INTERVIEW: ŽELIMIR ŽILNIK, WINNER OF ERSTE UNDERGROUND SPIRIT AWARD

"The ‘independent filmmaker' status is not a rational choice. Usually, in the beginning of your career, you only do things that really, passionately interest you. Even then, many years ago, my first movies lead me to ask and to discover what life is and what happiness propaganda", says Želimir Žilnik, this year's winner of the ERSTE Underground Spirit Award for exceptional work in the field of underground cinema.

 

INTERVIEW: BLAŽO PEROVIĆ, DIRECTOR OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY - EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE FESTIVAL

This year's Festival budget is 270.000 euros, which is 50.000 less than in 2009. How did it affect the programme of this year's Festival?
Palić is not the only festival with the budget problem. Even the biggest festivals have reduced their programmes and number of guests, and they are less glamorous this year. The economic crisis has not missed Serbia, including Palić as well. The crisis proportions are such that it inevitably leads to the development status quo, and if it continues, it will inevitably lead to the stagnation of the Festival. We should not forget that film festivals are culture projects funded mostly from the state budget. This applies to Palić, too. In the structure of its income, the country participates with about 85 percent of assets. Of course, when it comes to public finance crisis, it results in the reduction of funds for capital culture projects. Despite this situation, we do not let the grass grow under our feet. With a creative approach and with a lot of enthusiasm, we are trying to maintain the Festival dimensions achieved in 2008.

 
Europe on the Big Screen and Within Ourselves

 

INTERVIEW: COSTA-GAVRAS, WINNER OF ALEKSANDAR LIFKA AWARDAlthough Gavras won't be able to attend this year's Festival, in an interview for the Festival Newspaper he tells about Lifka, political being he cherishes, (non)existence of Eden in the West, his cult film Z, and relationship between Europe and America.

 

GORAN MARKOVIĆ, WINNER OF ALEKSANDAR LIFKA AWARD

In the mid-90s, during the first few Festivals in Palić, the movie THE TRAGIC BURLESQUE was screened, its metaphors echoing and lingering in the Palić forest and on the Summer Stage, long after the audience left. Filmmaker Goran Marković was a guest at the European Film Festival Palić, a firm believer in its bright future, and rightfully so, as it turns out fifteen years later.