The announcement of the Fest Board opens new doubts

With the intention of responding to reactions on social networks and in the media regarding the motive postponement of this year's Fest, the board of this international film festival clarified its position and reasons for changing the date of the event in a statement.

They say that "postponing the Fest is motivated only by what we think is the best for the festival itself and respecting the social moment", and they remind that "a festival without its audience has no purpose", assuming, obviously, that the February Fest would not have spectators.

Collateral victim

"Certainly, that decision was not easy. We tried to measure, without prejudice, both positive and negative consequences. We want not to be cheap ammunition for political calculations. So that the collateral victim is not the festival itself. If, despite the postponement, we are prone to misinterpretations and controversies, we can only guess in what an undeservedly ambivalent situation we would find ourselves in if the Fest was held this week."

They emphasize that "the Committee's proposal to postpone the Fest for the end of September, addressed to the city assembly as the founder of the festival, was not made out of any fear, nor for the sake of support or flattery of the authorities." If at all it is necessary to interpret it according to that key, it can rather be understood as solidarity with our audience, film workers and film school students who are in blockades and on strike, as well as the clear position of the film guild associations."

Students

And they ask "by what alchemy is the suspension of the theater, the blocking of the faculty and the boycott of the Eurovision song, interpreted as support for the students and, in the case of the postponement of the Fest, support for the government?"

Statements of the President of the Board, Nataša Mihailović Vacić that the Fest is postponed due to security reasons cannot be understood as support for students, but red palms and badges on PZE - can.

They explain again that "they made this decision respecting the reality that creating a festive atmosphere and ignoring everything that happens around us would threaten the integrity and reputation of the festival, the attendance of the festival would be lower, and the arrival of international guests would be questionable." Our mission is to make the festival program as good as possible, to bring back the glamour, the attention of the world and domestic public to our Fest, but also to make the festival part of building a better society, and not held just to be held, for the sake of personal benefits."

City Assembly

They deny the information that the festival was not ready and that no one selects the program, i.e. that this is the main reason for the delay, and they consider it "malicious to say the least."

"We will repeat a few facts. The term of the artistic director expired after ten years, in December last year. The Board of Directors met more often than usual and there are official minutes of those meetings. The board is not in charge of the organization or selection of the festival production. That's how it was in previous years, and that's how it is now. The Board of Directors is not the address for that discussion, just as it is not authorized to select a selector or an artistic director. We can give our opinion on proposals when asked, personally as film professionals or as a committee collectively. Everything else is a replacement of theses."

This part of the Board's announcement reminded of the fact that two years ago, the City Assembly adopted the rules according to which she chooses the selectors of 14 city institutions. Given that she has not completed this task, the Board unequivocally indicates who is to blame for why Fest is in crisis.

Guests and program

The board further states that "this year the guests were invited on time and we had confirmations from renowned names", as well as that "the films were chosen by Ivan Arandjelovic earlier than in previous years and the procedure of securing the screening rights was entered into".

Who and when appointed Ivan Aranđelović to select the program, that is, when he was promoted from a selector's associate to a higher position. Then, if there is no one, why Aranđelović was doing that job - it is not written in the announcement.

".Any other interpretation is a malicious spin aimed at the sake of someone's personal interests, injured vanity and ambitions, all hidden ostensibly out of concern for the festival, but also daily political abuse and the need for scandals." In times of social upheaval, some are ready to sacrifice themselves for noble ideals, and some others, without an iota of ideals, like the Black Bersians in To the third man, they see an opportunity for profit and calculations for personal gain. We don't want to take part in that."

They conclude that they want "a higher quality FEST, a festival that this city and country deserve and must have", they say that they are "open to all questions and information" and ask for a little more responsibility for what is said and written and for checking information".