The first International Forum of Creative Cities for Film from the UNESCO Network was held on July 4 and 5 in Bitola on the topic, “The Role of Innovation and Education in the Local Development of Cities”.

The Forum was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Cultural Heritage Protection Office, Cinematheque, NGO and business sector working in the field of creative industries, film and audiovisual heritage, representatives of creative cities for film from the UNESCO-Bradford Network, Lodz , Bristol, Galway, Rome, Sofia and Bitola as well as a representative of the International Political Research Center specializing in culture and creative industries KEA European Affairs from Brussels.

The participants of the Forum presented the activities of the cities, the competencies of the institutions and their successful projects, as well as their proposed projects for cooperation in the field of film, audiovisual heritage, innovation and education.

In addition to panel discussions and presentations within the Forum, there were film screenings. The opening of the Forum featured the restored film classic “A Special Day” by the famous Italian director Ettore Scola. Three films were screened at the closing program, including the first Macedonian color film “Macedonia in Pictures” by Arsenij Jovkov, as well as the documentary “Manaki, a Story in Pictures” by Robert Jankuloski.