BLAŽO PEROVIC, THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE FESTIVAL
WE ARE STILL AFRAID OF RAIN…

This year's Festival again confirms the fact that Subotica's audience has remained faithful to the Festival. Blažo Perović, the director of the Open University and executive producer of the Festival, says that he is more than satisfied with the number of visitors:

-- We were a little uncertain about how the audience would accept the focus on European film. Nevertheless, its popularity has been increasing throughout the years which makes us very content. After all, the Summer Stage with such a great number of the European films without "media pedigree" (as they have not been shown neither on television nor in cinemas) is a very good sign. We are also satisfied with the popularity of the supporting progammes. The programme Parallels and Encounters proved to be the right thing and it is becoming a significant and constant part of the Festival programme. The programme Young European Authors also proved to be a brilliant move.

On the other hand, the same problems constantly appear, Perovi ć says:

-- To the very last moment we are always uncertain about the Festival's budget, despite the fact that we had signed the contract about financing. It has also been increasingly difficult to attract sponsors. The third problem refers to the infrastructure. Thanks to the Almighty, the Festival has run (or will run) without rain, which is great. However, the problem is fear, the permanent fear of rain (whether it is or it is not going to rain), and we have no alternative. Apart from the Summer Stage and Eco Centre, the rest of the venues do not satisfy even the minimum technical standards (the screening technique is 40-50 years old).

Due to the fact that the Festival's budget is not known to the very last moment, the organizers have only a month before the beginning of Festival to deal with a number of crucial things and make important decisions (even though they make preparations throughout the whole year). "It is a terrible problem! In a short period of time you are supposed to do all those things that you could have done before, but you had to postpone them waiting to find out about the budget” - Perović points out.

How could at least some of these problems be solved?

-- We are going to try to find a common language with the municipality and talk about investments - we do not expect only the municipality to invest in Palic, but also all those who are interested in it. It is not only about investing in the Festival, but in the infrastructure of Palic as a tourist attraction in general (and then it can be used by the Festival as well).

 Back