



Once Upon the Balkans
Belgrade, 2017
THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS HAS PASSED!


Here you can find a LIST OF KEYWORDS for all the selected written pieces. These are meant to reflect the theme or “feel” of the piece, to help you select the piece you'd be interested in.
When you make your choice, e-mail us the name of the work you want and we will then send you the piece in its entirety (with additional submission specifications). You are then free to start working on your submission!
There are no limits on genres, ideas or style. The stories and poems fall within a very broad scope of associations and interpretations connected with the topic “The Balkans”, and your film or photo(s) should be in some way inspired by, or connected to the written piece you select, but everything else is up to your creativity and imagination. You can use the story or poem as a script, or just a starting point for inspiration, make a realistic depiction, or completely abstract, and of course, feel free to interpret the written piece as you will ‒ we want to see YOUR take on the piece you picked.
BACK to the Call for Participation and Submission Details Page!
POETRY
A DUET
Black Sea, lighthouse, storm, mountain, death
BALKAN OF
FLOWERS AND COAL
contrast, pride, history, resilience, heritage
FOUR SEASONS
classical music, public transport, sweltering heat, crowds, humor
THEY
polar opposites, delusions, bitterness, conflict, reconciliation
THE DANUBE ROSE
sunrise, unrequited love, contemplation, dream, the Moon
UNDERNEATH AN
OLD OAK TREE
school years, growing up, memories, playground, friendship












FLY AWAY, BIRD
migration, change, travel, better life, escape
BEFORE
diary, ghosts of the past, wounds, war, loss
JERINA
medieval legend, fortress, Danube, curse, tower
NO SIGNAL
telephone call, love story, denial, death, future
THE CITY OF
SLUMBER
lies, madness, destruction, gloom, forgiveness
FREEDOM IS BITTER - VISUAL POETRY
flight, fall, revolt, truth, revelation
BALKAN SUMMERS
coffee, insects, memory, haze, mundane reality
ONCE UPON A TIME
IN THE BALKANS
childhood, innocence, bombs, ruins, shelter
PROSE
DEVOTION
Mt. Rtanj, cliff, perseverance, chapel, tombstone
CROSSROADS
ENCOUNTER
romance, longing, heartache, silence, regret
THE MATCHES
fighting, healing, tower of Babylon, return, kinship
BETRAYAL
mythology, castle, warrior, blood,
white fangs






PROSE
ENCOUNTER
LGBTQA+, shaming,
online dating,
red jacket, pretence
WITH INVITATION
ONLY
folk tales, vampires, hospitality,
water mill, forest
THE ONLY WAY
HOME
kafana, drunk driving, police, gun, comedy
KALEMEGDAN
FORTRESS
archaeology, catacombs, night, mystery, terror
THE SMILE
funeral, sympathy, silent understanding, neighbors, plums
FOREIGNERS
refugees, family,
blue eyes, differences, hostility












A MONTENEGRIN
LOVE STORY
Romani culture, club, alcohol, surprise,
declaration of love
TREE
city, concrete, neglect, passers-by, November
THE LAND OF BREAD
local cuisine,
friend from abroad, Belgrade, tourism, joie de vivre
WILL IT HAPPEN
ALL OVER AGAIN?
shattered glass, eyes, wistfulness, closure, Petrovaradin Fortress
WEST MEETS EAST
Adriatic sea, road-trip, photography, May, scenery
IT HAPPENED IN
A LAND OF FARMERS
children, Mother, school yard, Šumarice, massacre