Anibar Continues Support for Western Balkans’ Talent Through “Pitch It!” Initiative
Skwigly
Nine directors and aspiring animators from Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia took the center stage at the 16th edition of the Anibar International Animation Festival to present their original projects as part of this year’s “Pitch It!”– a flagship program that continues to grow each year as an important platform for regional talent.
Anibar “Pitch It!” Initiative 📸 David Çavollari
This event continues to affirm Anibar’s role as a supportive space for new people in animation, encouraging creativity, collaboration, and pushing forward new initiatives from the Western Balkans.
This year’s “Pitch It!” was organized under the project “Co-Producing between France and the Western Balkans: Structuring, Supporting and Promoting Creation”, backed by the Fonds Equipe France of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and co-funded by the Kosovo Cinematography Center (QKK).
The jury panel consisted of professionals Bastien Dubois from France, Rianne Stremmelaar from The Netherlands, and Vasco Sá from Portugal, who listened to the pitches and offered valuable feedback, helping shape the animators’ ideas with their international insight and expertise.
Blend Leci from Kosova opened the session, introducing his project “Ashphalt”, a dystopian narrative rooted in a brutalist city plagued by corruption. Diellza Bylygbashi, also from Kosova, followed with her project “TIKA”, a touching, awareness-driven story inspired by her personal experience with FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis) in cats.
Erin Krasniqi, a returning participant, presented “Free Bird”, an inspiration from the animated cartoons from the ‘50s, whereas Flaka Kokolli presented her new project titled “I still haven’t cried” exploring the anguish on how to disseminate anger and fear through a female perspective.
From Serbia, Katarina Zaharijeva showed “The Last Bookstore in the World”, to narrate and depict the near-future fear of the artistic and cultural physical spaces. Nikola Andric, also from Serbia, presented “It Will Rain”, an experimental mix of operatic sound and image.
Furthermore, Tinka Kelmendi from Kosova brought “What the Roots Remember”, a poetic and experimental animation while Leke Cervadiku introduced “Xhoko and Quku in Asylum”, a story blending folklore with contemporary Balkan realities.
The session closed with Verica Tenekedjivave from North Macedonia and her project “Transporting Women”, an emotional experience on how to explore life.
Speaking about the event, jury member Rianne Stremmelaar remarked: “the pitches were interesting and diverse. There were standout projects that caught our attention—some socially engaged, others imaginative, humorous, or innovative.”
As the 16th edition continues, Anibar proudly remains a space where imagination meets opportunity, and where the future of animation begins to shape. Through programs like “Pitch It!”, the festival fosters not only artistic expression but also long-lasting collaborations, mentorships, and networks.