ReActing+ Regional Acting Workshop Brings Together 10 Acting Talents from Southeast Europe in Herceg Novi
ReActing+ Regional Acting Workshop is a new two-day module of the ReActing as a Star program, taking place in Herceg Novi on 27 and 28 August as part of Montenegro Film Rendezvous, the industry programme of the 39th Herceg Novi Film Festival.
Under the motto “Play Locally, Act Internationally”, ReActing+ continues the successful programme for actors from Southeast Europe, focusing on their professional development, international visibility, and connection with the film industry beyond the region.
This edition brings together ten selected actors and actresses: Ismail Shino (Albania), Admir Šehović (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Danica Rajković (Montenegro), Jelena V. Đukić (Montenegro), Lazar Đurđević (Montenegro), Milica Šćepanović (Montenegro), Miloš Pejović (Montenegro), Fatlume Bunjaku (Kosovo), Tamara Ristoska (North Macedonia), and Teodora Dragićević (Serbia).
ReActing+ is bringing some of the leading names in the international casting industry to Montenegro for the first time: British casting directors Claudia Blunt and Laura Windows, renowned Italian casting director Maurilio Mangano, and Slovenian actor Sebastian Cavazza.
The programme opens with the presentation “Play Locally, Act Internationally: A Guide for Actors on the Global Stage”, led by British casting director Claudia Blunt, who was nominated for a British Independent Film Award (BIFA) for casting the film Bonus Track, which was presented as part of the Cannes Great8 showcase. The presentation will offer a broader perspective on the current international acting industry, alongside practical tools and guidance for actors seeking to position themselves in an increasingly globalised market.
This will be followed by “The Empty Frame”, a workshop led by Italian casting director Maurilio Mangano, recipient of the prestigious David di Donatello Award for Best Casting for the acclaimed film Vermiglio. He has also maintained a long-standing collaboration with director Marco Bellocchio on projects including The Traitor, Kidnapped, and the television series Portobello. The workshop will explore micro-techniques for developing stage presence in an empty space. Through small physical and perceptual tools, participants will investigate how to transform emptiness into a world, without relying on psychology or predetermined narrative.
Slovenian actor Sebastian Cavazza, who has performed in more than 80 film, television, and theatre productions, including Men Don’t Cry, A.I. Rising, and Besa, will lead a workshop focused on improvisation within given circumstances. Through practical exercises, participants will explore reaction, presence, and credibility within a specific scene.
ReActing+ concludes with the “In-Person Audition” workshop led by British casting director Laura Windows, whose casting credits include Robin Hood (MGM+), The Librarians, and The Ark (Syfy). The workshop will provide participants with an experience of working in the conditions of a real casting process, focusing on general audition techniques and approaches, and will conclude with a discussion and Q&A session.
Through four distinct approaches, ReActing+ offers participants direct, hands-on experience and insight into contemporary casting processes and the development of an acting career.
ReActing+ Regional Acting Workshop – conceived and developed by Pari Pikule and Secret Arts Cinema – is realised in collaboration with and with the support of the Film Centre of Montenegro, as part of the industry programme Montenegro Film Rendezvous, with additional support from the British Council.
ReActing as a Star – Training & Networking Program was launched in 2022 in collaboration with national film institutions and is held in Slovenia. The programme is dedicated to the professional development of actors from Southeast Europe and has, over five years, brought together more than 70 actors and actresses from Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.