Young volunteers enjoy 1st work experience at Al Jazeera Balkans film festival

By Alma Djzekovic and Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – The five-day Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival has become an opportunity for young volunteers to gain their first work experience in the film industry.

The festival began in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo last Friday, enabling young volunteers to take part in such tasks as teamwork and taking responsibility, as well as meeting documentary producers and actors.

The festival also offered high school and university students chance to expand their social circles by making new friends during the event.

Zijo Vladavic, one of the young volunteers at the festival, told Anadolu that he gained wonderful experiences with great people.

“The goal is to represent both ourselves and the festival in the best way, and to show the foreigners who visit here that Sarajevo is a lovely city,” said the 19-year-old.

Vladavic also said that he will not forget the experience he gained at the festival.

Nadja Halitovic, 17, said that she learned a lot and gained work experience for the first time during the festival.

“I will definitely apply next year,” said Halitovic.

“As young people, we should know how to communicate. Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival is one of the important festivals here and people come from many countries across the world. Therefore, we are in constant communication,” said Halitovic.

The five-day festival, which ends on Tuesday, presented 24 documentaries from different parts of the world and regional countries to cinema enthusiasts.

Among the festival's jury members were Russian director Vitali Manski, Hungarian director Bernadett Tuza-Ritter, Bosnian director Nermin Hamzagic, Croatian producer Vanja Jambrovic, and producer Mohamed Elmongy.

The competition section of the festival had three awards: the Main Award, the Program Award, and the Audience Award.

The festival aims to promote writers and documentaries dealing with social issues by focusing on universal human values.