Fifth Bašta fest
5 July – 8 July, 2018

You can see the festival’s official poster, as well as detailed film and music programmes, by clicking on the images.

The fifth Bašta Fest was opened by actor Milan Marić.

Closing film: “Bandits in search of mom“ (dir. Kosta Ristić, Serbia).

PROGRAMMERS

Selectors of Bašta Fest’s competition programme: Nikola Ljuca (film director) and Maja Šuša (actress, the festival’s Artistic Director).

AWARDS

The jury comprised of: Domenico La Porta, Nikolina Vučetić-Zečević, Milica Gojković, handed out the following awards:

Golden Imagination (Best Film): film “The night in Tokoriki” (dir. Roxana Stroe, Romania)
jury’s explanation: Piling up clichés and folkloric stereotypes never made a good film. Finding a unique route to navigate them is original enough but flipping them over to reveal a story that was carefully not anticipated is the mark of a great artistic manipulation also know as „a very good film“. There were a fairly amount of good films in the selection but one stood out as the greatest artistic manipulation of them all. The jury has designated „A night in Tokoriki“ by Roxana Stroe as the best film „Golden imagination“ of Bašta fest 2018.

Golden Indication (Best Director): Christos Massalas for the film “Copa-Loca”, Greece
jury’s explanation: You often hear people talk about a special place in their heart without anyone picturing an actual location. It takes a director with a refreshing talent to merge the metaphor with a story set up between the heart of a place, the heart of a character and the one of an author. This special place is called „Copa-Loca“ and the award for best direction “Golden indication” goes to Christos Massalas.

Golden Interpretation (Best Actress): Sonia Sanjari, for playing Maryam in the film “Retouch” (dir. Kaveh Mazaheri, Iran)
jury’s explanation: How difficult it must be to a professional actor who has to play a non professional forced to act her way through a life changing situation? It takes not less than a performance that is sometimes dramatic, comic, subtly social and always touching despite cold or determined moments. What some actors might achieve over the course of a career, actress Sonia Sanjari demonstrates within 20 minutes with her leading role in „Retouch“.

Golden Interpretation (Best Actor): Théodore Pellerin, for playing Wojtek in the film “The beep test” (dir. Maxime Aubert, Canada)
jury’s explanation: We often confuse acting with the journey of the character, having the false impression that a lead part has to change its value over the course of the film to prove a worthy performance. But it takes strength of character to stand by the minimalistic approach of the introvert and still maintain a firm lead on a film full of conflict opportunities. True underdogs are hard to come by so the jury is glad to award Théodore Pellerin for his portrayal of one in „The beep test“.

Golden Inspiration (Best Screenplay): Nikica Zdunić for the film “13+“ (dir. Nikica Zdunić, Croatia)
jury’s explanation: For clearly pointing the universal moment that gave birth to the coming of age genre and turning it into an empathy device for parents and children alike, Best Screenplay Award “Golden inspiration” goes to „13+“ by writer/director Nikica Zdunić.

Special mentions went to:

director Katarina Koljević for the film „Life lasts three days“, Srbija
jury’s explanation: Our first special mention goes to a promise clearly stated in the film that got the most out of significant challenges, narrative but also artistic when it comes to actors direction. For managing to create a solid relationship between two generations of actors on screen while telling a compelling story with visual efforts, the special mention of the jury goes to a promising director, Katarina Koljević for „Life lasts three days“.

actress Aya Crnić for the film „Import“ (dir. Ena Sendijarević, Holandija)
jury’s explanation: The beauty of acting is the magical smoke screen between the audience and the knowledge that the actor is acting at all. For its second special mention, the jury could not see through the magic but unanimously agreed on a beautiful and charismatic presence on screen, one that shines a light on the film „Import“ thanks to the young actress Aya Crnić.

The jury comprised of: Shai Levy, handed out the awards:

Golden Visualization (Best Camera) to Mario Pućić for the film “13+” (dir. Nikica Zdunić, Hrvatska).
This award was included and handed out for the first time in 2016 with support from the rental house Cineplanet.

jury’s explanation: We were looking at this year’s exciting works from Serbia and around and are happy to announce – the award for the best camera „Golden visualization“ goes to cinematographer Mario Pušić for his work in the film „13+“, for his distinguished achievement in creating a world to the main character and her coming-of-age story, thought-out design, attention to details and bold aesthetic decisions.

Special mention for cinematography: Thomas Schira for the film „After dawn“ (dir. Nicolas Graux, Belgium)

jury’s explanation: Special mention goes to Thomas Schira for his work in „After Dawn“, for his outstanding sensibility in displaying the human body, impressive composition and work with light.

 The Youth Jury comprised of: Nikola Jovanović, Nikolina Lazić and Aleksa Spasojević, handed out the award:
Youth Jury Award (Best Film): “Life lasts three days” (dir. Katarina Koljević, Srbija)

jury’s explanation: The film “Life lasts three days” shows a realistic life story about two characters with completely different ways of living and their influence on each other. The film teaches us how to live freely and not by specific rules.

Bašta Fest handed out the award:
Bašta Honour, to Goran Gajić, for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of Bajina Bašta and the entire region.

Bašta Braveness, to Predrag Jovanović, for braveness and enormous help in the moment of founding the festival.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME

Critical Camp
Number of participants: 4
5 July – 8 July, 2018

Critical Camp is an educational program that had its pilot edition on Bašta Fest in cooperation with the association Filmkultura, designed in the form of a film criticism workshop. The idea is to raise awareness of criticism among young people, and this group became curious and committed to the adventure of careful viewing and in-depth consideration of films from the competition programme, with the support of the coordinator Masa Senicic. In addition, critical critics were in constant contact with film authors who were guests of the festival, as well as with the Youth Jury, comprised of three high school students from Bajina Bašta.

Mini Film
Number of participants: 7
Location: Main square (at café „Bašta“)
Time: 5 July, from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Mini Film is a free educational programme for children and young people whose goal is to popularize film art among the youngest audience. The idea of Mini Film is to awake creativity and curiosity among children, and above all to create a prerequisite for a critical attitude regarding what they consume. Practical exercises in which children independently come to conclusions are the best way for them to adopt and subsequently apply the knowledge acquired, while specially designed games encourage them to take an active role in creating something they have only been able to participate in as observers. Through interactive workshops, which will result in optical toys and a short film, this programme draws children into the world of moving images. By learning the simplified processes of film-making, children are able to better understand the art of film and, hopefully, develop a love for it. Mini Film is a programme of Filmkultura, an association for education in the field of audiovisual art, which has been held in around 20 cities throughout Serbia since 2014.

OFF PROGRAMME

Coffee with authors
Location: café „Bašta“
Time: 5 July – 8 July, 2018, starting at 11.30 a.m.

Festival network

Guest festivals: FeKK, International Short Film Festival, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Timishort, International Short Film Festival, Timisoara, Romania

THE BAŠTA FEST TEAM

Jovan Jelisavčić – Founder and Executive Director of the Festival
Maja Šuša – Founder and Artistic Director of the Festival
Maša Seničić – Creative Director and Educational Programme Coordinator
Nikola Ljuca – Film programmer
Nemanja Veselinović, Aleksandar Karaulić – Technical directors
Martina Krivokapić – Festival’s main organiser
Milica Milosavljević – Design and prepress
Ana Kostić – Media and social network manager
Dunja Jovanović – Marketing and PR
Stefan Saveski – Music programme coordinator
Tijana Drakulić – Guest service manager
Jovana Jankov – Organizer
Vladimir Đurić – Photo & video team coordinator
Boško Vujić – Daily programme coordinator
Branko Mijanović – Technical department assistant

Photo & video team:
Vladimir Đurić
Vuk Papić
Igor Lazić
Milica Cvetković
Emilija Popović
Milena Arsenić
Aleksandra Poguberov
Editing:
Mila Delić