Filmovi nagrađeni na festivalima u Veneciji, Kanu, Berlinu, Sarajevu i Puli dolaze na 20. Slobodnu zonu
Na programu jubilarne, 20. Slobodne zone, između ostalih, biće prikazana i sveže ovenčana ostvarenja sa uglednih filmskih festivala: „Još sam tu” Valtera Salesa, nagrađen za najbolji scenario u Veneciji, „Čovjek koji nije mogao šutjeti” Nebojše Slijepčevića, osvajač Zlatne palme za kratki film u Kanu, „Moj omiljeni kolač” Marjam Mogadam i Bentaša Sanaihe, dobitnik Nagrade ekumenskog žirija i Nagrade FIPRESCI u Berlinu, kao i „Tri kilometra do kraja sveta” Emanuela Parvua, pobednik Filmskog festivala u Sarajevu i „Naša djeca” Silvestra Kolbasa, najboljeg reditelja Pulskog festivala.
Proslavljeni brazilski reditelj i scenarista Valter Sales snimio je istorijsku dramu „Još sam tu” (I’m Still Here / Ainda Estou Aqui) o tragičnim posledicama vojne diktature u Brazilu (1964 – 1985). Glavna junakinja je Eunise Paiva, majka petoro dece koja postaje aktivistkinja nakon hapšenja supruga i bivšeg kongresmena Marsela.
– Eunisina priča je priča o istoriji Brazila tokom te užasne 21 godine diktature, neverovatna priča o jednoj porodici koja je pretrpela strašno nasilje i izvanrednoj, hrabroj ženi koja se našla usred svega toga – rekao je Valter Sales, nazvavši film „instrumentom protiv zaborava”.
Ova adaptacija memoara Marselovog i Eunisinog sina, Marsela Rubensa, nagrađen je prošlog meseca u Veneciji za najbolji scenario, a nedavno je odabran i za brazilskog kandidata za Oskara.
Nebojša Slijepčević, posle „Srbenke” donosi na Slobodnu zonu svoje najnovije ostvarenje, „Čovjek koji nije mogao šutjeti”, nagrađeno Zlatnom palmom za kratkometražni film na 77. Kanskom festivalu. Prema rečima reditelja, tema nije nikakva istorijska lekcija, već vanvremenska ljudska dilema: kako reagovati kada ste svedoci nepravde ili nasilja (koje nije usmereno ka vama). Inspiraciju za film pronašao je u kolumni Borisa Dežulovića o Tomi Buzovu, penzionisanom kapetanu JNA, koji se jedini pobunio protiv zločina nad nedužnima, zbog čega je i sam ubijen, a grob mu se i danas ne zna. Glavne uloge tumače Goran Bogdan, Dragan Mićanović, Aleksis Manenti, Silvio Mumelaš i drugi.
Jedan od najbolje ocenjenih filmova u zvaničnoj konkurenciji 74. Berlinskog festivala, „Moj najdraži kolač” (My Favourite Cake / Keyke mahboobe man), režirali su Iranci Bentaš Sanaiha i Marjam Mogadam. Reč je o nežnoj drami o usamljenoj udovici koja poziva taksistu u stan, s namerom da prekine svoje samotne dane. Ovo je jedan od prvih filmova koji prikazuje ženu bez hidžaba od dolaska na vlast tvrdokornog islamskog režima 1979, sa retko viđanim scenama u kojima žene piju alkohol, puše cigarete ili ljube muškarce… Zbog svega toga, rediteljima je bio zabranjen dolazak na svetsku premijeru u Berlin, gde je film dobio Nagradu ekumenskog žirija i priznanje Udruženja filmskih kritičara FIPRESCI.
– Ovo je film koji slavi život i čuvanje uspomene na one kratke i slatke trenutke. Hteli smo da predstavimo realni život sredovečnih Iranki, sliku koja je proterana iz iranskih filmova nakon islamske revolucije – poručili su reditelji u otvorenom pismu medijima.
Rumunski reditelj i glumac Emanuel Parvu u svom trećem ostvarenju, „Tri kilometra do kraja sveta” (Three Kilometres to the End of the World / Trei kilometri pâna la capatul lumii) prati 17-godišnjeg Adija koji provodi leto u rodnom mestu, izolovanom u delti Dunava. Kada doživi brutalni napad na ulici, njegov život okreće se naglavačke. Umesto da ga podrže, roditelji i komšije se okreću protiv njega i on shvata da je, naizgled mirna fasada njegovog sela, prepuna pukotina.
– Ljubav između roditelja i deteta je najsnažnija vrsta ljubavi i ona bi trebalo bi da bude bezuslovna, a kada postane uslovna, usled najrazličitijih unutrašnjih stanja, onda je to nešto vredno priče – kazao je Parvu, čiji je film dobio Srce Sarajeva za najbolji igrani film 30. SFF i Kvir palmu u Kanu, za najbolji film sa LGBT tematikom, a biće i rumunski predstavnik za Oskara za strani film.
Roditeljska ljubav tema je i dokumentarca „Naša djeca” zagrebačkog autora Silvestra Kolbasa. Ova krajnje lična priča, koja zadire duboko u porodične rane, proizvod je roditeljske brige i straha da se ne pogreši u odgajanju. U središtu je Silvestrov odnos sa njegovo troje dece: Jakovom, sinom iz prvog braka, Evom, rođenom vantelesnom oplodnjom u drugom braku sa Natašom, i Antom, koga su usvojili kada je imao osam godina.
– Dugo sam pratio kamerom dešavanja u porodici, nadajući se da će to biti jedan šarmantni zabavni film, ali su se stvari zakomplikovale – priznao je Kolbus i izrazio nadu da će ga mnogi roditelji razumeti kada je reč o problemima u davanju i prihvatanju ljubavi.
– Mi smo kultura uspeha i volimo da se predstavimo boljima nego što jesmo, krijemo svoje neuspehe. Nadam se da će se ljudi prepoznati i videti da nisu sami u problemu – poručio je reditelj.
Silvestar Kolbus nagrađen je za režiju na 71. Pulskom festivalu, a neki hrvatski mediji ocenili su ga kao „najbolji dokumentarac koji ćete pogledati ove godine”.
Jubilarno, 20. izdanje Slobodne zone biće održano od 6. do 11. novembra u Beogradu, Novom Sadu, Nišu i Kragujevcu. Publika će moći da pogleda preko 65 igranih i dokumentarnih angažovanih filmova u beogradskim dvoranama Doma omladine, Dvorane Kulturnog centra, Art bioskopa Kolarac, MTS dvorane, UK Parobrod, Jugoslovenske kinoteke, Cinegrand Rakovica i Cineplexx „Ušće”, u salama Cineplexx Kragujevac i Cineplexx Niš, kao i u Novom Sadu u bioskopu Cineplex Arena i Kulturnom centru.
Festival će biti svečano otvoren 6. novembra u 19 sati u Plavoj dvorani Sava centra, regionalnom premijerom filma „Anora” Šona Bejkera, ovenčanog Zlatnom palmom.
Ulaznice za otvaranje po ceni od 1200 din u prodaji su onlajn preko sajtova Tickets i eFinity, kao i na prodajnim mestima ovih servisa.
Ulaznice za ostale projekcije takođe se mogu kupiti preko pomenutih servisa, kao i na (onlajn) blagajnama bioskopa gde će biti prikazani.
I ove godine, deo filmskog programa moći će da pogleda publika u celoj Srbiji, jer će platforma KinoKauch biti domaćin onlajn Slobodne zone.
Ovogodišnji festival podržali su potprogram MEDIA programa Kreativna Evropa, Ministarstvo kulture Republike Srbije, Rekonstrukcija Ženski fond, Gradska uprava za kulturu Grada Novog Sada, Filmski centar Srbije i Francuski institut.
Palestinci i Izraelci zajedno na Slobodnoj zoni – Film kao krik za slobodu
Dokumentarni film „Mi nemamo drugu zemlju” (No Other Land), debitantsko ostvarenje Palestinsko-izraelskog kolektiva koje prati druženje dvojice mladića sa sukobljenih strana, premijerno će biti prikazan na 20. Slobodnoj zoni.
Film se bavi višedecenijskim uništavanjem oblasti Masafer Jata na Zapadnoj obali, koju čini dvadesetak palestinskih sela. Tu živi i Bazel Adra, mladi palestinski aktivista koji se od detinjstva bori protiv sistemskog rušenja kuća i masovnog proterivanja njegove zajednice od strane izraelskih vlasti. Njemu se u toj borbi pridružuje i vršnjak, izraelski novinar Juval Abraham, koji pokušava da svojim sunarodnicima prenese realnu situaciju sa lica mesta.
– Kao mlađem govorili su mi da se kuće ruše jer Palestinci grade nelegalno, ali sam onda shvatio da postoji zakon koji brani Palestincima da dobijaju građevinske dozvole, kao deo šire zavere da im se preuzme zemlja – kaže Juval.
Istraživanje ga je dalje odvelo do Masafer Jate, gde je upoznao Bazela. Povezala ih je borba protiv nepravde koju su, potom, pretočili u film.
„Mi nemamo drugu zemlju” sastoji se od video-zapisa koje su Bazel i Juval načinili tokom pet godina (do oktobra 2023) i arhivskih snimaka Bazelove porodice. Sem njih dvojice, Palestinsko-izraelski kolektiv čine i izraelska novinarka i snimateljka Rejčel Sor i palestinski aktivista i fotograf Hamdan Balal.
Snimanje je proticalo u izuzetno stresnim i napetim uslovima, budući da izraelska vojska sada ima vlast nad Masafer Jatom. Dvaput su upadali u Bazelov dom i oduzimali kompjutere i kamere, ali je film, ipak, ugledao svetlost dana. Svetsku premijeru imao je na 74. Berlinskom festivalu u februaru, gde je osvojio nagradu za najbolji dokumentarac i nagradu publike.
Ovaj „zastrašujući filmski udarac u stomak” i „hronika o ljudskoj izdržljivosti” priznanja je dobio i na festivalima u Kopenhagenu, Oslu, JAR, Nionu, Šefildu, Belfastu, Portugalu, Poljskoj, Zagrebu…
Oba mladića ističu da je političko rešenje od suštinskog značaja za okončanje okupacije i stabilnu budućnost regiona.
– Nadam se da naš film pokazuje koliko je trenutni sistem neodrživ. Bazel i ja smo isto godište. Ja sam Izraelac, on Palestinac. Živimo na pola sata jedan od drugoga, ali nismo jednaki. Ja živim pod civilnim zakonom, Bazel pod vojnim. Ja imam pravo glasa, on ne. Ja mogu slobodno da se krećem po Izraelu, Bazel je, poput miliona drugih Palestinaca, zatočen na okupiranoj Zapadnoj obali. Ovaj aparthejd mora da se ukine – izjavio je Juval.
Bazel Adra nastavlja da agituje i preko društvenih mreža na tome da pokaže Zapadu šta se dešava na terenu, „da smo žrtve brutalne okupacije i da nam je potrebna podrška celog sveta da to zaustavimo”, poručuje.
Jubilarno, 20. izdanje Slobodne zone biće održano od 6. do 11. novembra u Beogradu, Novom Sadu, Nišu i Kragujevcu.
Festival će biti svečano otvoren 6. novembra u 19 sati u Plavoj dvorani Sava centra, regionalnom premijerom filma „Anora” Šona Bejkera, ovenčanog Zlatnom palmom.
Ulaznice po ceni od 1200 dinara, u prodaji su onlajn preko sajtova Tickets i eFinity, kao i na prodajnim mestima ovih servisa.
I ove godine, deo filmskog programa moći će da pogleda publika u celoj Srbiji, jer će platforma KinoKauch biti domaćin onlajn Slobodne zone.
Ovogodišnji festival podržali su potprogram MEDIA programa Kreativna Evropa, Ministarstvo kulture Republike Srbije, Rekonstrukcija Ženski fond, Gradska uprava za kulturu Grada Novog Sada, Filmski centar Srbije i Francuski institut.
The new film by Oscar winner Hamaguchi, “Evil Does Not Exist” opens the 19th film festival, Free Zone
After the exceptional achievements Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Drive My Car, which earned him the status of one of the favorite authors of local film lovers, the Japanese Ryusuke Hamaguchi (44) continued to win awards and critics with his latest film Evil Does Not Exist.
Premiered at the 80th Venice Film Festival, where it was awarded the Grand Jury Prize – Silver Lion, along with four other independent awards, Evil Does Not Exist follows a father and daughter who live modest lives in a village near Tokyo, respecting the cycles and laws of nature. One day, they learn that a large company from Tokyo is planning to build a luxury camp in the middle of the forest, to offer its clients an “escape from the city”. It soon becomes evident that the project will have negative consequences for the local water supply, the ecological balance, and the life of the surrounding population.
For the previous two films, Hamaguchi also won important awards: the romantic drama Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy won the Silver Bear – the Grand Jury Prize in Berlin, while Drive My Car was awarded for the screenplay at the world premiere in Cannes, and then nominated for an Oscar in four categories, including for the Best Foreign Langauge film, where it triumphed.
Although, by his admission, he was a little tired of the media attention and promotion of both films, simultaneously released in 2021, and wanted to take a much-needed break, Hamaguchi received an offer he couldn’t refuse.
His collaborator on the film Drive My Car composer Eiko Ishibashi, asked him to help her create a video to accompany her live performance. Not feeling “qualified” to shoot only abstract scenes, Hamaguchi decided to write a classic script and shooting book. And then, unplanned, a full-length film was born from that.
“Over time, I became more attached to the material we created. This very free way of recording seemed refreshing to me. I am a city kid, and for the first time I immersed myself so deeply in nature”, the Japanese explained to the media in Venice.
The result is another pearl with his signature.
Tickets for the grand opening of the Free Zone in Belgrade, for 800 dinars, are on sale at ticket offices of MTS Dvorana and the Tickets.rs service, as well as online through the website of MTS Dvorana, and Tickets.rs. On the same day, the film will be shown at the opening of the festival in Niš and Novi Sad.
This year’s festival is sponsored by the Creative Europe MEDIA subprogram, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Reconstruction Women’s Fund, the Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade, the City Administration for Culture of the City of Novi Sad, the Film Center of Serbia and the French Institute.
Winners of the 16th Free Zone
The 16th Free Zone Film Festival officially ended with the screening of the film “Body of Truth” and the award ceremony at the Cultural Center of Belgrade. The winners of the festival were announced at the closing ceremony by the decisions of the international, regional, and high school jury.
By the decision of the members of the international jury – producer Carla Fotea, director Mina Đukić and assistant professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts Vanja Šibalić, the award for the best-engaged film in the international selection went to the film “Never, rarely, sometimes, always” by American director Eliza Hitman
From this year’s diverse selection, the international jury decided to award the best film to Eliza Hitman for her unique and in-depth experience, which is based on an incredible sense of detail and delicate storytelling. The film is an extremely skillful expression of compassion and courage and encourages us to get emotionally involved. The flawless performance of Sidney Flanigan in the main role additionally strengthens the possibility of identification with the events in this film.
The jury of the Regional Program – Balkan Horizons – director Ivana Mladenović, producer Jelena Mitrović, and director Mladen Kovačević awarded the prize for the best-engaged film to the Greek film “Digger” by Georgis Grigorakis.
Digging as an examination of our roots and past in order to heal wounds. We reward this film for the special abilities of the author to bring tenderness to the western genre. The film is about the fight against companies that destroy forests, but it is also about a father and son who, even though the ground is muddy under them, have to dig to overcome the problem.
The director of the film “Digger” addressed the audience via a video link and said, “I am grateful that my film found its way to the audience in these circumstances and we are sorry that we are not with you to celebrate this victory.” The entire author team of this film greeted the audience of the Free Zone via a video link.
This year’s Free Zone Festival gathered a multitude of films that are impressive in terms of the topics they deal with, genres, forms, and also in terms of quality. The award for the best film in the 14+ selection went to the film “Blood Ties” by Danish director Jeanette Nordahl.
A film realization that shows in a fantastic way the struggle of a young girl who was given an apparent refuge, but in fact was left to herself. Her immersion in the love of the new family that supposedly gave her everything will result in her drowning in herself in order to preserve that family. In this story, love and violence coexist, the border between them is insignificant and they are always present together. The perfect emphasis on a single parent who loves his sons endlessly while at the same time is sending them to slaughter. In this situation, the roles of the mother and the head of the criminal gang cannot agree with each other, Ida’s presence makes the situation even more uncertain, which will slowly unravel in the hands of a young girl going through hell.
The film “Akasa, my home” won the Human Rights award in the regional selection Balkan Horizons.
A caring view of the life of the Roma community, “Akasa” is a complex film about growing up, about the generation gap, about the internal struggle of the family to adapt, but even more about the failure of society ready to easily take away what it disapproves of and has so little to offer. An intimate observation film in which the protagonists selflessly share their everyday life with the audience, does not offer simple answers, does not choose the side, but inspires empathy and understanding of the diversity to which modern society must strive.
The director of the film, Radu Čorničuk, also addressed the audience at the Cultural Centre of Belgrade via video and thanked for the award he dedicated to the Enaka family, which is the main actor in this fantastic film.
The film “About One Youth” by Ivan Ramljak received special recognition in the regional selection of Balkan Horizons.
Because of the memory. Because of a promise to a friend. With immeasurable strength, the author returns to his youth and brings us a film that was not destined to happen. To Marko and Ivan, for wonderful photos and directing full of love.
Director Ivan Ramljak called from Zagreb and also thanked for the award and said that he hoped that he would soon be able to hang out with the audience in Belgrade.
The audience award was won by the film “Glory to the Queen” by directors Tatija Škirtladza and Ana Hazaradza. The author of this film was a guest of the festival.
The 16th Free Zone on BIS will be held on Wednesday, November 11 at the Cultural Center of Belgrade, when the films Insider (17h), Gagarin (19h), and Epicentro (21h) will be shown, and the film achievements of the festival will be available online that day at KinoKauch platform.
16. Free Zone Film Festival Encore online and at the Cultural Centre of Belgrade
Films that received the highest audience reviews at the 16th Free Zone Film Festival – The Mole Agent, Gagarine and Epicentro will be shown again on Wednesday, November 11 at the Cultural Center of Belgrade.
16th Free Zone Film Festival Online will also be encored due to increased interest of the audience. The audience will have the opportunity to experience the film festival for one more day (Wednesday, November 11) using an online platform called KinoKauch. The three films that sparked the most interest on the said platform are The Reason I Jump, Undine and Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness.
The Mole Agent, which will be shown at 5 pm at the Cultural Centre of Belgrade, tells a story of Sergio – a special agent from Chile. He ends up getting the job through an ad stating that applicants must be over 80, not too concerned with moral dilemmas and must have a good memory.
Yuri, 16, has lived all his life in Gagarin Towers, a vast red-brick housing project on the outskirts of Paris. He dreams of becoming an astronaut. When plans to demolish Gagarin Towers leak out, Yuri joins the resistance. With his friends Diana and Houssam, he embarks on a mission to save their home, which has become his “starship.”
From the world-famous filmmaker Hubert Sauper – the director of the award-winning film at the Sundance Festival We Come as Friends and the creator of the Oscar-nominated film Darwin’s Nightmare – comes Epicentro, an immersive and metaphorical portrait of postcolonial “utopian” Cuba, where the ramifications of the 1898 explosion of U.S.S. Maine are still very much present. The film will be shown at 9 p.m.
Based on Naoki Higashida’s best-selling book, The Reason I Jump is a brilliant documentary introducing us to the world of autism in the most profound and deeply intimate way.
Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness is another film based on several true stories in which a TV studio serves as a courtroom and a place for justice.
The heroine of the film Undine, played by the German actress Paula Beer, is a historian who works as a curator in a museum in Berlin. Completely by chance, she meets Kristof, a diver who works on underwater research. She falls in love with him and it seems that a new life for her is just beginning. Paula Beer won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 2020 Berlinale Film Festival.
Gledajte Slobodnu zonu na bis na KinoKauch!
More than 200 students from Serbia are part of educational cinema of the Free Zone Junior
The traveling school cinema of the Free Zone Junior ends this year’s educational virtual trip around the cities of Serbia with today’s media literacy workshop for the students of the “Branislav Petronijević” Grammar School in Ub! During the previous two weeks, one-day media literacy workshops, with screenings of short documentaries, were realized in high schools in Krupanj, Raška, Ljubovija, Trstenik, Bogatić, Sečanj, Vršac, Srbobran, Titel and Tutin, and were attended by more than 200 students.
Due to the covid-19 virus pandemic, the workshops were organized online instead of physically, in schools, and during these meetings students had the opportunity to learn from media experts from the Free Zone Junior about media literacy and documentary film, as well as to discuss topics relevant to them and their local community. On this occasion, motivated students are encouraged to create documentary video works through which they will express their views, tell important stories and point out the problems in their environment, but also the possibility of solving them. The best student works will be shown at an exhibition that will be organized on December 10th on the International Human Rights Day in Belgrade or in online format.
The traveling school cinema of the Free Zone Junior has been realized for the fourth year with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, and during the previous seasons it was a guest in Trgovište, Kučevo, Zaječar, Bela Crkva, Negotin, Majdanpek, Knjazevac, Vladimirci, Nova Varoš, Lučani, Ljig, Koceljeva, Mali Zvornik, Novi Pazar, Leskovac, Kovačica, Loznica, Srpska Crnja, Bečej, Mionica, Lajkovac and Brus.
The Free Zone Junior program was established in 2006. with the intention of initiating talks and expanding knowledge in Serbia on current social and political topics from around the world, and to contribute to the development of critical thinking among young people and increase media literacy, tolerance and also breaking down prejudices and stereotypes through the use of engaging films.
The program has expanded over the years, and today includes activities in primary, secondary and higher education, as well as extracurricular programs for high school students.
Premieres of domestic authors and the new program Digital Propeller on Monday in the Free Zone
Two film premieres of the domestic authors and a rich accompanying program will take place on Monday, November 9 at the 16th Free Zone Festival.
Within the program Free Zone Compass there will be a panel discussion after the film ”Milestones” by Jelena Radenković. Participants of the panel will include Miroslav Keveždi (philosopher, expert for memorial heritage), Dragan Protić Prota (architect and the founder of the Škart group), Jelena Radenković (director), Olga Manojlović Pintar (historian).
Program In Conversation With… will be held via Zoom platform at 6 PM. Lina Gonan will cover the main motives of the film Little Girl through her lecture, such as gender non-normativeness, the process of legal gender recognition, and the fight for self-determination.
The Free Zone and MEDIA desk Serbia with the support of the Film Center Serbia will organize a new industry program, Digital Propeller. It will offer 2-day workshops where independent Serbian art house film screeners will get a chance to learn about different digital promotional strategies for developing and attracting audiences to the cinemas, as well as new business models imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. The workshops will be held online.
Promotion of the book “50 years of the film hit in Serbian cinematography 1969-2019″ by the professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts Marina Fafulić Milosavljević will take place in the multimedia hall of the Jugoslovenska kinoteka at 7.30 PM. This book is not only intended for filmophiles but for everyone involved with film – theoretically, artistically or practically. Many people will find out interesting information about their favorite domestic movies in this book.
Welcome to the Free Zone in cinemas and online (kinokauch.com)!
Great interest in online Free Zone video platform
This year, Free Zone Film festival (5-10. november), can also be visited online, in addition to regular cinema experience. New platform KinoKauch is the part of this year’s festival, and European and World cinematography hits with Serbian subtitles are now just one click away.
The organizers offer you a short guide through watching movies from your home. Purchases are made using payment cards, and the price is $2.99 (which is 300RSD and is comparable to average festival ticket price). Movie is available for 24 hours from the moment of purchase and can be watched with breaks. Good internet connection is important.
This year festival will host guests both, live and online. Besides In conversation with, which is held via Zoom platform, talk program Free Zone Compas includes movie projections and open discussion about movies, will be live. After projections in the Cultural Centre of Belgrade, numerous cultural workers, philosophers, culturologists and social analysts will join us in order to discuss social phenomena and problems, consider possible solutions, talk about different views and arguments and start an initiative for active social involvement.
This year, Compass will open many topics: the growth of corruption, there will be talk about the growth and the new hidden language of the right-wing, about the disappearance of our forests and what is left of Tito’s legacy. Vladimir Simonovic will join our Compas editors this year (Ivan Milenković and Rajko Petrović), and he will present with his guests The Declaration on Regional Solidarity.
Defend the Rivers of Stara Planina Movement at the opening of the 16. Free Zone Film Festival
Tonight, the world premiere of Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace opened the 16th Free Zone Film Festival in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis.
The festival was officially opened by Rajko Petrović, the director of the festival, as well as the selectors Branka Popović and Ivan Bakrač.
Guests of honor at the opening were the representatives of the environmental movement Save the Stara Planina Rivers. They were greeted with thunderous applause from the audience at the great hall of Kombank Dvorana.
Rajko Petrović announced the opening film, a solo concert by Nick Cave, one of the greatest musicians of our times, which was shot after the first wave of Covid 19 and which, according to the director of the festival, ‘matches the current feelings and atmosphere in our society perfectly’.
-This year’s program has been the most diverse and ambitious one so far, with about 70 films that will be shown in cinemas and on an online film platform called KinoKauch.com – said Petrovic.
Branka Pavlović, the selector of the International Program, explained that the unifying themes of this year’s program are the power of writing, the catharsis of communication, as well as the importance of harmony with nature and solidarity with one’s environment. This year’s film characters are ‘ordinary people’ – visionaries and wizards, shamans and water fairies, guardians and keepers of memories. The audience will rejoice and enjoy the films that will, hopefully, provide comfort.
Ivan Bakrač, a selector of the Regional Program Horizons of the Balkans, said that, throughout history, the Balkans have been a perpetually turbulent place, and that, at a time like this, when the whole world is struggling with Covid, and we have more of our own problem on top of that, it is truly remarkable that the Balkan filmmakers have managed to successfully finish their films which we will be able to see at this year’s festival. Bakrač encouraged the audience to reconsider their priorities through these films and to think about what the word ‘home’ really means to them.
Having thanked the partners of the festival, the director of the Free Zone Film Festival announced this year’s newspaper – the New Industry Program Digital Propeller, started in cooperation with the Media Desk of Serbia and with the support of the Serbian Film Center.
A new portion of the program titled The Green Zone, which tackles the topic of environmental protection and societal awareness of this issue, was particularly appealing to the audience.
Consequently, the festival officially started an environmental protection movement called Save the Stara Planina Rivers. On behalf of this movement, Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta addressed the audience, expressing his gratitude and honor for having the opportunity to open the festival.
Aleksandar Jovanović said that the movement was founded four years ago, when the rivers in which the residents of Stara Planina spent their childhood were attacked. This environmental struggle has suffered many obstacles, from legal ones to physical confrontation.
In the beginning, the movement had only 5 members. Today it has 120,000.
After four years, the rivers of Stara Planina are officially free, according to the decision of the local self-governing unit of the City of Pirot.
In the end, Jovanovic said the following – If you wish to live in a country with clean rivers, clean forests and clean air, you will have to fight for it and prepare for the ecological ‘March on the Drina’. With this conclusion, the Free Zone Film Festival has officially been opened.