Following its screenings at the Sarajevo Film Festival and the Picentia Film Festival in Italy, “MELTING TOGETHER,” a film developed through the Green Residency programme in Srebrenica and Bratunac, directed by Ilma Kalač and mentored by Boris Gavrilović, will be screened this weekend at the Drugarice Film Festival in Podgorica, Montenegro.
The upcoming screening marks another international festival appearance for the film, which emerged from a creative process connecting young people from Srebrenica and Bratunac through filmmaking, artistic collaboration, and shared storytelling.
For director Ilma Kalač, the film’s journey has exceeded her initial expectations. What began in Srebrenica and Bratunac as an opportunity to explore filmmaking and connect with other young creatives has since taken her to Sarajevo, Italy, and now Podgorica, a city with special significance in her personal and artistic development.
“Everything started in Srebrenica, where we all had big dreams of making films and connecting with other artists and people from Srebrenica and Bratunac. But none of us, including myself, ever imagined that we would make it to the Sarajevo Film Festival,” Kalač recalls.
After the Sarajevo screening, she believed her festival journey for the year had come to an end. However, another opportunity soon followed, taking her to Italy for the Picentia Film Festival, before the announcement of a further screening in Montenegro.
“To be honest, I thought Sarajevo would be the last festival I would attend this year. But the following month, I was in Italy at another film festival with my colleagues, and just a few weeks later, I am heading to the Drugarice Film Festival in Podgorica, the city where my love for film first began,” she explains.
The return to Podgorica carries particular emotional significance for the young filmmaker, connecting her early aspirations with the international opportunities she is now experiencing.
“Honestly, it still feels like a dream, one I had when I first started my studies. But this journey is also proof that there are always people willing to help turn your dreams into reality. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who believed in me and supported me along the way.”
The continued festival presence of “MELTING TOGETHER” also highlights the role of the Green Residency programme in Srebrenica and Bratunac in creating opportunities for emerging filmmakers, providing a space for artistic experimentation, mentorship, and collaboration.
Developed under the mentorship of Boris Gavrilović, the film continues to reach audiences beyond its original setting, demonstrating how creative initiatives rooted in communities such as Srebrenica and Bratunac can open doors to wider international cultural exchange.
With its upcoming screening at the Drugarice Film Festival, “MELTING TOGETHER” adds another chapter to its festival journey, bringing a project rooted in Srebrenica and Bratunac to audiences across the region and beyond.
