AFRS ANNUAL ASSEMBLY HELD
AFRS 19 June 2026
The Annual Assembly of the Serbian Film Directors Guild (AFRS) was held on Friday, 19 June, at the Yugoslav Film Archive. This was an electoral assembly and all candidates were elected by secret ballot.
The Assembly adopted all proposed amendments to the AFRS Statute, the Membership Regulations, as well as the Guild's new logo. A total of 69% of AFRS full members participated in the vote, approving the Statute almost unanimously (98.5% in favour) and the Membership Regulations unanimously (100% in favour).
Photo: Todor Milivojević
The Assembly adopted all proposed amendments to the AFRS Statute, the Membership Regulations, as well as the Guild's new logo. A total of 69% of AFRS full members participated in the vote, approving the Statute almost unanimously (98.5% in favour) and the Membership Regulations unanimously (100% in favour).
AFRS AT FERA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AFRS 22 April 2026
The General Assembly of the Federation of European Screen Directors (FERA) was held in Brussels from 17 to 19 April 2026, bringing together around 40 film directors and representatives of directors' organisations from 22 European countries.
Representing AFRS were its President, Miloš Škundrić, and Supervisory Board member Marko Sopić.
Representing AFRS were its President, Miloš Škundrić, and Supervisory Board member Marko Sopić.
Photo: FERA AISBL
SERBIAN FILM ORGANISATIONS GATHERING AT FDU
AFRS 6 February 2026
A joint meeting of professional film organisations was held at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) cinema in response to the institutional crisis within the Serbian cinematography. More than 250 representatives of associations of film producers, directors, actors, cinematographers and documentarists, attended, taking part in the discussion.
1) The immediate cessation of violations of the laws of the Republic of Serbia, including the Law on Cinematography, the Law on Culture, the Budget Law, and all relevant regulations and rulebooks of the Film Center Serbia.
2) A transparent report on the implementation of the 2025 budgets of Film Center Serbia and the Ministry of Culture, including a clear explanation of what happened to the funds allocated for public calls, film production and festivals.
3) The immediate announcement of new public calls, as well as the adoption of the proposed Regulation addressing unfinished film projects and the reimbursement of funds, prepared jointly by the organisations over the past year.
4) An end to hate speech and the targeting of artists, alongside full transparency in the work of public institutions.
5) The implementation of European standards in every aspect of Serbian cinematography, including decision-making processes, public funding, selection procedures, and the treatment of artists and audiovisual professionals.
Photo: Đorđe Arambašić, SAS
1) The immediate cessation of violations of the laws of the Republic of Serbia, including the Law on Cinematography, the Law on Culture, the Budget Law, and all relevant regulations and rulebooks of the Film Center Serbia.
2) A transparent report on the implementation of the 2025 budgets of Film Center Serbia and the Ministry of Culture, including a clear explanation of what happened to the funds allocated for public calls, film production and festivals.
3) The immediate announcement of new public calls, as well as the adoption of the proposed Regulation addressing unfinished film projects and the reimbursement of funds, prepared jointly by the organisations over the past year.
4) An end to hate speech and the targeting of artists, alongside full transparency in the work of public institutions.
5) The implementation of European standards in every aspect of Serbian cinematography, including decision-making processes, public funding, selection procedures, and the treatment of artists and audiovisual professionals.
SUPPORT FOR PROF. GORAN MARKOVIĆ
AFRS 1 February 2026
The Serbian Film Directors Guild strongly condemns the statement issued by the leading Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which, in an offensive and deeply inappropriate manner—particularly unbecoming of the Deputy Prime Minister—aims at attacking and insulting our member, distinguished film director and professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Goran Marković.
Prounouncing political criticism for illness, and dissent as treason, is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes concerned not with the public interest but solely with maintaining power.
By attempting to silence every dissenting voice, government representatives seek to conceal their own political, legal and moral responsibility for the state of the country. Whenever those in power attack artists, it is never a sign of strength, but of fear and weakness.
Goran Marković is one of the most significant Serbian filmmakers of the 20th and 21st centuries, whose work forms a lasting part of this country's cultural identity. Those who have appropriated state institutions while believing themselves above the law are false patriots and represent the real threat to Serbian society.
Prounouncing political criticism for illness, and dissent as treason, is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes concerned not with the public interest but solely with maintaining power.
By attempting to silence every dissenting voice, government representatives seek to conceal their own political, legal and moral responsibility for the state of the country. Whenever those in power attack artists, it is never a sign of strength, but of fear and weakness.
Goran Marković is one of the most significant Serbian filmmakers of the 20th and 21st centuries, whose work forms a lasting part of this country's cultural identity. Those who have appropriated state institutions while believing themselves above the law are false patriots and represent the real threat to Serbian society.
SERBIAN FILM COMMUNITY CALLS FOR
THE RESIGNATION OF THE MINISTER OF CULTURE
THE RESIGNATION OF THE MINISTER OF CULTURE
AFRS 27 October 2025.
The entire Serbian film community – associations of film directors, producers, actors, cinematographers and documentary filmmakers – calls on Nikola Selaković, the current Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, to take responsibility and demands his immediate and irrevocable resignation.
Throughout 2025, under the leadership of Minister Nikola Selaković, the Ministry of Culture failed to provide even the minimum conditions necessary for the functioning of domestic film production, film festivals and film education and promotion programmes, by failing to implement the legally and contractually mandated co-financing of these activities.
The damage inflicted on Serbian cinematography, its international reputation, and the livelihoods of film professionals is immense and its full consequences will only become evident in the years to come.
Such conduct has rendered institutions such as Film Center Serbia and the Ministry of Culture itself effectively meaningless, while violating numerous laws of the Republic of Serbia, including the Constitution.
For these reasons, and before any further damage is done to Serbian film and culture, we demand the immediate and irrevocable resignation of Nikola Selaković as Minister of Culture, and call upon the Prime Minister to dismiss him without delay.
The full statement can be found here.
Throughout 2025, under the leadership of Minister Nikola Selaković, the Ministry of Culture failed to provide even the minimum conditions necessary for the functioning of domestic film production, film festivals and film education and promotion programmes, by failing to implement the legally and contractually mandated co-financing of these activities.
The damage inflicted on Serbian cinematography, its international reputation, and the livelihoods of film professionals is immense and its full consequences will only become evident in the years to come.
Such conduct has rendered institutions such as Film Center Serbia and the Ministry of Culture itself effectively meaningless, while violating numerous laws of the Republic of Serbia, including the Constitution.
For these reasons, and before any further damage is done to Serbian film and culture, we demand the immediate and irrevocable resignation of Nikola Selaković as Minister of Culture, and call upon the Prime Minister to dismiss him without delay.
The full statement can be found here.
THE STATEMENT REGARDING 'THE NATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL'
AFRS 15 August 2025.
The current situation facing Serbian cinematography is unprecedented in its history.
In a year in which public funding calls for culture have either not been launched or have been cancelled; in which the country's oldest and most important film festivals have not been held or face cancellation, while those that have taken place are struggling to survive; in a year in which the State has unlawfully failed to finance domestic film production despite its legal obligations—the National Film and Television Festival in Zlatibor has been launched.
The need for a general national film festival is not disputed. However, proclaiming the Zlatibor festival a "national" festival has not been based on any legitimate or transparent process.
The festival was established without consultation with the professional community, without inviting the participation or opinion of any representative film association in Serbia, and outside every accepted standard of professional communication.
At the same time, while the entire professional community was excluded from its establishment, almost all of the festival's governing bodies consist of close collaborators of its founder and members of his private production company. Combined with the fact that the festival is held in his hometown, it becomes evident that the festival primarily represents a political reward to its initiator.
At a time when political loyalty has become a decisive criterion for selecting projects for public funding and even Serbia's Academy Awards submission, while many of the country's leading filmmakers are effectively blacklisted, the establishment of a national festival through arbitrary procedures and outside all professional standards represents a deeply troubling attempt to privatise and instrumentalise culture for daily political purposes.
For these reasons, we call upon filmmakers, producers, actors, film professionals, critics, journalists and everyone engaged in culture to completely boycott this festival. We cannot accept the illusion of normality, nor should we legitimise an event that seeks to replace a system that has been deliberately dismantled.
This is not merely about one festival. It is about defending the integrity of Serbian cinematography as a whole.
In a year in which public funding calls for culture have either not been launched or have been cancelled; in which the country's oldest and most important film festivals have not been held or face cancellation, while those that have taken place are struggling to survive; in a year in which the State has unlawfully failed to finance domestic film production despite its legal obligations—the National Film and Television Festival in Zlatibor has been launched.
The need for a general national film festival is not disputed. However, proclaiming the Zlatibor festival a "national" festival has not been based on any legitimate or transparent process.
The festival was established without consultation with the professional community, without inviting the participation or opinion of any representative film association in Serbia, and outside every accepted standard of professional communication.
At the same time, while the entire professional community was excluded from its establishment, almost all of the festival's governing bodies consist of close collaborators of its founder and members of his private production company. Combined with the fact that the festival is held in his hometown, it becomes evident that the festival primarily represents a political reward to its initiator.
At a time when political loyalty has become a decisive criterion for selecting projects for public funding and even Serbia's Academy Awards submission, while many of the country's leading filmmakers are effectively blacklisted, the establishment of a national festival through arbitrary procedures and outside all professional standards represents a deeply troubling attempt to privatise and instrumentalise culture for daily political purposes.
For these reasons, we call upon filmmakers, producers, actors, film professionals, critics, journalists and everyone engaged in culture to completely boycott this festival. We cannot accept the illusion of normality, nor should we legitimise an event that seeks to replace a system that has been deliberately dismantled.
This is not merely about one festival. It is about defending the integrity of Serbian cinematography as a whole.
SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL THEATRE
AFRS 25 June 2025.
The Serbian Film Directors Guild expresses its full support for our fellow actors and all employees of the National Theatre in Belgrade who opposed the appointment of Dragoslav Bokan as President of the Theatre's Board of Directors.
We believe that leadership positions in cultural institutions should be entrusted to individuals of professional integrity, recognised artistic achievement and the confidence of the cultural community.
We stand in solidarity with our colleagues defending the dignity of their institution and call upon the competent authorities to reconsider this decision, while urging the artistic community and the wider public to raise their voices against the political instrumentalisation and degradation of culture.
We believe that leadership positions in cultural institutions should be entrusted to individuals of professional integrity, recognised artistic achievement and the confidence of the cultural community.
We stand in solidarity with our colleagues defending the dignity of their institution and call upon the competent authorities to reconsider this decision, while urging the artistic community and the wider public to raise their voices against the political instrumentalisation and degradation of culture.
AFRS ELECTORAL ASSEMBLY 2025
AFRS 17 June 2025.
The Electoral Assembly of the Serbian Film Directors Guild was held on Saturday, 14 June 2025, at the Yugoslav Film Archive.
Miloš Škundrić was elected President of AFRS. Ana Maria Rossi, Maša Nešković, Balša Đogo, Mladen Đorđević, Uroš Tomić and Ognjen Isailović were elected to the Executive Board, while Senka Domanović, Miloš Avramović and Marko Sopić were elected to the Supervisory Board.
Thirty-two AFRS members attended the Assembly in person, while an additional thirteen members delegated their voting rights to fellow members.
AFRS was also honoured to host the President and a member of the Executive Committee of FERA – the Federation of European Screen Directors – as well as two representatives of the Croatian Directors' Guild.
Miloš Škundrić was elected President of AFRS. Ana Maria Rossi, Maša Nešković, Balša Đogo, Mladen Đorđević, Uroš Tomić and Ognjen Isailović were elected to the Executive Board, while Senka Domanović, Miloš Avramović and Marko Sopić were elected to the Supervisory Board.
Thirty-two AFRS members attended the Assembly in person, while an additional thirteen members delegated their voting rights to fellow members.
AFRS was also honoured to host the President and a member of the Executive Committee of FERA – the Federation of European Screen Directors – as well as two representatives of the Croatian Directors' Guild.
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SERBIAN FILM DIRECTORS GUILD ESTABLISHED
Originally published on the website of Film Center Serbia, 22 March 2010.
The Serbian Film Directors Guild was founded on 19 March 2010 at the Balkan Cinema in Belgrade.
Sixty-one film directors attended the founding assembly, including Zdravko Šotra, Goran Paskaljević, Puriša Đorđević, Miroslav Lekić, as well as many young emerging filmmakers.
Emir Kusturica, Miša Radivojević, Goran Marković, Slobodan Šijan and many other leading figures of Serbian cinema, who were unable to attend, expressed their support through letters of endorsement.
In a lively yet constructive atmosphere, the Assembly elected Darko Bajić as the Association's first President and appointed the Executive Board consisting of Boban Skerlić, Zoran Popović, Oleg Novković, Srdan Golubović, Dejan Zečević and Vladimir Paskaljević. They unanimously agreed that the Association's primary goals would be to promote and protect the profession of film directing, secure authors' rights for film directors, and improve working conditions within the Serbian film industry.
The Serbian Film Directors Guild also announced its intention to actively participate in improving Serbia's Cinematography Law and to present its first concrete initiatives in the weeks that followed.
Sixty-one film directors attended the founding assembly, including Zdravko Šotra, Goran Paskaljević, Puriša Đorđević, Miroslav Lekić, as well as many young emerging filmmakers.
Emir Kusturica, Miša Radivojević, Goran Marković, Slobodan Šijan and many other leading figures of Serbian cinema, who were unable to attend, expressed their support through letters of endorsement.
In a lively yet constructive atmosphere, the Assembly elected Darko Bajić as the Association's first President and appointed the Executive Board consisting of Boban Skerlić, Zoran Popović, Oleg Novković, Srdan Golubović, Dejan Zečević and Vladimir Paskaljević. They unanimously agreed that the Association's primary goals would be to promote and protect the profession of film directing, secure authors' rights for film directors, and improve working conditions within the Serbian film industry.
The Serbian Film Directors Guild also announced its intention to actively participate in improving Serbia's Cinematography Law and to present its first concrete initiatives in the weeks that followed.
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