A round table on regional cinema was held few days ago in Herzeg Novi, Montenegro, in the frame of the 29th Herceg Novi - Montenegro Film Festival, taking place these days. 

The meeting called National film industries as a tool to know the neighbor, was organised by the Montenegrin Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Creative Europe office in Montenegro.

Participants in this round table, were Ilir Butka, Director of the Albanian Film Center, Arben Zharku, Director of Kosovo* Film Center, Darko Baseski, Director of the FYROM Film Agency, Una Domazetoski, representative of the Departement of International Cooperation and Promotion of the Serbian Film Center, Raffaella Delvecchio, representative of Apulia Film Commission and Ilija Subotic, consultant for Audiovisual Activities at the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro.

Main topic of this meeting was the strengthening of cooperations and co-productions, with the aim to breake through the international film market. Ilija Subotic informed the participants on the approval of the new Law for Cinema by the Montenegrin Parlament, which will be implemented according to the regional and European standarts. He stressed the fact that Montenegro sees filmmaking as one the most effective mechanisms public diplomacy uses.

Director of Kosovo* Film Center, Arben Zharku, talked about the need for the Balkans to apply the European filmmaking regulations in order to make easier the realisation of cooperations and co-productions.

The Balkan officcials also discussed on the creation of a common pavillion in Cannes Film Festival, covering not only their countries but also the wider region ones, making possible a proper presentation and promotion of the film projects and the locations these countries have to offer.