The 13th edition will present several outstanding international guests. The event will be honored by the presence of two-time Academy Award winner Chris Munro, the British production sound mixer behind some of the most significant films of the past decades. His name is associated with titles such as Black Hawk Down (2001), Gravity (2013), Casino Royale (2006), and 
multiple films from the Mission: Impossible series. Over the course of a career spanning more than fifty years, he has collaborated with directors such as Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and Alfonso Cuarón. Munro ranks among the world’s leading professionals in his field, and his participation will shed light on the creative process behind immersive cinematic sound.
Visegrad Film Forum will also welcome renowned special effects artist Shane Mahan. His work can be seen in globally acclaimed titles such as the Terminator, Predator, and Iron Man franchises, as well as the Academy Award-winning film The Shape of Water (2017). Mahan has long specialized in practical effects and the creation of iconic film characters that have become embedded in popular culture. His presence will offer a unique insight into the intersection of craftsmanship, technology, and creativity in building cinematic worlds.
Among the guests will also be Lithuanian director and screenwriter Andrius Blaževičius, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Lithuanian cinema. Following the success of The Saint (2016) and Runner (2021), he gained further acclaim with his latest film How to Divorce During the War (2026), an intimate drama set in Vilnius during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The film premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where Blaževičius received the Directing Award, confirming his growing international recognition.
The programme will also feature other prominent figures of European cinema. Production designer Uli Hanisch, whose visual signature shaped works such as Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), Cloud Atlas (2012), the series Babylon Berlin (2016), and The Queen’s Gambit (2020). German-Romanian documentary filmmaker Alexander Nanau, whose film Collective (2019) became the first Romanian film nominated for Academy Awards in two categories – Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature Film. The directing perspective will also be represented by Hungarian filmmaker György Pálfi, known for Taxidermia (2006) and Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen (2012), whose latest film Hen (2025) had its world premiere at the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.
International Film Schools and Emerging Voices
A traditional part of the Visegrad Film Forum program is the presentation of international film schools, accompanied by screenings attended in person by the students. Post-screening discussions will offer space not only to reflect on the films themselves, but also on the production conditions and educational systems of the participating institutions.
This year’s schools include: Academy of Performing Arts, Film and TV Faculty in Bratislava (Slovakia), The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (Czech Republic), Lodz Film School (Poland), Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film State University (Georgia), The University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest (Hungary), University of Television and Film Munich (Germany).
Since 2019, Visegrad Film Forum has closely collaborated with the International Film Festival FEBIOFEST Bratislava. Purchased accreditations are valid for both events. You can purchase them at: www.visegradfilmforum.com
Visegrad Film Forum 2026
Dates: March 11–14, 2026
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
Website: http://www.visegradfilmforum.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisegradFilmForum
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vffbratislava/
Organizer: Boiler o.z. Co-organizers: Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, nutprodukce Partners: Creative Europe Desk Slovakia, Slovak Film Institute. Visegrad Film Forum is supported by the Audiovisual Fund, the International Visegrad Fund, and FilmEU. The festival is held under the auspices of Bratislava’s Mayor, Matúš Vallo.
