It flows ingloriously. jubilee fiftieth edition of the Film Screenplay Festival in Vrnjačka Banja.
There are many reasons, and they boil down to the change in concept and goal that was observed in 2022 with the arrival Marko Jovicic, right hands first of all Željko Mitrović (Apollon Medio, Odeon theater...) and to some extent Branko Milićević (Pozorištance Puž), to the position of executive director of the festival.
Chronology
His first year in that position was marked by a scandal. Three films were withdrawn from the competition program: Dark Dušan Milić, Cutting Siniša Cvetić and It's not bad to be human Dusan Kovačević. The reason was the same - the authors and producers did not accept that their films were shown at 16 pm in the cinema hall, instead of on the Summer Stage, where the new festival management thought they belonged.
Jovičić responded sharply to these withdrawals, with the message "less ego, more pride", comparing Vrnjačka Banja and the Cannes festival, and claiming that the authors at that festival would not have protested if their screening was scheduled at seven in the morning.
It was the first serious signal that the relationship between the festival and part of the domestic film community had changed.
Gradual occupation
The following year, at the 47th edition, Apollon is no longer just an incidental participant in the program. Of the 15 films in the competition selection, five were produced by Apollon production: Koma, Who is alive, who is dead?, Guy and girls, Three i Mouth full of dirt. Apart from them, two films from the production circle close to Apollo also competed that year -Silencer i Wolfberries.
Photo: Film Script FestivalFireworks at the opening ceremony
But the festival still had a balance back then. The movie Game trail won first prize, Have you seen this woman? the other, and Saint Petka - Cross in the desert - the third. The program included Vera, The road will pass here and other titles that had a more serious author or festival profile. In other words, Apollo was present, but did not yet fully determine the face of the festival.
At the 48th edition, in 2024, the program included films from Apollo and the production circle close to it, although not in a noticeable number.
It was noticeable that some big domestic films did not come. Heroes of Halliard Rados Bajic and Keepers of the formula Dragan Bjelogrlić were not registered for the festival, and their producers spoke publicly about their dissatisfaction with the attitude towards the festival and its treatment of domestic cinematography. That was an important change.
Festival without films
And then, comes the 49th edition, when a serious problem arises - the festival has no films. The producers did not think that Vrnjačka Banja was a festival where the film should be sent.
How is it then? confirmed to "Vremena" Marko Jovicic, the festival accepted all the films that applied, because otherwise there would be no festival
The main program of the festival in Vrnjačka Banja included nine films, six of which were directed by Željko Mitrović's Apollon. It was the only way to hold the festival, commented the public.
Special award
This jubilee year, 13 films are competing, all of which have applied. Four of them were realized by Apollon Media, including Christmas adventure directed by Marko Jovičić, executive director of the festival.
While hoping for a festival award for his film, Marko Jovičić received another award, the Special Award for the development and recognition of the festival. It was awarded to him on the first evening, August 9, as part of the opening of the festival in Pink's glamor of glitter and irregularly directed strong spotlights.
There are no members of the Association of Screenwriters at the Screenplay Festival, so there are no members for the reason the festival was founded. There are no actors either, only members of the crew whose film is on the program that evening are present.
"They didn't call us, nor would we accept an invitation from a festival in such an organization. That festival was lost for us last year," Vladimir Đurđević, president of the Association of Screenwriters of Serbia, told Vreme recently.
Bajić: That festival is no longer for me
Đorđe Bajić, the film critic of "Vremena" is not at the festival, although one would expect him to be there.
"Since a few years ago, this festival looks less and less like a film script festival, and more and more like a kind of party, with red carpets, drones flying over the events and comedy videos. That false glamor has changed its essence," says Đorđe Bajić.
According to him. "the focus is no longer screenwriters and film authors, but mainly little-known actors and Pink's media stars. Instead of a festival that had a clear professional and film weight, we got a manifestation that, it seems to me, became more important how it looks from the outside than what actually happens on it. Of course, someone obviously likes such a shift. Not me."
Photo: Film Script FestivalFrom the opening of the festival
"This is definitely no longer the Film Script Festival that I've been visiting for years. There are people in the organization who have other priorities, and all of that, obviously, has been accepted and approved by the government structures."
Đorđe Bajić says that "this is now the second or third year that I haven't gone to Vrnjačka Banja. I wasn't even invited, but, honestly, even if I had been - I wouldn't have gone. Because I definitely don't have anything to look for there anymore."
So what, what would Aleksandar Vučić say.
Those who are satisfied with how this festival is developing and how it is recognized will come to Vrnjačka Banja. The establishment of a Special Award for its creators indicates that everything is going in the desired direction.
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