The two-month Small Film School concluded this evening with a diploma award ceremony for 18 elementary school students, as part of the broader project “Youth for Youth!“, implemented by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica through the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program.
As part of this programme, the young participants had 13 workshops with mentorship, providing them with a unique opportunity to learn about film art from the new generation of Montenegrin directors – Andro Martinović, Biljana Vušović, and Sara Stijović.
The Small Film School offered participants a wide range of knowledge and skills, combining both theoretical and practical aspects of film production. During the workshops, they learned about various facets of filmmaking, with a focus on script development and filming, and some even turned their well-developed ideas into short films.
Beyond basic film education, a key aspect of the Small Film School was teaching about human rights and tolerance. The films they created addressed important social issues, aiming to show young people the power of art, particularly film, as a means for promoting positive social change.
“I am very pleased I had the opportunity to work with such a talented group of young film enthusiasts,” said Sara Stijović, director and mentor at the workshops.
Petra Vujisić, one of the programme participants, was also full of impressions. “The Small Film School was fantastic for me. I enjoyed expressing my creativity, socializing, and meeting new people. I also learned a lot about human rights and film,” she said.
Diplomas for successful completion of the Small Film School were awarded to: Iva Bulatović, Petar Begović, Mateja Krunić, Marija Anđelić, Sara Gardašević, Bogdan Begović, Stevan Tadić, Marija Zueva, Jana Jovićević, Mia Vasiljević, Dunja Rakočević, Maris Arabelović, Hana Imširović, Đorđe Šćepanović, Petra Vujisić, Teodora Brajović, Emanuela Džabić, and Emina Suljević.
Valentina Ostojić, Programme Associate