The most relevant actors from the region are gathering this year in Kranj for the ReActing program, which brings together agents, casting directors, and actors!
The third edition of the international Industry Networking program ReActing as a Star, dedicated to connecting actors from the region with European casting directors, film directors, and other audiovisual professionals, as well as increasing their mobility and representation in the European film industry, will be held from June 14 to 16 in Kranj, Slovenia, during the KRAFFT acting film festival. Under the motto 'Act locally, perform internationally!', this year's edition of the program will see 15 talented actors from the region engage in three days of activities designed to develop their skills, expand their industry knowledge, and create connections on both a regional and European level.
On this occasion, the director of the Slovenian Film Centre, Nataša Bučar, stated: "I am pleased that a project focused on networking and training film and AV actors has gained international recognition. The project we have built together with film centers in the region brings established actors to Slovenia every year, as well as those who have already made a name for themselves, such as this year's Zlatko Burić. This is also an important step towards the international affirmation of Slovenian actors, both those involved in the ReActing program and others. The project takes place alongside the KRAFFT festival, which has been organized by Slovenian actors in Kranj for the fourth consecutive year. In this way, the visibility of Slovenia, its film culture, and its actors is further enhanced."
ReActing as a Star is an initiative of the Slovenian Film Centre and the associations Pari Pikule and Secret Arts Cinema, who are the producers of the project, in collaboration with film funds and centers from Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro, as well as the educational program Training and Skills of the industrial section of the Sarajevo Film Festival - CineLink Industry Days, and the European Film Academy, the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA), the platform Filmmakers.eu, and the KRAFT Film Festival. Additionally, for the second consecutive year, the program carries the European Film Academy's Knowledge Sharing Label, which aims to support outstanding projects that connect individuals eager to share knowledge with those willing to listen and learn.
On the occasion of the third edition of the program, Tina Hajon, the author of the ReActing project and its program director, stated the following: "We are excited to host an excellent selection of versatile and successful actors and actresses from the region at the third edition of ReActing. As part of the program, they will work with top casting directors from Denmark, Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as directors from our region. Through a series of panels, masterclasses, and workshops, we aim to open up numerous new topics and collaborations that contribute to the further development of acting careers and successful future film projects. We are aware of the significance of such rare encounters with exceptional international experts, as it has been shown that they connect participants both personally and professionally even after the event itself, which is definitely an inspiration and motivation for every new edition of ReActing."
The selected regional actors and actresses who will participate in the program are Alenka Kraigher, Andrei Lenart, and Klara Kuk from Slovenia; Jelena Stupljanin, Mladen Sovilj, and Nikola Pavlović from Serbia; Jelena Simić and Milivoje Obradović from Montenegro; Antonio Scarpa, Ivana Roščić, Jona Zupković, and Rea Bušić from Croatia; Igor Skvarica and Nadine Mičić from Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Natalija Teodosieva from North Macedonia.
The third edition of ReActing as a Star begins on June 14 and will be inaugurated with a conversation with Aida Begić, a regional director who has achieved numerous international film successes. Her impressive resume includes four world premieres and two awards at the Cannes Film Festival, and all the feature films she has directed have been Bosnia and Herzegovina’s candidates for the Oscar. Joining the conversation, entitled Casting as a Basis for Film Creation, will be casting director Timka Grin, president of the International Casting Directors Association, who has collaborated with Aida on several successful film projects.
On Saturday, June 15, the ReActing platform will hold a presentation of the selected actors from the program, where the audience will have the opportunity to get acquainted with their work. Along with important ReActing guests, regional media representatives will also be in attendance at the presentation.
Later in the day, there will be a panel discussion titled Actors on the International Stage, where participants will have the opportunity to learn about the work of renowned casting directors from different parts of Europe. These include Timka Grin (Skyfall, Murina) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sam Jones (The English, Black Earth Rising) from the United Kingdom, Laura Muccino (My Brilliant Friend, Gomorrah) from Italy, and Anders Nygaard (The Bridge, Normal People) from Denmark. Joining the discussion will be Alice Walrafen, an agent from the French talent agency Adéquat, representing stars such as Marion Cotillard and Omar Sy.
In addition, under its motto ‘Play locally, act internationally!’, ReActing will host two masterclasses focusing on European actor mobility and cross-border, multilingual acting, featuring Jakob Cedergren, a Danish-Swedish acting star with significant roles in over 40 films and series, and Zlatko Burić, a Croatian actor based in Denmark who has collaborated with world-renowned directors such as Ruben Östlund, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Stephen Frears, and who was also the recipient of the European Film Academy Award for Best Actor in 2023.
On Sunday, June 16, the entire day will be dedicated to the ReActing workshop entitled Camera, Camera By the Wall, Who’s the Best for the Part of Them All?, which will showcase the collaboration between actors, directors, and casting directors. Two regional directors, Miroslav Sikavica and Maja Križnik, who are preparing their debut feature films, will work with internationally acclaimed casting directors. Together with the workshop participants, they will go through the developmental process from filming a self-tape to simulating live casting for upcoming films.
The successful previous editions of ReActing as a Star, the only industry program in the region focused on actors, included masterclasses and workshops by director Teona Strugar Mitevska, actors Branka Katić, Leon Lučev, and Jelena Graovac Lučev, Nathalie Chéron (casting director for films by Luc Besson), Yngvill Kolset Hage (casting director for The Worst Person in the World by Joachim Trier), and Cassandra Han (casting director for Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life and James Mangold's Ford v. Ferrari). Additionally, the event was also joined by directors Damjan Kozole, Srđan Golubović, and Dubravka Turić.
The international program ReActing as a Star was launched in 2022 as a networking event where international casting directors and agents have since been introduced to around forty actors from the region.
All downloadable press materials can be found at this link.