At this year’s edition of the Slovenian Advertising Festival (SOF), one of the sessions will address a topic that is increasingly sparking debate in both the film and marketing industries: where does product placement end, and where does the construction of an authentic cinematic world begin?
The session titled “Product placement: Prostitucija ali grajenje filmskega sveta” will take place on May 14 at 11:00 in the Grando hall in Portorož, offering insight into the making of one of the most successful Slovenian films of recent years – Belo se pere na devetdeset.
Over the past six months, the film has attracted significant audience attention, with more than 80,000 viewers and sold-out screenings. It had its world premiere at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival, where it was welcomed with long applause and audience ovations. The film is an adaptation of the literary bestseller by Bronja Žakelj, directed by Marko Naberšnik.
The background of the project will be discussed at SOF by Dr. Aleš Pavlin, a film and television producer and professor at AGRFT. Pavlin is also the co-founder and co-owner of the production company PERFO, one of Slovenia’s leading independent film and television production houses, as well as a member of the European Film Academy (EFA) and the European Producers Club (EPC).
As he points out, the project took seven years to develop and represents one of the most demanding Slovenian film co-productions in recent years. The production involved six countries, combining both public and private sources of financing.
He will be joined on the SOF stage by Medeja Kraševec Žnidarec, Creative Director at Luna \TBWA, with whom he will discuss how thoughtful positioning of Slovenian brands within a film narrative can create both a cultural and commercial phenomenon.
The session will open a question frequently raised in the industry: is product placement merely a commercial compromise, or can it become a tool for building a convincing cinematic universe that benefits both audiences and brands?
