What is HER FRAME project?
The Her Frame project is an initiative that aims to address gender inequalities in the media arts and film sector in the Western Balkans, with a special focus on Serbia and North Macedonia, specifically the two UNESCO Creative Cities Novi Sad (media art) and Bitola (film). The project is designed as a comprehensive program that will empower young talented women to pursue careers in the creative industries and advocate for gender mainstreaming in media arts and filmmaking.
Gender inequalities have been identified at all levels of the audiovisual industry, whether it’s wages, barriers to personal advancement, (sexual) harassment, lack of content written by women or something else. One of the biggest obstacles to gender equality in the audiovisual sector is the lack of women in decision-making positions. In the creative industry, women are often underrepresented or treated and promoted in ways that are contrary to respect and dignity. The media arts and film industries in the Western Balkans face significant gender gaps, which limit women’s participation and advancement. Despite the region’s rich cultural history and talent, women in these fields face systemic barriers, including gender bias, lack of access to funding and mentorship, and limited representation in leadership roles. These issues hinder the development of a dynamic, inclusive and equitable creative industry.
This program is intended for new and young female artists, filmmakers from the Western Balkans who want to improve their knowledge and skills, with the support of eminent experts from the world of film, through online workshops and an intensive mentoring program.
The Her Frame project is supported by the British Council as a part of the “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs) project, which is funded by the European Union and aims to foster dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. Novi Sad Film Festival and the Manaki Brothers Film Festival are jointly implementing Her Frame project, organised by the Cultural Centre of Novi Sad.
Who can apply?
We are looking for interested women from the Western Balkans preferably aged 18 – 35 who are in their early career stages, as well as students and women who have recently graduated from faculties preferably in the field of film. It is desirable that the participants have a film project in preparation. It is possible to apply also with a completely new project.
Criteria for selection
How to apply?
The call is open until 09.06.2025. To apply, you need to fill out the form here.
Only selected participants will be contacted via email till 15th June.
The results will be published on 16th June.
What do the participants get?
Sign-up Link
5 online workshops – from 20/08/2025 to 15/09/2025
4 online workshops with experts from the world of film on the following topics:
Screenwriting for animated movie – Sanja Poštić (Serbia)
Directing – Dina Duma (MKD)
Cinematography – Bojana Andrić (SRB, USA)
Distribution – Dragana Tešić (Serbia)
1 joint online workshop with all mentors to prepare the project for pitch and define all the obstacles that women face in the world of cinema
2 conferences 19/09/2025 (Novi Sad) & date to be announced (Bitola)
Access to a major conference on the position of women in the world of film during the Novi Sad Film Festival (SRB) and Manaki brothers film festival (NDR Macedonia)
Each workshop lasts for 2 hours
3 masterclass programs – 17/09/2025 – 30/09/2025
1st Masterclass program – During this masterclass, all participants present their projects in duration of 5-7 minutes (so-called pitching)
2nd Masterclass program – During this Masterclass, the mentors, together with the organizers of the festival, select 4 participants who will enter the mentoring program
3rd Masterclass program – During this masterclass, 4 finalists work with 4 mentors on the project and prepare it for the final phase of the showcase
Mentorship program – 1/10/2025 – 5/12/2025
Online work 1:1 mentor and participant and preparation of the projects for showcase
Showcase – 10/12/2025
Presentation of the most successful projects
Working language of the complete program is: English language
How long does the project last?
With the application phase, projects last 8 months. In December, the last phase is the showcase event in Novi Sad, where the most successful projects will be shown.
Contact information
For any additional information and/or clarification reach out to marketing@nsff.rs.
