In its years’ long tradition, the Palic Film Festival has shown the ability of permanent growth. From the earliest small and unpretentious film screenings in Palic, through the persistent attempts to create a serious regional film festival in the hard times of isolation and the first of approaches of getting closer the cinematography of the countries of former Yugoslavia, then being at hostile terms, has grown into an important spot on the map of the European film festivals by clearly targeting at the European cinematography. The novelty of the previous festival, the Young European Authors programme, brought in a new genre, i.e. short, experimental and animated short films. This year the Festival takes a new step ahead in a form of a co-operation with the neighbouring Szeged. Szeged is going to host the New Serbian Film, Young European Authors programmes as well as a special programme with the most important films from the Palic Film Festival over the last five years. Hopefully, the co-operation will result in a joint festival in two states, two towns and single programme, team of selectors and jury.

Official selection
Selectors: Nikolaj Nikitin and Dubravka Lakic

The official selection programme is dedicated to those films which dare to pose questions, pass the opinions viewed through the prism of different social – historical aspects, and the aspects most importantly connected to human existance. They synthetize various spectra of experience. The man is its centre, the main character is deep in thought upon destiny of the mankind, his family and his own.

The films don't mean to be «pr êt – à – porter », and they are not inferior in the artistic sense . They point out the beauty, the diversity and the importance of being genuine cinematography among all others cinematographies from the cradle of the motion pictures – Europe.

They attach the audience with lightness – when you feel emotion, you respond with the emotion. With capital E ...

Parallels and Encounters
Selector: Dubravka Lakic

And in its 12 th edition, the competitive programme “Parallels and Encounters” is dedicated to the long – feature films from the countries of the former geopolitical East and Southeast Europe. Their authors focus on social political and welfare problems, they raise a question about transition, interethnic relations and tolerance, a question of personal identity and the need for peace and coexistance.

The merits of the films selected for this year, from Slovenia, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Czech, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia, Romania and Bulgaria, will be evaluated by the three-member International Critics Jury, formed by distinguished european film critics (members of The International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI).

The International Critics Jury (Živa Emeršič - Mali /Slovenia/, Jean Roy /France/ and Ninos Feneck Mickelides /Greece/) awards The Si&Si Tolerance Award to the director of the best film. The Award comes with 3 000 euros prize money.

The Tolerance Award is donated by Si & Si company, Subotica. Their understanding and friendly support has proved again how familiar they are with the film art and the language of tolerance.

Young European Filmmakers
Selectors: Sabolcs Tolnai and Petar Mitrić

The Young European Filmmakers Programme is a rather new programme of the Palic Festival and we even dare say that it is unfinished in its concept. The programme's incompleteness lies, first of all, in the interpretation of the term «young», which often leads to misunderstanding. For us, being young does not necessarily mean the number of years (Just imagine the selection of old European authors!?) but a qualitatively fresh approach to filmmaking.

The variety of genres remains the hallmark of this selection due to the fact that new ideas, usually, seek for new forms as well. The screenings in the programme include experimental, animated, short films and documentaries as well as feature films.

The programme for this year is targeted at several directions with the aim to bring closer some of the new trends in the art of film. Thus we have a selection of new European silent movies, as a more frequent phenomenon and contemporary form conquering festival arenas all around Europe. Its uniqueness lies probably in the fact that new generations grow up in the visual perceptions of video games, music spots, short ads, where the message is transferred purely subjectively.

The maniac and depressing atmosphere of Jessica Hausner's «Hotel», ruins revived in the imagination of Hendrick Dussolier, the emotional simplicity and expressivity of Nicholas Provost, the witty conspiracy against consumer mentality of Filip Remunda and Vit Klusak are some intimate images of reality of the times we live in.

Young European Filmmakers, as a programme attempts to freeze the obscure image of the European filmmaking and transfuse it into a photo of our future.