Weekend.17 returns this week in its greatest edition, ready to exceed all expectations. From September 19 to 22, under the auspices of the Adris Group, Rovinj will once again become the central gathering place for leading experts from the world of media, communications and business. This unique festival has been pushing boundaries for years and offers a perfect combination of education, networking and entertainment, creating unforgettable memories for all visitors and participants.
What sets Weekend.17 apart this year is the unique combination of four festivals in one. In addition to the already established Weekend Media Festival, Rovinj will host HR.Weekend for the second time and AI Weekend and Finance Weekend for the first time. This combination brings a rich program that offers everything – from inspiring panels and lectures, to opportunities for networking and creating new collaborations. When night falls, visitors can expect unforgettable parties that have become a trademark of the festival, ensuring that business success and top entertainment come together in the best way in Rovinj.
Never enough humor
For those who want good humor, we have prepared the panel “From the list of surrealists to the list of humorists”, where you will find out how humor in the Balkans has adapted to modern times, but remained equally universal and recognizable. Once upon a time, the “Top List of Surrealists” made the entire region laugh with their uncompromising sketches, and today, thanks to platforms like TikTok, modern surrealists continue that tradition. Don’t miss what Sead Hrustanović, one of the most famous Balkan TikTokers, who delights the audience with his interpretations of Balkan moms, villages and neighborhoods, has to say on this topic, then Niko Ćuturić, better known as KojeNiko, who builds popularity through videos in which he plays a typical mom in situations which are recognizable to everyone, and Rafaela Seb, aka @RafTheCild, who brings the spirit of Dalmatia into her creative sketches, which she started with her mother and grandmother.
Weekend.17 covers all topics
In addition to them, Thomas Erikson, author of the bestseller “Surrounded by Idiots”, will be on stage at this year’s Weekend, who will clarify all doubts about communication and advise the audience on how to cooperate effectively in a business and private environment. The panel “Točka preokreta” powered by HTZ will talk about the key topic of this season – Croatian tourism, which is recording dizzying numbers, while at the same time we are witnessing increasing pressure on the local population, infrastructure and natural resources. Tonča Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian Tourist Board and Tomislav Popović, Director of Maistra, answer the question of where the border is, all under the moderator baton of Nevena Rendela Vejzović, Director of Prime Time Communications.
Rovinj becomes the epicenter of the meeting of world-famous names
Popular world names arriving in Rovinj are joined by Melissa Bell from CNN, who will attend the 10-year anniversary of N1 in the region. In addition to her, one of the biggest experts from the world of sports and business, Aleksandar Čeferin, the president of UEFA, is coming, who in a 1-on-1 conversation with Milan Vlaović Kovaček will reveal all the secrets of the most important secondary things in the world, while at the lecture “Between the field and spotlight: from sports to showbiz”, Aco Petrović, basketball coach, and moderator Damjan Rudež, director of the Sunset Sports Festival, gave the main speech.
Weekend Media Festival always follows current trends and brings answers to key questions, so skip the intro and don’t miss out on being part of Weekend.17, because one ticket is valid for all festivals, and for easier navigation, download the My.Weekend app.
With over 6,000 visitors on the first day, Weekend.17 breaks all records
September 21, 2024 – Weekend.17 kicked off successfully, gathering more than 6,000 fans of great entertainment and insightful panels and lectures. After a day of inspiring panels and networking, an unforgettable party followed, with world-renowned DJ and producer Fedde Le Grand, who got the crowd dancing in Rovinj. The rich program continues with 220 speakers from around the world, rotating across nine stages in the old Rovinj Tobacco Factory, under the sponsorship of the Adris group.
On Friday, the audience was most impressed by Thomas Erikson, author of the hit book Surrounded by Idiots, who filled the hall with laughter with his statement: “Sometimes you find that idiot in the mirror – that happened to me!” In a humorous yet deeply instructive way, Erikson taught the audience how to better communicate with people who have different personalities.
Dr. Ali Fenwick, known as the “Modern Psychologist,” wowed the crowd with his visions of the future of artificial intelligence. “Your motive in using and developing AI defines the direction artificial intelligence will take,” said Fenwick, conveying the message that AI can be more than just a productivity tool – it is becoming a partner that understands human values. Fenwick’s practical examples demonstrated how humanized AI can not only enhance business but also improve human relationships.
Dragan Bjelogrlić, a well-known director and producer, also captivated Rovinj’s discerning audience by sharing insider stories on how the regional hit Toma broke through the local market’s boundaries. For him, this is proof that a good product always reaches its audience, no matter how thorny the path, despite controversial blacklists. “It’s not just me on them, but also some of my colleagues who share the same fate. For example, what would happen if a director came with a project and said they wanted Bjelogrlić, Nikola Kojo, Ceca Bojković, and Anita Mančić to act in it? What would happen to that project? Of course, it’s hard to prove. I assume there will be reactions claiming there are no blacklists in Serbia, but I know of two projects that were rejected that way.”
TV personalities Mojmira Pastorčić and Ivana Petrović stirred things up on the panel “News Format – What’s Next?” with the question: “Who deserves to be in the news?” While Pastorčić defended the appearance of controversial figures like Andrew Tate, saying, “They belong in the program because our audience talks about them,” Ivana Petrović reminded the audience of the importance of trust: “We create news for the viewers, and the faces delivering them must be those people trust.”
Basketball legends Aco Petrović and Damjan Rudež discussed sports heritage and today’s sports icons on the panel “Between the Court and the Spotlight: From Sports to Showbiz.” Petrović made the audience laugh with the comment: “Dražen Petrović would be today’s LeBron James if he lived in the era of social media.” The panel concluded that despite changes in sports, true legends remain forever.
Thomas Golubić, the music producer famous for selecting the music for today’s most popular series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, spoke to Milan Majerović Stilinović from ZAMP about the future of music production in the film industry. “Artificial intelligence is not adept at recognizing and understanding emotions, especially when it comes to complex topics like family trauma or depression. Algorithms simply can’t grasp those deep emotional layers,” explained Golubić, emphasizing that his job cannot be replaced by AI, unlike some other roles. “How could AI understand experiences like family trauma or the feeling of first love?” said Golubić.
Saturday’s program will continue with an impressive lineup of top speakers such as Aleksander Čeferin, Michael Dahlen, Bob Garfield, and many others, with a concert in the evening by Miach, a popular singer topping all music charts.