Across the Lake is more than a film festival. It is a space for education, the development of new authors, and the creation of future film audiences. The unofficial program includes educational workshops, student projects, and special events dedicated to the future of cinema.

CHILDREN ON BOARD

Once again, we traditionally begin the festival with a selection of films for children and young audiences, accompanied by our “PlayLab” – a small but important workshop dedicated to film and media literacy.

Program Goals

• To introduce children to the world of cinema, creativity, and storytelling.
• To help them recognize true artistic and educational values.
• To nurture future generations of film audiences.

Through play and creativity, participants will have the opportunity to make their own short film and discover every stage of the filmmaking process: screenwriting, production, acting, cinematography, editing, music, and design.

Workshop Groups

• Group 1: Primary school students.
• Group 2: Secondary school students.

Film Sections

KIDANIMA

• Animated films dubbed into Macedonian.
• Designed for children aged 2–7.
• Entertaining, educational, and inspiring content.

TEEN-TEEN

• Feature films for young audiences.
• Targeted at teenagers aged 10–14.
• Carefully selected films from the Balkans and the Mediterranean.

Before each screening, special discussions will address topics relevant to children and young people. After the screenings, the Children's and Youth Jury will present awards to the best films.

NEW WAVES

“New Waves” is a workshop dedicated to the development and production of student and debut short fiction films.

Following the success of previous editions, the festival continues its mission of supporting emerging filmmakers, students, and recent graduates as they take their first professional steps in cinema.

Categories

• Debut Short Fiction Film.
• Graduate Short Fiction Film.

Participants will work alongside professors, screenwriters, directors, and producers who will help them transform their ideas into fully developed projects.

Winning projects will receive grants, filmmaking equipment, and production and post-production support to ensure professional realization.

THE BRAVE NEW WAVE

“The Brave New Wave” is a program dedicated to the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence and its application in the arts and film industry.

Organized in cooperation with the MEDIA Programme, Creative Europe, and Brainster Academy, the program will explore current experiences, practical applications, and future possibilities of AI in filmmaking.

Main Topics

• Artificial Intelligence in screenwriting and story development.
• Creativity and emerging technologies.
• The future of film professions.
• AI in film production and post-production.

The workshop will take place in Dojran and will feature engineers, creatives, and film professionals from North Macedonia and across the Balkans.