We are proud of five years of work of the Audio-Visual Center of Republika Srpska, and one of the biggest challenges in establishing the institution was the adoption of the Law on Audio-Visual Activities, passed by the National Assembly in 2022, said Anja Ilić, Director of the Center.
“Without that law, we simply would not have been able to operate at full capacity or carry out our core activity—issuing public calls and supporting audio-visual production,” Ilić stated.
She noted that the law clearly defined the field and the financing model for film and audio-visual creation in Republika Srpska.
“That was the first foundation for placing the institution on solid ground. Another key step was establishing a system for evaluating projects within the Center that would yield quality results—bringing closer the connection between documentation, project proposals submitted to calls, and what audiences ultimately see, as well as the final outcomes of the films,” she explained.
Ilić announced that five films will be broadcast on RTRS.
“These films were completed over the past year, but their development began much earlier, dating back to the Center’s establishment when we launched the first calls for documentary film development,” she said.
She added that the Center has supported a large number of projects.
“We are proud of what we have achieved so far. Since the end of 2022, when we began operating at full capacity, we have issued more than 76 public calls, with over 400 projects submitted. Around 200 have been supported, with the largest share going to script development, but also to documentary, animated, and feature film development, as well as production, minority co-productions, and the organization of film festivals. We have also conducted more than 20 workshops in Banja Luka—educational programs for professionals and film workers,” Ilić said.
She reminded that two books on screenwriting were published in cooperation with the Film Center of Serbia.
“A large number of young filmmakers and professionals have also gone on to the international stage, gaining knowledge and training worldwide in various fields,” she added, emphasizing that the establishment of the Center represents a turning point for film production in Republika Srpska.
“The fact that over 400 projects responded to our calls shows just how important the creation of this institution was and how great the need is for this type of support,” Ilić concluded.
Source: RTRS
