"Manaki Brothers – Next Generation"  

Dedicated to the cultural and audiovisual heritage of the Manaki Brothers, pioneers of Balkan cinema, the workshop gathered fifteen young film enthusiasts and students from North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Kosovo. With varying levels of previous experience, participants took part in a dynamic combination of short lectures and hands-on creative exercises, connecting early cinema traditions with contemporary visual storytelling.

The workshop was structured into two main segments: theory and practical work. In the first segment, participants were introduced to the origins of film history – from the Lumière brothers to the early works of the Manaki Brothers, who began filming in 1905, only a decade after the first film projections. Special attention was given to early cameras, including the iconic Camera 300, and to light as the fundamental element of cinematic creation. This introduction naturally led to the workshop’s central theme – light pollution, explored both as a serious ecological issue and as a powerful cinematic metaphor.

Participants learned about different types of light pollution, its impact on nature and human life, and its technical and aesthetic consequences for filmmakers. Screenings of the Manaki Brothers’ films were followed by discussions and a walking tour through Bitola, where some of their most important footage had been shot. Additional lectures, “How to Tell a Story” and “How to Tell a Story in Film,” introduced participants to narrative structure and visual language.

In the second segment, participants applied their knowledge in practice. Divided into two teams – The Manaki Sisters Team and The Despina Team – they developed short film concepts inspired by the Manaki Brothers’ archive, reimagined from a contemporary perspective and linked to the theme of light pollution.

The Manaki Sisters Team drew inspiration from a photograph of Janaki Manaki in prison, visited by his brother Milton.

The Despina Team reinterpreted Grandma Despina, the protagonist of the first Manaki film.

Both teams went through all stages of production – idea development, synopsis, scriptwriting, shooting, and editing – adopting the aesthetics of silent narrative film. Filming took place indoors and outdoors, during both day and night, enabling participants to experiment directly with light and its distortions.

The creative process culminated in the presentation of two short films, “Before and After the Light” and “Manaki Lights,” screened at Kino Manaki in front of the festival audience. The workshop was mentored by director Marija Džidževa and cinematographer Fejmi Daut, who guided participants through every stage of the process.

The initiative successfully connected young regional filmmakers with the historical roots of Balkan cinema, while encouraging them to address contemporary ecological and social issues through film.