From artificial intelligence and the future of journalism to creativity, cinema and an unforgettable wedding celebration, Weekend.19 brought a record 7,500 visitors to Rovinj across eight festival programs.
Trump, Rimac, Malkovich, artificial intelligence, digital currencies and investment secrets — it is difficult to imagine another place where all of these topics would come together quite like they did at Weekend.19.
This year's edition attracted a record 7,500 visitors to Rovinj, connecting people from the worlds of media, business, technology and the creative industries across eight festival programs.
Three days of conversations that continued well beyond the conference halls, alongside new ideas, music and encounters, once again demonstrated why Weekend may end in Rovinj, but the discussions started there continue long after the final panel.
Who profits from the insecurities of young men?
Why are some young men turning to online gurus for answers to loneliness and insecurity?
British journalist and author James Bloodworth addressed the issue through his own experience with communities in which men are sold dating advice and seduction courses.
He warned that such content often goes far beyond advice on how to approach women. Instead, it can exploit feelings of inadequacy while offering an entire worldview about relationships, men and women.
“I realized I wasn't buying dating advice. I was buying an entire worldview,” Bloodworth said.
As a response to that influence, he emphasized the importance of communities where young people can find a genuine sense of belonging.
“Lost boys aren't lost forever. They're waiting for us to build a world they can fully participate in.”
The question of trust also took center stage during a discussion with Gerard Baker, former Editor-in-Chief and current Editor at Large of The Wall Street Journal.
Baker addressed an increasingly important challenge for the media industry: how journalism can retain public trust as artificial intelligence transforms the way information is created and distributed.
He argued that AI may be capable of processing enormous quantities of data, but it cannot replace journalists who uncover information that is not yet publicly known.
In a media environment where audiences are becoming increasingly fragmented, investigative reporting and fact-checking remain among journalism's most important sources of value.
Weekend.19 then moved from the question of whom we trust to another fundamental challenge: where new ideas come from.
“In a rapidly changing world, creativity is queen — or king,” said Fredrik Härén, international speaker on creativity and one of Weekend.19's headline speakers.
Härén warned that companies cannot expect employees to innovate while simultaneously punishing every attempt that fails.
Creativity requires more than good ideas. People need room to experiment, adapt and occasionally make mistakes.
He illustrated the idea with the story of a photographer who challenged himself every morning to find a different perspective on the same sunrise.
“If the sun can rise in a new way every morning, so can I.”
Who shapes public discourse: Politicians, the media or clicks?
The panel “Trumps All Around Us” examined the way political rhetoric and social media are reshaping journalism and the wider media landscape.
Slobodan Georgiev, News Director at TV Nova in Serbia, argued that some of the developments other countries are only now beginning to recognize have been present in Serbia for years.
“I come from the future. What I'm now seeing happening with journalists and Trump, we've been living through for 14 or 15 years. I can even tell you how it ends,” Georgiev said.
Television editor and presenter Zoran Šprajc placed part of the responsibility on the media industry itself.
“The media also participate in this Trumpism. I'm embarrassed by some of the stupid headlines and news stories the media publish, but I understand they do it because they need to survive. Everything revolves around clicks and likes, because that's what produces results.”
The discussion highlighted the tension between editorial responsibility, audience attention and the economic pressures facing modern media organizations.
Milena Radulović: “I lost my youth, but I gained my Freedom”
One of Weekend.19's most powerful conversations featured actress Milena Radulović.
She spoke about her international acting career, the position of women within the film industry and the importance of trust and support in professional environments.
Radulović also reflected on a years-long struggle that, as she described it, took a great deal from her while ultimately giving her freedom and self-respect.
“I lost my youth, but I gained my freedom.”
From the first Radio hits to a wedding bouquet
Radio celebrated its first century at Weekend.19 with a discussion about how the medium can embrace a digital future while preserving the personal connection it has traditionally maintained with listeners.
Singer Neda Ukraden recalled the first time she heard one of her songs on the radio before performing her hit “Zora je” for the audience.
“For me, and for people who live from music, radio is life. Let everything that needs to change change — just don't ever let radio lose its soul,” Ukraden said.
Following the radio memories, Weekend.19 turned its attention to a different kind of celebration: a wedding.
Director Igor Šeregi, producer Ivan Kelava and actors Rene Bitorajac and Anđelka Stević Žugić discussed the film “Svadba”, which has attracted 2.4 million viewers across Croatia and neighboring countries.
The road to audiences, however, took almost a decade.
“We fought for this film for almost 10 years. We were rejected in fourteen funding competitions, and at one point Croatian comedy was even compared to Swedish burek. But we knew what we were doing, and giving up was never an option,” Kelava said.
To close the discussion, the cinematic wedding moved beyond the stage: a wedding bouquet was thrown into the audience, turning the final moments into a genuine celebration.
See you at the 20th Weekend
Weekend.19 has now closed its record-breaking edition, but the conversations, connections and ideas that began in Rovinj are expected to continue long after the final panel.
Next year, the festival will celebrate a major milestone with its 20th edition.
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