In DJ Ahmet, writer-director Georgi M. Unkovski delivers a gentle, observant coming-of-age story set far from dance floors and spotlights. Rooted in rural Macedonia, the film is less concerned with musical transformation than with the quiet rhythms of adolescence, responsibility, and the tentative pull of freedom in a tightly bound community.
Ahmet (Arif Jakup), son of a shepherd in Macedonia, is pulled out of school to assist with the demands of the farm. Joined by his quiet, younger brother, Naim (Agush Agushev) and strict father (Aksel Mehmet), Ahmet learns the importance of standing up for yourself and keeping an eye on your sheep.
Despite what the title may suggest, Ahmet doesn’t become a DJ. Instead, music plays a prominent role in the film. Ahmet’s first scene finds him listening to music on shared earphones, and the film’s most physically energetic scene, in which he sprints after a car, is accompanied by a lively instrumentation including a trombone and tuba.
A small but thematically vital moment occurs as Ahmet stumbles into a rave, bumps into a tall, imposing man, only for him to smile and flicker Ahmet’s flashlight like a strobe.
However, DJ Ahmet is not about the magical healing power of music, and it’s only when Ahmet meets local girl, Aya (Dora Akan Zlatanova), that a clearer story starts to take form.
The film’s best moments are between Ahmet and Aya, as quiet, natural scenes develop the blossoming of a unique relationship that’s part romance, part friendship. This culminates in a beautiful climax that perfectly sums up the story’s themes of freedom and resilience. Which, of course, is instigated with music.
Arif Jakup plays Ahmet with an effortless haplessness suitable for a modern teenager in a conservative town. Dora Akan Slatanova gives Aya a perfect combination of sweetness with a slight snark and backbone.
Whether intentional or not, Ahmet’s family drama is overshadowed by this teenage coming-of-age story. So much so that when Naim finally speaks up, which he does twice in the whole movie, it happens so unceremoniously that the audience, who had been chuckling and even repeating lines out loud, had no reaction.
For the most part, DJ Ahmet is an introspective slice of life story. It’s only during the last half that the story gathers some momentum as Aya begins her arranged marriage ceremony. There is no obvious buildup to a finale, like the audition in Billy Elliot, or prom dance in Footloose. But it’s easy to get absorbed into the slow life of Macedonian farmers, only recently learning about music speakers and modern dancing.
The comical highlight of the story was when a local religious man, played charmingly by Atila Klince, asks Ahmet about creating a password that wouldn’t be construed as blasphemous.
The enormous vistas of Eastern Europe steal the show. Many shots display the beautiful, rolling hills, sparsely peppered with small towns and individual characters. While not possessing the most creative cinematography, Naum Doksevski makes full use of the scenery, with people and objects often shoved to the edges of the frame.
Though it resists melodrama and largely avoids conventional narrative payoffs, DJ Ahmet is quietly assured in what it chooses to observe. Its restraint may feel dry to viewers expecting emotional crescendos or cathartic release. But that understatement is also its strength.
Georgi M. Unkovski’s film finds dignity in small gestures, fleeting connections and the rhythms of everyday life. You won’t leave energised or elated, but you may leave more attentive. To music, to community, and to the unremarkable moments that quietly shape who we become.
DJ Ahmet runs from 29 December – 4 January as part of Lotterywest Films and Perth Festival. Somerville Auditorium, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Godroo / Crawley WA 6009.
Tickets: https://www.perthfestival.com.au/program/season-2026/dj-ahmet
Website: https://www.perthfestival.com.au/program/season-2026/lotterywest-films
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/perthfest/ and https://www.instagram.com/lotterywest/
Watch the trailer here:
Film details:
Title: DJ Ahmet
Director: Georgi M Unkovsk
Cast: Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim, Atila Klince
Country of Origin: North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia
Duration: 99 mins
Rating: 15+
