Shadow Casters are traveling to ECFA

Founded in 1988, ECFA (European Children’s Film Association) is an organization for all those interested in high-quality films for children and young people: filmmakers, producers, promoters, distributors, festival organizers, TV programmers, and film educators. ECFA has nearly 150 members, consisting of companies and organizations from 41 different countries.

This year, ECFA will be visited by Boris Bakal, president of the Shadow Casters Association, who will present the association’s new project: “Between Heritage and Film,” while answering questions from the host and the audience. This project is intended for elementary and high schools, aiming to engage students in researching and understanding cultural heritage through the medium of film. The program highlights the importance of both material and immaterial heritage, encouraging students to establish a deeper connection with their cultural roots.

The program has several key objectives: educating students about material and immaterial heritage and their importance in shaping the cultural identity of a community, teaching them to use film as a tool for documenting and presenting heritage, encouraging creative expression and critical thinking about the world through film projects, and promoting engagement with local heritage sites and communities to collect stories and information. By filming narratives of these places, students discover their potential as resources for the community’s future. This program not only develops academic understanding of heritage but also empowers students to actively participate in the preservation and reinterpretation of their cultural legacy through film.

As part of their program “Frooom! as Guests,” the Shadow Casters have already participated in the General Assembly of ECFA, the European Children’s Film Association, which took place in 2023 at the Berlin Film Festival. Representing the Shadow Casters at the assembly were Veno Mušinović, director, filmmaker, lecturer at FROOOM! and long-time collaborator of the Shadow Casters’ film, performance, and educational projects, and Boris Bakal, co-founder of the Shadow Casters, director, and multimedia artist.

The Shadow Casters have been active members of ECFA for many years, being one of the first from Croatia. Membership and participation in ECFA’s activities have brought the Shadow Casters various collaborations and ongoing projects.