Set in the remote Yuruk village of Kodzhalija, North Macedonia, DJ Ahmet tells the story of 15-year-old Ahmet who finds refuge in electronic music, as a way out of his traditional environment. A drama with elements of comedy, DJ Ahmet tells the story of a teenager’s journey as he navigates first love love, friendship, and self-discovery, set against a vibrant backdrop in which traditional values and modernity collide.

“The Sundance premiere is an incredible honour. DJ Ahmet is a deeply personal story about finding your own voice in a world that often tries to silence it. Through Ahmet’s journey, I hope to emphasise the universal struggle between tradition and self-expression. Sundance seems like the perfect platform to share this story with a global audience”, said director and screenwriter Georgi M. Unkovski.

In addition to co-producer Katarina Prpić, the Croatian portion of the crew included score composers Alen and Nenad Sinkauz, while the visual effects were done at Croatian studio Poster.

The director of photography was Naum Doksevski, alongside production designers Dejan Đoševski and Aleksandra Čevreska, costume designer Roza Trajčevska, make-up and masks artists Dušica Vuksanović Duda, production sound mixer Pavel Jan, and editor Michal Reich.

The leads in the film are portrayed by Arif Jakup, Dora Akan Zlatanova and Aguš Agušev, who appear on screen for the first time, as well as Aksel Mehmet. Selpin Kerim, Elhame Bilal, Adem Karaga, Attila Klince, Metin Ibrahim complete the cast.

DJ Ahmet is a co-production between Macedonian companies Cinema Future and Sektor Film, with Czech Alter Vision and Analog Vision, as well as Serbian companies Backroom Production and Baš Čelik, and Croatian 365 Films. The film was supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency, Czech Film Fund, Film Center Serbia, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, SEE Cinema Network, and Eurimages European Film Fund.

Sundance Film Festival is one of world’s most prestigious festivals pioneering independent cinema, founded in 1984 by Robert Redford. Known for discovering bold new voices in the art of filmmaking, the 2025 edition will take place from 23rd January to 2nd February in Park City, Utah. The festival screens a selection of titles from across the globe, with only 10 features making the cut for the official international competition. The festival also offers a variety of panels and discussions, affirming its position as a premier event promoting the latest achievements in filmmaking.

Georgi M. Unkovski was born in 1988 in New York City. He studied photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology, USA, and received his Master’s degree in directing from FAMU in Prague, Czech Republic. This is his debut feature film. His previous fiction short also premiered at Sundance in 2020, going on to screen at more than 220 festivals and numerous streaming platforms such as HBO, MUBI and CANAL+ and winning more than 50 awards.

Cover photo: scene from DJ Ahmet