The growing presence of international productions in the Balkans continues to reshape the local casting landscape, creating new expectations, new opportunities, and a stronger need for direct collaboration between actors and global industry professionals.
Recognising the importance of these connections, Slavic Artists Management recently organised its first international casting workshop in Belgrade with Danish casting director Djamila Hansen, whose credits include “The Last Viking“, “Queen of Hearts“, and “A Copenhagen Love Story“, as well as the series “Other People’s Money“. Her most recent Danish film “Home“ involved Serbian cast and was directed by Marijana Janković.
In conversation with the Slavic Artists team, we discussed the motivation behind the initiative, the value of working directly with casting directors, and the role such programs can play in strengthening the international visibility of actors from the region.
What motivated you to organize this workshop, what did you learn from the process, and how will it influence your future initiatives?
We organized this workshop because we felt there is a strong need to create more direct connections between regional actors and international industry professionals. Actors from Serbia and the Balkan region have incredible potential, but they rarely get the opportunity to work closely with casting directors who are actively involved in international productions. Our goal was to create a space for practical learning, honest feedback and genuine industry exchange.
Through this process, we learned how valuable intimate and focused workshops like this can be, both for actors and for international guests themselves. The response from participants showed us that actors are eager for guidance that is concrete, current and internationally relevant.
It also confirmed that the Balkan region has an exceptionally high level of talent and professionalism. This experience encouraged us to continue building educational and networking platforms that connect our clients with the global industry in a meaningful and lasting way.
How would you describe your collaboration with Djamila Hansen during the preparation of the workshop?
Collaborating with Djamila Hansen was extremely inspiring and professional from the very beginning. She approached the workshop with genuine openness and a strong desire to understand the regional industry and its actors. Since this was the first workshop she conducted entirely in English, it was especially important for all of us to create an environment where communication felt natural, supportive and open.
What stood out the most was her dedication to giving participants honest and constructive insight into the international casting process. She took the time to speak individually with every participant at the end of the workshop, offering valuable and highly specific feedback on their performances, as well as on what could be improved in their approach to acting in English. She was deeply engaged throughout the entire four-day workshop, creating an atmosphere where actors felt comfortable asking questions, stepping out of their comfort zones, and presenting themselves authentically.
Although actors are often expected to transform their physical appearance for different roles, it was especially interesting – and quite fun – that we experienced a real example of that during the workshop itself. One actor decided to cut off his long hair during the workshop after being inspired by Djamila’s encouragement to be bold, take risks, and embrace change as an important part of an actor’s growth.
What are the key differences between the local and international casting markets? Where do you see the greatest surprise when it comes to actors from the region?
As agents, we intentionally chose not to be present in the room while Djamila was working on scenes with the actors because we wanted our clients to feel completely free and relaxed, without the pressure of having agents observing the process. However, through conversations with both the participants and Djamila afterward, we realized that one of the main differences between local and international markets lies in the scale and structure of the industry.
International casting processes are often much faster, highly organized, and strongly connected to agencies, self-tape systems, and international casting databases. Actors are expected to adapt quickly, communicate professionally, and understand the specific demands of different markets and productions.
In the local market, there is still a stronger reliance on personal networks and a smaller production ecosystem, although this has been evolving rapidly in recent years. What often surprises international casting directors is the authenticity and versatility of actors from the region. Balkan actors bring a very specific intensity and honesty to their performances, and many of them are capable of working across different languages. There is a strong artistic tradition here that international professionals increasingly recognize and appreciate.
How are you currently working on the international promotion of talent from Serbia and the region? What future events like this contribute to that strategy?
At Slavic Artists Management, we are continuously working on building relationships with international casting directors, directors, producers and production houses. This includes promoting our clients through newsletters, social media, international festivals, industry networking events, and direct communication with industry professionals across Europe and beyond. We are also focused on helping actors prepare materials that meet international standards, including self-tapes and casting materials, showreels and professional positioning.
Events like this workshop are extremely important because they create direct visibility and trust. They allow international professionals to meet actors personally and experience firsthand the quality of talent coming from this region. We see these initiatives as part of a long-term strategy to position Serbia and the Balkans as an important creative hub within the international audiovisual industry.
How would you like to approach and connect with casting directors in the future?
We want to continue building relationships through genuine collaboration, consistency and mutual trust. Instead of reaching out to casting directors only when there is a specific casting opportunity, we believe it is important to create ongoing dialogue and professional exchange. Workshops, masterclasses, festival meetings, and co-production events are excellent ways to establish those connections naturally.
Our intention is to create more opportunities where casting directors and other international industry professionals can directly experience the talent and professionalism of actors from the region. We believe that long-term partnerships are built through shared experiences and open communication, and we hope to continue developing platforms that bring international industry professionals closer to the Balkan market.