Darko is a European-born, American-based, genre-oriented writer and director. Passionate about suspense thrillers, mystery SF, all kinds of westerns and dark comedies. Heavily influenced by graphic novels and punk-rock music. Adores cats, despite his allergy.   RECENT SUCCESSES Genre Winner, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition 2022 Finalist, Final Draft - Big Break 2021 Second Rounder, Austin Film Festival 2022 Quarterfinalist, PAGE Awards - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Competition 2022 Quarterfinalist, Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition 2022 Quarterfinalist, WeScreenplay Feature Screenwriting Lab 2021 Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship 2022 Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Action & Adventure Screenplay Competition 2019 Semifinalist, PAGE Awards - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Competition 2017   PREVIOUS WORKS 2012 - The Third Half (feature, Macedonia/Czech Republic)* The official Macedonian entry for the Best Foreign-Language Oscar2007 - Devils (short, USA)2005 - Bal-Can-Can (feature, Italy/Macedonia)   AWARDS • BEST NARATIVE FEATURE - 2nd Place, Palm Springs Film Festival• MELIES D'ARGENT for the Best European Fantasy Film, Espoo Cine (Finland)• SPECIAL DIPLOMA OF THE GUILD OF RUSSIAN FILM CRITICS, Moscow Film Festival (Russia)• AUDIENCE AWARD European Film Festival, Bucharest (Romania)• FROM A TO A for the Best Film, Motovun Film Festival (Croatia)   PRESS EXCERPTS: "Writer-helmer Darko Mitrevski keeps pushing the envelope... The cynical, hallucinatory, modern Pilgrim's Progress is a trip, with memorably out-there sequences sure to build a cult rep among adventuresome cineastes" (Dennis Harvey on Bal-can-can, VARIETY) "The film is rich in period detail and local color, and gives an impressive picture of its setting. Mitrevski manages to coherently put together all the complicated details of the period and the geopolitical situation... The most ambitious Macedonian film since 1994 Venice winner Before the Rain. (Vladan Petkovic on The Third Half, CINEUROPA) "Hysterically funny dark comedy, throbbing with vitality... Darko Mitrevski is a director who could soon elbow Emir Kusturica aside from the snug position of the Balkan genius." (Stas Tyrkin on Balcancan, MANEŽ)