PriFest 18th edition

PriFest - Prishtina International Film Festiva happens lin the capital of the newest country in Europe, Kosovo, every year in September.PriFest is the biggest and most important film industry event in Kosovo. It emerged as a need to bring back and build the cinema culture which was lost during many years of repression and war. PriFest is an opportunity to young filmmakers from Kosovo to meet filmmakers and experts from the region and Europe that visit the festival and increase their chances to network and coproduce their films. PriFest film program offer the audience every year newest films from Balkan, Europe and the world, with addition special programs that promote human rights, tolerance and acceptance for marginalized groups of society. It is the only festival in the Balkan that has a special program of films with the LGBTQ theme, called LetItBe program, which has started in partnership with Outfest in Los Angeles and Queer and Migration Film Festival in Amsterdam. Besides films, the festival has a very good regional film industry development platform (PriFORUM - Prishtina Film Forum) that offers training, lectures, inspirational masterclasses from distinguished guests and other opportunities for filmmakers from Kosovo and the neighboring countries to benefit from. It is a great networking event for filmmakers from Kosovo, the region and Europe. PriForum brings distributors and sales companies that meet and explore film projects from the Balkan region, while Prishtina Kino Kabaret is dedicated to filmmakers from all over the world to come and spontaneously make short films in Prishtina during the festival. Producers, directors, film industry experts, casting directors and agents, filmmakers and actors have an opportunity to meet in a totally unconventional, friendly environment and network during the festival and forum days. Relaxed atmosphere and easy access to guests makes it a unique place to be for people that want to expand their network and show their films to some important key players in the film industry from Europe and region.

To date PriFest was visited by many acclaimed film professionals from all over the world, such as Paul Haggis (Oscar winner Canadian screenwriter and director), Vanessa Redgrave (Oscar winner British Actress) who is also the President of our Honorary Board of PriFest, Stephen Frears (British Director), Joshua Marston (American Director), Franco Nero (Italian Actor), Eva Orner (Australian producer), Gideon Burkhard (German actor), Samuel Maoz (Izraeli director), Danis Tanovic (Bosnian director), Velibor Topic (Bosnian actor), Jasmila Zbanic (Bosnian director), Mirjana Karanovic (Serbian actress), John Mathiesson (UK Cinematographer), Mike Downey (Chair of Board of European Film Academy) and other important guests. We like to think that PriFest is a true cultural diplomacy tool for a new country like Kosovo to present itself to the world in the best possible light.

Festival has annual program, which consist of PriDox - documentary films week, and PriGlobal - international independent feature film week. Last but not least, we are proud of our music side event called PriBeats, an electronic music series event with international and local DJs, also lot of after parties, great bands, great bars to hang out, and most importantly great food and lots of booze with very affordable prices. Kosovo and Prishtina is fun to visit because 65% of our population is under 25 years old! We can guarantee that hot summer nights should be spent here, and seaside (Albania) is just 3 hours drive from here :)

Due to passing of our festival director Vjosa Berisha, we have changed the slogan of the festival from Friendship. Forever to Vjosa. Forever. PriFest. From 14th edition, festival was dedicated To Her.