Marija Apčevska is a North Macedonian director born in 1987 in Bitola. She holds a BA in Film and TV Directing from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje and an MA in Film and Media Production from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles.

Her film NORTH POLE premiered at the Berlinale Generation and the Cannes Film Festival (as part of the Official Selection 2021), respectively.

Find out more about NORTH POLE.

She is a Sarajevo and Berlinale Talents alumnus and her short films have travelled to festivals worldwide, winning many awards.

She is currently preparing her first feature film, SPRING CLEANING. Marija is a co-writer for the feature film AFTER DARK, selected at Cinefondation Residence and Torino Film Lab.

Our 2023 Silver and Audience Award-winner was WE WERE MEANT TO from The USA and director Tari Wariebi.

Tari is a first generation Liberian-Nigerian filmmaker and has been a WeScreenplay Finalist and quarterfinalist at the Slamdance Screenplay Competition. Most recently, Tari directed the pilot for WarnerMedia entitled REMEMBER starring Bernard David Jones, which was picked up by Berlanti Productions. Currently, Tari is working on a remake of the film PERFECT STRANGERS, written by and starring Issa Rae, produced by Spyglass Media.

Visit the WE WERE MEANT TO Website

The 24fps International Short Film Festival attracts a wide variety of young artists from around the world. 24fps Official Selections have also played the Cannes, Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, TIFF, Clermont Ferrand, Hong Kong, Palm Springs, Berlin and BFI London Film Festivals, to name a few.

IOur diverse, acclaimed short film programming includes narrative dramatic, narrative comedy, documentary, animation, experimental, and musical short films.

The Paramount theatre was built in 1930 at the height of the Great Depression by local grocer H. O. Wooten. It was originally part of the Paramount Publix theatre chain and has seen thousands of movies grace its grand screen.

It was closed in 1977 due to disrepair, but was reopened in 1987 when an anonymous donor purchased the facility and paid for its renovation.

The Paramount is now a performing arts facility, home to the Paramount Film Series, ballet, opera, concerts, musical theater, countless local organizations, and the 24fps International Short Film Festival

The facility features state-of-the-art digital projection and sound, making it one of the most well-equipped theatres in the Southwestern United States. The facility is on the National Register of Historic Places.