At the final press conference of the 50th FEST, the journalists were addressed by Ivan Karl, City Secretary for Culture and president of the FEST Board, Jugoslav Pantelić, artistic director of FEST, Damir Handanović, acting director of the Belgrade Festivals Centre (CEBEF), Vanja Vuksanović, producer of FEST and Gordan Matić, director of Film Center Serbia.
Producer Vanja Vuksanović summed up the Festival through numbers: during 10 days 380 screenings had been held, nine premieres of domestic films, 116 guests had come and, as of March 5, 52,000 tickets had been sold, ‘which is a huge success considering that this year there were no films in the Great Hall of the Sava Centre.’
Ivan Karl pointed out that the jubilee festival and the festival of continuity was behind us.
- I think that we marked it in an adequate, symbolic and decent way, through various activities, which will culminate at the end of the year when we will open the FEST Museum in cooperation with the Yugoslav Film Archive – Karl said. He estimated that the 50th FEST would be remembered for the fact that it had taken place in a situation when the coronavirus pandemic was loosening its hold and in circumstances such as the war in Ukraine.
- This year’s FEST was not the limit of our abilities, but it is a measure of our possibilities at a given moment – he said.
Jugoslav Pantelić pointed out that there had been many films liked by critics.
- You were strict, which is very good, and you certainly got the audience interested to see some more titles – he added.
Gordan Matić reminded that Film Center Serbia had supported the holding of the industrial part of the festival, FEST Forward, and that this year the largest number of film professionals so far had participated.
- We spent four or five days with very important people from France, Norway, Ireland, Poland, Greece, Slovenia, Italy, agreeing on some future projects that will be presented at FEST in a couple of years. One of the colleagues said that this FEST Forward was the largest and most important gathering of film professionals in Europe, which we should be proud of – Matić pointed out.
Damir Handanović stated that the traditional continuation of FEST, PostFESTum, would be held this year as well, and that, in cooperation with ‘Mozzart’, a humanitarian action would take place, in which for every ticket purchased for this programme, ‘Mozzart’ would donate 100 RSD for the equipment for children’s hospitals.
PostFESTum is held from March 7 to 13 in the halls of the Belgrade Youth Centre, the Belgrade Cultural Centre Movie Theater and in the Cineplexx Ušće Shopping Center. Audiences will be able to enjoy some of the most sought-after film titles from this year's festival, including ‘The Card Counter’, ‘Vortex’, ‘Heroes’, ‘Nitram’, ‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain’, ‘The Game’, ‘The Accusation’ (Les choses humaines), ‘Jane by Charlotte’ (Jane par Charlotte), ‘Death of a Ladies’ Man’, ‘Sunflower’, ‘Superheroes’ (Supereroi), ‘The Staffroom’, ‘Belfast’ and many other films.
Vanja Vuksanović also mentioned two minor incidents that had occurred during the Festival: the shutdown of the projector in Hall 1 of the Kombank Hall on March 2, due to which the reruns of the films ‘Annette’, ‘Flag Day’ and ‘House Arrest’ (Delo) had been postponed and canceled, as well as complaints from viewers about the translation of the film ‘The Accusation’ by Yvan Attal.
- In addition to the apology from the Kombank Hall and the distributor ‘Cinefest’ addressed to the audience of FEST and the Festival itself, I would like to inform you that an additional, free admission day will be held in the Kombank Hall on March 7 for the mentioned films whose screening schedule contains five additional showtimes, as well as for the film ‘Happening’ (L'événement) at 10 p.m. – Vanja Vuksanović pointed out. Free tickets can be obtained on March 7 at the Kombank Hall box office, until it is full to capacity.
FEST was closed on Sunday, March 6, in Hall 1 of the Kombank Hall. The programme started at 7 p.m. with the Awards Ceremony, after which the RTS Symphony Orchestra, led by Bojan Suđić, held a concert of film music by composer John Williams (‘Harry Potter’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘Superman’, ‘Indiana Jones’…). Before that, the guests and the jury of the Festival walked the red carpet, including actors Miloš Biković, Toni Gojanović and Tamara Dragičević, as well as Katarina Radivojević, who hosted the closing ceremony.
- With this closing and the concert of film music that arouses beautiful emotions, FEST sends a message of optimism and peace for all – said Ivan Karl.
The Festival was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade, Film Center Serbia, partners Lukoil, Knjaz Miloš, Super Vero and Heineken with its Birra Moretti brand.
