Dani komunikacija is a festival that raises its own bar every year, yet little is said about what happens before the programme is locked, the lights go on, and Rovinj once again becomes the centre of the industry. Because behind every panel, lecture and moment the audience sees lies a long process – a combination of planning, constant re-evaluation and fast problem-solving on the go.
At the very centre of that process is Dunja Ivana Ballon, festival and programme director, the person who builds Dani komunikacija from the ground up, year after year. Her role is not only to select content, but to ensure that the entire experience, from the first speaker to the final session, maintains the standard the festival has set for years, with no room for mediocrity.
In the conversation that follows, Ballon talks about the reality behind the scenes, from compromises paid in money, time and energy to decisions that define not only the programme but the overall experience of Dani komunikacija year after year. And why, despite everything, each new edition always begins with the same goal: to create a festival that will not only meet expectations, but push them further again.
What does the moment look like when you realise that the programme you are building is not enough, and what do you do next?
We don’t have the habit of letting something into the programme that we are not satisfied with – that is not even the minimum. But if you ask me, in organising such a large festival with several thousand people, it is inevitable that things sometimes go wrong, regardless of plan A, B or C. In those cases, I allow myself a mini nervous breakdown, and then immediately move on to solving the problem and don’t stop until I have a solution I’m proud of.
What type of speaker or perspective that has not yet been part of the DK programme should be, and what makes it difficult to realise?
Over the years, we have engaged and brought in hundreds of speakers and covered a multitude of topics. Some we searched for years, while others we secured on the first try, but on the wish list there will always be a few absolute megastars. The problem is a small detail – their fee, which starts at one million euros and above. In other words, as with most things, the biggest obstacle is the budget.
You said that DK does not settle for mediocrity. What is the last compromise you had to make and what did it cost?
The last compromise cost money – because airfare prices exploded overnight. The one before that cost nerves – because some individuals occasionally demand special treatment, take advantage of kindness and cross boundaries. In organising a festival and in business in general, we are always paying something: with budget, time or energy.
If the budget were cut in half tomorrow, what would disappear from the programme first?
If I found myself in such a radical situation, maybe I would shorten the festival? I would rather deliver a shorter but outstanding experience that people will remember for years, than more days of half-measures.
It seems that every year you say it cannot get better, and every year you are proven wrong. When will that formula stop working?
Thank you for the compliment – on the outside it is sun, beach, a luxury resort in nature, a programme unique in this part of Europe, production without competition, awards that fill the halls to capacity and enjoyment without end.
The truth behind the curtain is much simpler and much less glamorous: every year we work more, push the boundaries even further and try to be smarter, braver and more thoughtful than the year before, so that our audience has the best possible festival of an industry – and enjoys every moment in Rovinj. We are already looking forward to the new edition and can’t wait for it to arrive :)
That is why I hope we will not find out the answer to your question anytime soon. If every year we manage to be at least a little smarter, braver and more thoughtful than the year before – then we know we are doing a good thing.
