DJ Ahmet

Directed by Georgi M. Unkovski
North Macedonia
2025
99 mins

Synopsis

Charming, funny and uplifting, this Sundance Audience Award-winner tells the story of a 15-year-old North Macedonian boy who finds refuge in dance music and in first love.

Ahmet and his brother Naim are growing up in a family scarred by grief in a remote village, conservative as it is superstitious. The boys’ stern father has no qualms forcing Ahmet to work on the family sheep farm rather than let him go to school, whilst he takes his little brother Naim, silent since his mother’s death, to a suspect healer. Into this grim reality enters the beautiful Aya, who has returned from Germany in order to enter an arranged marriage. When Ahmet discovers a secret rave he is immediately transfixed by the music, and by Aya, and sees a path to a more joyous and free life. Says director Georgi M. Unkovski: “I wanted to explore the delicate balance between tradition and self-expression, particularly within a small, close-knit community The film delves into the challenges of growing up in a traditional setting while simultaneously discovering one's own identity. I was fascinated by the tension that arises when individual desires clash with the expectations of the collective.” With a mostly non-professional cast, Unkovski has made an authentic, jubilant feature debut about art’s liberating power.

Sessions at Sydney Opera House are available for SFF Flexipass redeems and purchases only until 12pm the day prior to the event. Please see our Terms & Conditions for full details.

Limited seats are available for patrons requiring access for wheelchairs, low vision and hearing loop. Please contact our ticketing team directly on 1300 733 733 or tickets@sff.org.au to complete your booking.

Picture Footloose happening right now in a tiny village in Northern Macedonia, and you’ll get the vibe behind writer-director Georgi M. Unkovski’s touching feature debut, DJ Ahmet
Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter

Special Guests

Georgi M. Unkovski
Director

Georgi M. Unkovski is a New York-born Macedonian filmmaker who studied at FAMU, Prague’s renowned film and TV university. A Sundance Alumnus, Unkovski also works as a director for one of Macedonia’s leading advertising agencies. His 2020 short film, Sticker, garnered over 50 international awards.

Tickets

Thu 5 June 2025, 8:20pm
State Theatre
WheelchairSubtitledAssisted Listening
Fri 6 June 2025, 12:15pm
State Theatre
WheelchairSubtitledAssisted Listening
Sat 7 June 2025, 11:45am
Sydney Opera House Playhouse
WheelchairSubtitledAssisted Listening
Sat 14 June 2025, 4:15pm
Dendy Newtown - Cinema 1
WheelchairSubtitledAssisted Listening
  • Program Strand
  • Year
    2025
  • Classification
    Unclassified 15+
  • Country
    North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia
  • Language
    In Turkish and Macedonian with English subtitles
  • Director
    Georgi M. Unkovski
  • Producer
    Ivan Unkovski, Ivana Shekutkoska
  • Cast
    Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova
  • Screenwriter
    Georgi M. Unkovski
  • Cinematographer
    Naum Doksevski
  • Editor
    Michal Reich
  • Genre
  • Premiere
    Australian Premiere
  • Company Credits
    Australian Distributor: Madman Entertainment
Aboriginal FlagTorres Strait Flag

Sydney Film Festival acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose Country SFF is based.

We honour the storytelling and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

Don’t miss a thing!

Whether you’re in Sydney or one of our rural locations, sign up to our newsletters for all the latest news and offers.

Don't miss a thing!

Whether you're in Sydney or one of our rural locations, sign up to our newsletters for all the latest news and offers.