25/02/2026 - The 13th edition of the Central European event will become a meeting place for filmmakers behind iconic Hollywood productions as well as current film festival hits

From March 11 to 14, Bratislava's Visegrad Film Forum will become a meeting place for filmmakers behind iconic Hollywood productions as well as current film festival hits. The event has already announced a first batch of international artists (Uli Hanisch, Alexander Nanau and György Pálfi – read news) and will welcome some more.

Two-time Academy Award winner Chris Munro, the British production sound mixer behind some of the most significant films of the past decades by directors such as Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott and Alfonso Cuarón, will attend the forum. His name is associated with titles such as Black Hawk Down (2001), Gravity [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile] (2013), Casino Royale [+see also:
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film profile] (2006), and multiple films from the Mission: Impossible series. After a career spanning more than fifty years, Munro ranks among the world’s leading professionals in his field, and his participation will shed light on the creative process behind immersive cinematic sound.

The forum will also welcome renowned special effects artist Shane Mahan. His work can be seen in globally acclaimed titles such as the Terminator, Predator, and Iron Man franchises, as well as Guillermo del Toro's Academy Award-winning film The Shape of Water (2017). Mahan has long specialized in practical effects and the creation of iconic film characters that have become embedded in popular culture. His presence will offer a unique insight into the intersection of craftsmanship, technology, and creativity in building cinematic worlds.

Among the guests will also be Lithuanian director and screenwriter Andrius Blaževičius, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Lithuanian cinema. Following the success of The Saint [+see also:
film review
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interview: Andrius Blazevicius
film profile] (2016) and Runner [+see also:
film review
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interview: Andrius Blaževičius
film profile] (2021), he gained further acclaim with his latest film How to Divorce During the War [+see also:
film review
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interview: Andrius Blaževičius
film profile] (2026), an intimate drama set in Vilnius during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The film premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where Blaževičius received the Directing Award, confirming his growing international recognition.

Lastly, the forum's traditional presentation of international film schools, accompanied by screenings attended in person by the students, will feature post-screening discussions which will offer space not only to reflect on the films themselves, but also on the production conditions and educational systems of the participating institutions. This year’s schools include: Academy of Performing Arts, Film and TV Faculty in Bratislava (Slovakia), The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (Czech Republic), Lodz Film School (Poland), Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film State University (Georgia), The University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest (Hungary), University of Television and Film Munich (Germany).