Memorial festival "Filić-Filmić" and awards for short films documentaries on the topic "Portrait of the life of that" will be held on October 15 at the "Masuka" Cultural Center in Velika Plana.
The competition for elementary, high school and college students was held for the fourth time in memory of the fallen high school student Stefan Filić, who was beaten to death in February 2020 in Velika Plana.
The "Vuk Karadžić" economic and catering school, whose student Filić himself was, is the founder of the festival, which in its first year was called "The strongest against violence".
"Stefan was a student of our school, the event itself deeply shook us. He made films for the school and for the 'Masuka' cultural center," school director Aleksandra Ilić told Vreme.
"We came up with the idea to establish a festival as a sign of memory, we had the support of our municipality, which supported us both materially and morally," she adds. The small festival also has the support of the Ministry of Education and Filić's family.
"It seems to me that the school had a need to repay Stefan, given that he was a good and self-sacrificing student, very dedicated to science and school, a student of his generation," Javorka Marković, Filić's aunt, tells "Vreme".
Themes as symbols
Each year the theme of the festival is different, but each one must be completely free of violence.
"This year's theme 'Portrait of that life' is diverse and in it you can find personalities such as a street flute player, through a man from the city cleanliness, all the way to mythological and cult characters," says Marković.
He adds that, in addition to preserving the memory of Stefan, the common goal is to resist any kind of violence and encourage young people to express themselves in a creative way.
Everyone remembers Filić as a good friend and hardworking child. In Velika Plana, only words of praise are heard about him.
"Through the court"
Stefan Filić was killed when, after a night out in February 2020, he defended his brother from three attackers. That case shook the little Velika Plana.
In May of this year, the second and apparently final judgment was passed, in which the appellate court reduced the sentence of the first accused NB from 18 to 15 years in prison, and the second accused MP from 15 to three years - which he has already served.
In the end, the MP was convicted only for participating in the fight, which Filić's family has a hard time reconciling with - they say it was complicity.
"We were very disappointed that day. We showed up there, and they put on a show for us. The judges looked at the condemned as if they were going to spit on them, they addressed their defense attorneys insolently, but it was all a show. In the final verdict, the perpetrators were practically rewarded," says Javorka Marković.
There is hope.
This year's festival and the memory of Stefan Filić come at a time when, it seems, there is more violence among young people than ever. Or at least we are bombarded with it through the media.
"I don't think good kids fit into this system," says Javorka Marković.
"But we are fighting and we are grateful to the school, the municipality and the Cultural Center and everyone who recognized our struggle and who keep up with us and encourage young people to create, work and get off the streets." I think we will succeed, and I also think that the festival will live on," she concludes.
