Western Balkan Film Days, 21 - 23 April 2008
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Western Balkan Film Days
Balkan Cinema TodayIn its first edition, the Western Balkan Film Days are offering eight films from renowned directors such as Goran Paskaljevic and Ivan Zivkovic (Serbia), Milcho Manchevski (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Ognjen Svilicic and Antonio Nuic, (Croatia), Jasmila Zbanic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Gjergi Xhuvani and Dhimiter Agnanosti (Albania). The films differ in genres: some recount human stories, soft and bitter, full of emotion and hope, like Armin or Grbavica, a story featuring a remarkably strong emotional bonding between mother and daughter. Others, like the thriller Shadows, tell a surreal story of a young man who tries to create a dialogue with death. Midwinter Night’s Dream, features a deep emotional storyline evolving from the absence of communication in our modern times. The Film Days are not only a highlight of the best recent films the Balkans have to offer, but also showcase the region’s rich cinematic tradition. These films allow the viewers to see the Balkan countries in a different light and to rethink some of the well entrenched clichés. The Western Balkan Film Days are organised by the European Commission – DG Enlargement in collaboration with the BALKAN TRAFIK Festival (27-29.03.2008, Centre For Fine Arts, Brussels). For more information please contact: |  |
Programme
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21 April 2008 |
22 April 2008 |
23 April 2008 |
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13:00 |
Sve dzaba - All for free by Antonio Nuic |
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15:30 |
Slogans by Gjergj Xhuvani |
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18:00 |
Armin by Ognjen Svilicic |
Gjoleka djali i Abazit - Father and Godfather by Dhimiter Anagnosti | |
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20:00 |
Hadersfield - Huddersfield by Ivan Zivkovic |
Grbavica - The land of my dreams by Jasmila Zbanic | |
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22:00 |
Senki – Shadows by Milcho Manchevski |
San zimske noci - Midwinter Night’s Dream by Goran Paskaljevic |
21 April 2008
18:00 Armin (Croatia, 2007)
A film by Ognjen Svilicic
With Emir Hadzihafizbegovic, Armin Omerovic
Original version – English subtitles (82’)
It's a very important trip for Ibro (45) and his only son Armin (14). Coming from a small town in Bosnia, the father takes his son to a film audition in Zagreb. Armin hopes to take part in a German production about the war in Bosnia. Ibro wants to offer him a chance to fulfil his dream. On their way to achieving that goal, Ibro shows off with his son's talents. Armin is, of course, very embarrassed by this. Their goal of Armin's movie carrier seems so close, but the first disappointment comes when the old Bosnian bus breaks down. They arrive too late for the audition.
Young Jury Award for Best Film - Paris Cinema International Film Festival 2007, International Berlin Film Festival, Sofia International Film Festival, Sarajevo International Film Festival.
20:00 Hadersfield - Huddersfield (Serbia, 2007)
A film by Ivan Zivkovic
With Nebojsa Glogovac, Jelisaveta Seka Sablic, Predrag Miki Manojlovic
Original version - English subtitles (95’)
Rasha is thirty, lives with his alcoholic father and trying, and failing, to make ends meet by giving literature lessons to teenage girls and hosting a programme on the local radio. Ivan, a promising judoist in his teenage years, has since had a history of neurosis, hospitalisation, being heavily medicated, involvement in various occult groups and practices, prior to having been baptized in the Orthodox Church. Milla is very attractive, energetic and very straightforward: it immediately becomes clear that, apart from having a student/teacher relationship, she and Rasha are lovers. Doole is a wannabe yuppie. The monotony of their lives is interrupted by arrival of Igor, who has lived in Huddersfield since the beginning of the nineties, and this is the first time he's come to visit.
Award for Best Screenplay - Novi Sad Film Festival 2007, International Thessaloniki Film Festival 2007, Sarajevo Film Festival 2007.
22:00 Senki – Shadows (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 2007)
A film by Milcho Manchevski
With Sabina Ajrula, Filareta Atanasova, Salaetin Bilal
Original version – English subtitles (129’)
If we were to choose one man who's got everything going for him, then Lazar Perkov would be an excellent choice. He's young, good-looking, has a beautiful wife, lovely little boy, great house and a good job as a hospital physician. In fact, everyone calls him "Lucky." Nothing's missing – except maybe Lucky himself, who's always trying to live up to the expectations of others. When Lucky is involved in a disastrous car crash and mysteriously saved from a sure death, his life begins to change. He meets strange people: an old man with a baby, an ancient lady speaking a forgotten dialect, a beautiful young woman with a sad secret… Their only message is: "Return what’s not yours. Have respect."
Toronto International Film Festival in 2007.
Milcho Manchevski’s previous films: Before the rain (1996), Dust (2001).
22 April 2008
18:00 Gjoleka djali i Abazit - Father and Godfather (Albania, 2006)
A film by Dhimiter Anagnosti
With Enxhi Agushi and Artur Gorishti
Original version – English subtitles (98’)
The events take place in a small Albanian village, around the '30ies. This isolated land, dominated by rituals and patriarchal relationships is the spirit that welcomes the newborn child of Abas. Servet, a co-villager, emigrant in the United States of America comes back in his homeland bringing a new vision and a new mentality, which serves as an inspiration for the 10 years old boy, Gjoleka, the son of Abas. Gjoleka founds himself in between of the ideas of his wild father, Abas and his illuminist godfather, Servet. The movie shows with a deep realism the human relationships, such as love, jalousie, hate, the impossibility to be integrated with another world, making this way a cruel autopsy of the weird society to which, "sometime" we belong.
20:00 Grbavica - The land of my dreams (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2006)
A film by Jasmila Zbanic
With Mirjana Karanovic, Luna Mijovic, Leon Lucev
Original version – French subtitles (90’)
Grbavica is the infamous district in Sarajevo where locals were imprisoned and tortured in Serbian encampments during the 1990s. But war ends and life goes on. Single mother Esma lives with her 12-year-old daughter Sara while struggling to make ends meet with welfare and a job as a cocktail waitress. Still haunted by the past, Esma attends group therapy sessions at the local Women’s Centre. In order to get a discount on a school excursion, Sara needs a certificate proving that her father is a shaheed, or war martyr. This apparently simple request re-opens the traumatic recent history that lurks close beneath the surface throughout this troubled region.
Golden Bear and Peace Film Award - Berlin Film Festival 2006, Prize TV Canvas for Best Film and Award Best Actress - Brussels European Film Festival, Woman & Equality Award - Thessaloniki Film Festival.
22:00 San zimske noci - Midwinter Night’s Dream (Serbia, 2004)
A film by Goran Paskaljevic
With Lazar Ristovski, Jasna Zalica and Jovana Mitic
Original version – English subtitles (95’)
Lazar has been in jail for ten years. Returning to a changed country, a “free” man, he sets about trying to forge a new life for himself in a country that wants to put as much distance as possible between the present and the past. Trying to take up where he left off, Lazar goes to his old apartment, only to find it occupied now by Jasna, a single mother with 12 year-old daughter Jovana, who is autistic. The child’s father is nowhere to be found, having long since consigned his complicated family situation to his past and gone to seek his fortune elsewhere.
Grand Prix of the Jury for Best Film - San Sebastian Film Festival, Masters - Toronto International Film Festival, Golden Antigone for Best Film - Montpellier Film Festival.
23 April 2008
13:00 Sve dzaba - All for free (Croatia, 2006)
A film by Antonio Nuic
With Enis Beslagic, Franjo Dijak and Emir Hadzihafisbegovic
Original version – English subtitles (94’)
Goran is 30, living in a small Bosnian town. Unlike his friends, whose lives have been seriously altered by war Goran got away from it almost untouched. He lives off his parents' inheritance and spends his days boozing with his buddies. One day, all his friends get killed in a drunken altercation. This throws him completely off his routine, and he decides to sell all his belongings and start doing something memorable. He ends up going from town to town, spending one day in each of them, and handing away completely free drinks, for as long as the money he got after selling all his belongings lasts. He is initially stymied by the huge distrust of people upon seeing the sign „All for Free". After a few weeks on the road, in one of the towns he meets a girl and falls in love.
Awards for Best Film and Best Director - Pula Film Festival 2006.
15:30 Slogans (Albania, 2001)
A film by Gjergj Xhuvani
With Festim Cela, Artur Gorishti, Birce Hasko
Original version – French subtitles (90’)
Andre starts as a teacher in a remote mountain village in Albania. His first task is to choose one of two communist slogans. He picks the shorter one, which is appreciated by his class, because they have to build the slogan on the hillside using whitewashed rocks. However, this means that the longer slogan goes to Diana, the French teacher to whom Andre is attracted. Andre gets on the wrong side of the communist party boss of the village, when he stands up for an unjustly accused goat herdsman, whom he had befriended. The boss is determined to take his revenge on Andre.