TFF: DJ Ahmet (MA 15+)

Charming, funny and uplifting, this Sundance Audience Award-winner tells the story of a 15-year-old North Macedonian boy who finds refuge in dance music and in first love.

In a remote, tradition-bound village, teenage Ahmet dreams of more than a life tending sheep. Against grieving his mother’s death, being silenced by his father, and protecting his mute younger brother, Ahmet finds hope in unexpected place - a secret rave – and in a blooming love with the beautiful Aya. Director Georgi M. Unkovski’s debut captures the tension between tradition and individuality with heart and authenticity, using a largely non-professional cast to tell a poignant, liberating coming-of-age story about love, identity, and art’s liberating power.

Cast: Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Aksel Mehmet

Director: Georgi M. Unkovski

"The sort of film that urges one to tell everyone about it so that they too can bask in its wondrous pleasures, DJ Ahmet is a revelation in that it seamlessly straddles the line between laugh-out-loud crowd-pleaser and art-house gem with affecting gravitas" VARIETY

"Picture Footloose happening right now in a tiny village in Northern Macedonia, and you’ll get the vibe behind writer-director Georgi M. Unkovski’s touching feature debut, DJ Ahmet" HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Filmmaker Georgi M. Unkovski employs music in various forms in his feature debut, approaching its clash between youthful rebellion and traditional culture with a non-judgmental warmth and an open heart" SCREEN INTERNATIONAL