A creative meet-and-greet with renowned Serbian and Russian theater and film actor and producer Milos Bikovic took place as part of the International Festival of Youth. The star of films including “Red Silk,” “The Serf,” “The Challenge,” “The Balkan Line” and “Ice” answered participants’ questions about the secrets of the acting profession, current trends in the film industry, and his love for Russia.

The meeting was moderated by renowned director, producer and screenwriter Klim Shipenko, whose “The Serf” franchise and films “Salyut 7,” “Text” and “The Challenge” have earned recognition far beyond Russia.

During the open dialogue, Milos Bikovic shared his personal experience working on some of the highest-grossing Russian projects of recent years. The actor spoke about the behind-the-scenes side of filming, as well as how successful international projects are created at the intersection of cultures.

Special attention during the meeting was given to how an actor builds a role, what goes into choosing a script, and how an actor from Serbia became one of the most sought-after figures in Russian cinema. Milos Bikovic spoke about what Russia means to him and why he believes it is important to build cultural bridges between the two countries – not through declarations, but through concrete creative projects.

“Russia is a country of beauty to me. Here, I was welcomed as one of their own… by society, by the profession, and by the audience – by the people themselves. I don’t play foreigners, but Russian heroes and historical figures, often in leading roles. That says a lot about how open the Russian people are, and how warmly they welcome you if you approach them with love and respect. Russia has so much beauty, tenderness and warmth, and from the inside, you often don’t even notice it. It’s like a fish that doesn’t know it’s surrounded by water. It’s part of the Russian mentality – for you, it’s natural. And to me, that’s beautiful,” noted Milos Bikovic.

Klim Shipenko, whose collaboration with Bikovic includes not only “The Serf” franchise but also the film “The Challenge,” brought a director’s perspective to the conversation – one in which an actor is not simply someone who performs a role, but a co-author. That perspective allowed participants to see, beyond the success story, the everyday work behind a role that rarely makes it into interviews.

Festival participants had the chance to ask their own questions directly – about the acting profession, about working on Russian and international film sets, and about what helps someone stay motivated in a competitive industry. The creative meet-and-greet with Milos Bikovic became one of the standout events of the IFY Media Streaming Program, bringing together representatives of different countries and professions around themes of art, cooperation, and mutual understanding.

In 2026, the Media Streaming Program at the International Festival of Youth is being carried out with the participation of strategic partner Rosatom State Corporation, along with partners VK, RT Academy, and the New Media Workshop. The program’s operator is Bureau Up.

The event took place as part of the Znanie.Pervye marathon.

Overview of the Media Streaming Program at the IFY – 2026

The Media Streaming Program brings together content creators from around the world for a dialogue on the future of the media industry. Here, top bloggers, journalists, producers, and figures from science and the arts will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing media communications and creative industries. Participants can also look forward to creative meet-and-greets, discussions, master classes, and competitive formats.

Throughout the discussions, Russian and international experts will address questions such as what draws young people from abroad to Russia today, whether culture truly remains one of the key tools for advancing international dialogue, and which Russian scientific projects and technologies are in demand around the world today. How can we preserve critical thinking and a coherent sense of values in an era of deepfakes and the speed at which they spread on social media? Program participants can also look forward to meetings and public talks with popular actors, TV show hosts, and media experts.

Master classes led by Media Streaming partners will take a close look at topics such as creative AI practices, news content creation, developing creative thinking, using streaming services, and other directions currently relevant to the media industry.

Participants can show off their skills and win great prizes from Media Streaming partners in the “Content Race” – a competition for the most creative social media posts.