CineLink Industry Days Unveils Talents Innovation Forum to Power the Next Wave of Storytelling

Sarajevo Film Festival is introducing the Talents Innovation Forum, a three-day strand embedded in the CineLink Industry Days Training & Skills programme. Designed to give both emerging talent and seasoned professionals a clearer view of the accelerating overlap between cinema, animation, and videogame development, Talents Innovation Forum will explore in-game cinematic directing, largescale worldbuilding, IP adaptation, realtime virtual production, and AIdriven workflows. Sessions led by studios, artist collectives, and postproduction teams will demonstrate how cinematic language migrates into interactive environments and outline concrete models for cross disciplinary collaboration. By gathering these creators in one space, Talents Innovation Forum strengthens Sarajevo’s role as a regional nexus where screen based industries meet, exchange skills, and form forward-looking partnerships.

 

The Talents Innovation Forum will take place from 18–20 August, bringing together exceptional experts from the fields of gaming, animation, and film production and post-production for a dynamic lineup of talks, presentations, screenings, live performances and lectures.

 

As part of a broader exploration of AI’s implications for the audiovisual sector, the Talents Innovation Forum is complemented by two policy-focused CineLink Talks sessions on August 21, addressing the protection of creative rights in the context of artificial intelligence. “Standards with the Needs of Europe’s Neighbours” brings together representatives from SAA, EFAD, FERA, and EPC to examine how EU regulatory frameworks can be adapted for countries with weaker legal enforcement but strong cross-border production activity. “Creative Freedom at the Digital Frontier” explores how AI-assisted tools can be reconciled with moral rights, data transparency, and the principle of free circulation of works. Speakers include Matjaž Gruden (Council of Europe), Ada Solomon, Sevara Irgacheva, and Snežana van Houwelingen. 

 

 

 

Presented by: Redžinald Šimek and Bartol Freskura (TENSOR)

 

What happens when a seasoned film editor meets a technologist exploring the frontiers of AI video? Is there resistance? Maybe, but maybe not. This relaxed, on-stage conversation brings together two very different perspectives: one grounded in the time-honored craft of editing, the other shaped by innovation and code. Together, they will explore the balance between tradition and technology, and reflect on what is gained and what must be preserved as AI enters the editing room. Through recent examples, including the restoration of the Sarajevo Film Festival archives using the TensorPix platform, we will demonstrate how AI tools can support artistic vision, streamline workflows, and unlock new creative possibilities without compromising the essence of the original work.

 

 

Presented by: Enis Čišić and Aleksa Todorović (MADHEAD GAMES)

 

Join a CTO and a Cinematics Artist as they share how thoughtful workflows and creative storytelling bring game characters to life. From animation pipelines to cinematic scenes, including an exclusive look at the trailer for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, their newest project, they’ll walk through the real-world process of making great games and tell the story of how a small indie team grew into a studio now working on AAA titles and well-known IPs. Get an inside look at the technical and artistic choices that shaped their journey. 

 

 

Presented by: Leonhard Mullner and Robin Klengel (TOTAL REFUSAL) 

 

Los Santos, the digital world of popular action game Grand Theft Auto V, isn’t just inspired by Los Angeles in terms of its cityscape. Like its real world counterpart, it’s also one of the most popular film sets in history: No other game has hosted as many machinimas - films recorded in video games - and game art projects. Together with the audience, Total Refusal goes on an art walk - or rather drive - through the digital metropolis, touring the city spots which were used as film sets and performance locations. They shine a light on the practice of appropriating contemporary video games for artistic purposes and discuss the potential of art in deconstructing the mechanisms of hyperrealist media. Strap in for a turbulent crash-course in the art of counter-playing and misusing the violent world of shooter games! 

 

Total Refusal collective will also present three short films (How to Dissapear, Kinderfilm, World at Stake) as a Special Screening on August 18th at 19:00 in Cineplexx. 

 

 

Presented by: Melania Kulczycka, Marta Krzeptowska (OTO FAMILY) 

 

OTO Family lifts the curtain on a unified pipeline where virtual production stages, proprietary AI tools, and postproduction expertise converge to give emerging filmmakers bigger creative scope with smaller footprints. Through concrete examples, a carbon saving LED volume shoot by VuFinder Studios, an AI enhanced Škoda campaign deconstructed by Orka, and Taifun’s machine learning engine animating the new “Bolek i Lolek” feature, the session shows how targeted automation trims budgets and timelines without displacing artistic judgement. The session will also explore where their current constraints lie, and how lower carbon footprints can coexist with expansive creative ambition.

 

 

Presented by: Konstantīns Višņevskis, Mārtiņš Upītis 

 

With rapid advancement of technology was transforming moving image creation industries for a while. Today, the threshold of what is available has moved way beyond. The accessibility, compatibility, and scalability of modern digital tools now empower anyone with vision and dedication to test their skill in the world of filmmaking.

 

In the spotlight is Flow (2024), a breakout animated feature by Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis that exemplifies this new frontier. Created by a small, predominantly freelance team — many of whom were working on a feature for the first time — Flow was produced on a modest €3.5 million budget, yet has captured global attention, not just for its visual elegance, but for its bold production philosophy.

 

Two team members will share their journey with this unusually streamlined approach to filmmaking, reflecting on how Open Source tools and independent workflows allowed them to stay flexible, efficient, and true to goal production. 

 

August 20th, 18:00 – 19:00

Presented by: Matt Subieta 

 

Polish producer, director, and creative lead Matt Subieta takes us through his remarkable journey from AI sceptic to one of Poland’s leading voices in the integration of artificial intelligence across film, animation, and museum experiences. Drawing on real-world examples from his recent short films created for the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk, Subieta will explore the pressing economic challenges facing today’s film industry, and how filmmakers can navigate them through the ethical application of AI.