In Retrospect: CGA Belgrade 2025 – Does it Remain Untitled?

CGA Belgrade 2025 took place on April 10/11 at the Yugoslav Film Archive (Jugoslovenska kinoteka) in Belgrade, and, honestly speaking, we had an absolute blast running it. 

We have designed the 2025 conference around the theme Untitled, which encourages the audience to embrace ambiguity and creative risk-taking. The theme has also positioned our conference as a space where artistic exploration and experimentation are pivotal to any creative business (or, as the Woodblock team would put it: STAY SANE – STAY HINGRY).

That’s why we intentionally wove timely, transformative topics—like AI, blockchain, and beyond—into this year’s program. By doing so, we not only sparked deeper conversations about the future of creative industries, but also opened the door for advertising professionals to join the dialogue, bringing fresh perspectives and expanding the CGA community in powerful new ways.

It turned out that the theme was quite appropriate when describing the moment we decided to organize the event – the one marked by too many shifts and turns in the industry at large. Yet, our passion for this project prevailed, and the conference co-founder, Milica Božanić (Serbia Film Commission), nailed perfectly why we are doing it:

At CGA Belgrade, we held that untitled space in between – a liminal zone full of doubt, possibility, and quiet determination. What stood out most? Not the big showreels or polished pitches. But the people who keep showing up – small studios, creators, educators, evangelists, self-starters, and shakers with no roadmap but plenty of intent. 

We saw what individual agency looks like in 2025: messy, brave, curious, and deeply human. The antidote we are all looking for – creative communion. If you’ve ever created something without a clear title, without a guaranteed outcome – you already belong here.

While the industry is going through rapid shifts – some exciting, some unsettling – one thing felt solid at CGA: THE PEOPLE. The ones who show up, share openly, speak from experience, and make space for the rest of us to reflect, connect, and grow. 

–  says Miljana Jovović, the CGA co-founder (Materriya Talent Development).

So, to everybody involved in making the CGA 2025 happen, including an array of marvelous speakers, discutants, and masterclass lecturers – we salute you!

full list of speakers and sessions

CGA 2025 (not so) Random Highlights
and Comebacks

First and foremost, getting to know Dejan Ilić, the mastermind behind the CGA 2025 visual identity, was the absolute highlight of the year. His blend of tech and art set the vibe for the whole event. Furthermore, he introduced us to the wonderfully creative crew from Metroplexx, AudioLab, and Mexx Production, including the ingenious music producer LAG, who composed music for the conference opening. 

Another highlight is the informal reunion of the CGA alumni who, in 2022, attended the months-long program CGAccelerator, designed to boost the skills in business and marketing of creative leaders.  

Ivan Vasiljević of Digital Asset Tailors (DAT) has, once again, served as a speaker in the main conference track, but he was also the one to provide our strongest asset – COFFEE, on behalf of his brewing brand, 7AM Roasters. Another CGAccelerator alumni, Katarina Milanović, stepped up and brought along her (busy yet glamorous) production crew from Represent Communication to cover the entire event. Joel Pilger, the CGAccelerator lecturer came back to host a few inspiring sessions, as well as the FUSE dinner, the invitation-only side event that gathered 15 studio owners and delivered inspiring results. 

Belgrade Houdini User Group, led by our long-time partners from SideFX, was once more an integral part of CGA – this time in the form of a Boardroom Talk, a discussion track we were thrilled to introduce to everybody’s delight. 

Among the familiar faces whose continued support means the world to us, a special mention goes to the incredible technical team from Atomic Visual Support. Their expertise, precision, and calm under pressure once again proved indispensable — they didn’t just support the show, they powered it, seamlessly turning vision into reality from behind the scenes.

Up on the stage, hosting all three conference tracks were Nikola Silić, Natalija Nikollić, Aleksandra Bobić and Sara Agić. Our first introduction to Nikola’s wittines was back in 2022 when he held a session pre-recorded in CGA’s virtual environment. Now, together with Natalija and Aleksandra, he is an alumni of Epic Games Novi Sad that provides highly-engaging educational programs organized by our team from Materriya Talent Development.

In this regard, we were also proud to introduce Creative Moxie: Catalyst for Creative Revolution, an initiative supported by the European Union that’s all about empowering and elevating the creative industries in our region. Part of our program was organized under the wing of Creative Moxie and it was amazing to see so many young creatives from the Balkans under the same roof.

A huge shoutout goes to the absolutely amazing crew of VOLUNTEERS who brought youthful energy, kindness, and big smiles to CGA Belgrade 2025. Many of them returned for a second year, and their commitment and positivity were truly felt in every corner of the event. Whether they were helping behind the scenes or guiding guests with ease, their presence made the experience warmer and more human.

Finally, our heartfelt thanks go to our longtime partners and sponsors at Autodesk, whose support has been with us since the very beginning. They never fail to bring inspiring voices—Roland Reyer joined us for the third time, while John Paul Giancarlo returned for his second visit. This year, they were joined by talents from Autodesk’s newly-acquired companies: Milutin Sekulić (Wonder Dynamics) and Nicholas Chhaverou (Golaem), who delivered fresh perspectives on the technologies shaping the future of visual storytelling.

Besides this powerhouse, we owe many thanks to all of our partners, including Crater Studio, Nebius, Epson, Knjaz Miloš, as well as Foundry, Lenovo, and Unity who delighted our attendees with some valuable prizes.

Most sessions from CGA 2025 will be available for replay to all ticket holders, so you can catch up or revisit your favorites anytime. Stay tuned — more updates and access details are coming your way soon!