SAA - Society of Audiovisual Authors

Authors first: Copyright as the cornerstone of creativity and culture in the audiovisual sector

Venue: Skopje Marriott Hotel

18 Nov I Authors, rights and the power of a system 

Opening remarks: framing the stakes and hope

• Barbara Hayes, SAA Chair video
• Michele Woods, Director, WIPO Copyright Law Division (video greeting)
• Christophe Le Rigoleur, the French Ambassador

The author’s journey - from script to payment: the copyright infrastructure

• Srđan Dragojević, screenwriter and director (Serbia)
• Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo, screenwriter and director (Estonia)
• Cécile Despringre, SAA Secretary General

Moderator: Dejan Iliev, film producer (North Macedonia)

What happens when copyright works - and when it doesn’t?

• Jana Vozárová, LITA Director (Slovakia)
• Kiril Gjozev, AZAS Secretary General (North Macedonia)
• Ricardo Gómez Cabaleiro, DAMA Secretary General (Spain)

Moderator: Gregor Štibernik, AIPA Managing Director (Slovenia)

Recent developments in collective rights management: good practices and specific challenges in the region

• Stefan Gelineo, UFUS-AFA Director (Serbia)
• Gregor Štibernik, AIPA Managing Director (Slovenia)
• Kristina Hristova Nikolova, screenwriter (North Macedonia)
• Danko Stefanović, DHFA Managing Director (Croatia)

Moderator: Sylwia Biaduń, ZAPA Managing Director (Poland)

19 Nov I Building an ecosystem for the region

Opening remarks

Gregor Presker, the Slovenian Ambassador

What is a sustainable audiovisual environment?

• Sylwia Biadun, ZAPA Deputy Director (Poland)
• Klemen Dvornik, director (Slovenia)
• Ognen Antov, producer (North Macedonia)

Moderator: Peter Kep, AIPA Head of Operation (Slovenia)

Building an ecosystem in the Western Balkans

• Kiril Gjozev, AZAS Secretary General (North Macedonia)
• Andjela Đurković, A-PRAVA Legal Counsel (Montenegro)
• Evien Dako, FAAD Managing Director (Albania)
• Lirak Celaj, VAPIK Managing Director (Kosovo)

Moderator: Uroš Rožič, AIPA Deputy Managing Director and Head of Legal (Slovenia)

Closing remarks and “Skopje call”

Photos

Photographer: Jove Angeleski

The SAA plays a key role in the region fostering exchanges between the CMOs, Intellectual Property Offices, national, European and international institutions. We provide a forum for learning, advancing best practices, and building the networks that strengthen authors' rights across borders.

The conference is hosted by AZAS, the organisation for the collective management of copyright and related film rights in the audiovisual sector in North Macedonia. Its mission is to protect North Macedonian authors, producers, and performers, and to ensure a fair, efficient, and transparent application and distribution of their collective rights.