At the upcoming, 49th International Film Festival - FEST, which will be held from May 7 to 16, 2021, at several locations in Belgrade, six domestic feature films and two minority Serbian co-productions will be screened for the first time in Serbia. In the Main Competition Programme, the audience will be able to see the films ’Oasis’ by Ivan Ikić, ’The Living Man’ by Oleg Novković and ’Loan Shark’ by Nemanja Ćeranić. The Fest Focus selection will present Natalija Avramović's ’Spring Song’ and Tanja Brzaković's documentary-animated film ’Scenes from the Life of a Mutt’, while Slobodan Ivetić's documentary ’Kreka: Lovac na snove’ about the famous set designer Miljen Kljaković Kreka will be screened at the closing ceremony of the Festival.
This year's FEST programme will present more than 70 films of the latest contemporary world cinema within seven programme sections.
The film ’Oasis’ by director and screenwriter Ivan Ikić premiered last year at the prestigious Venice Film Festival, where it won the award for Best European Film (Label Europa Cinemas) in the Venice Days section, presented by the Europa Cinemas network. The film follows three teenagers in a Serbian institution for children with disabilities. Upon her arrival at an institution, Maria befriends the equally fearless girl Dragana. When it becomes clear that they are both in love with the more withdrawn young man Robert, their relationship is put in jeopardy and gradually grows into a dangerous game of hide-and-seek to win him over. The leading roles are played by Marijana Novakov, Tijana Marković, Valentino Zenuni, Milica Djindjic, Saša Strugar, Maruša Majer, Goran Bogdan.
’The Living Man’ is the latest film by the esteemed director Oleg Novkovic, for which the screenplay was written by Milena Marković. The story follows a Belgrade rocker and former member of the cult band ‘Sinovi’ Igor Djelic-Djela, who lives with his wife Sunčica, with whom he has a lot of problems, but also many years spent together. In the chaos of everyday life, due to a wife's disturbing confession and news concerning his teenage daughter, Igor realizes that he wants to change his life. He decides to start all over again, and maybe even try to correct some mistakes from the past. However, a series of unforeseen events take him in a different direction. The roles are played by Nikola Đuričko, Nada Šargin, Bojan Žirović, Jana Bjelica, Filip Hajduković, Iva Milanović, Tanja Bošković, Branko Cvejić ...
The film ’Loan Shark’ by Nemanja Ćeranić, written by Strahinja Madžarević, deals with one day in the life of a loan shark in a small town in Serbia, whose life turns upside down due to foolishness at the moment when he was about to fall asleep. After repaying the debt to the criminal who helped him get into business and after collecting all the remaining debts, Mundir believes that a new chapter in his life is beginning. However, one reckless move, due to the stress that caused a diabetic shock, costs him dearly. The film stars Dušan Petković, Strahinja Blažić, Zlatan Vidović, Jovo Maksić, Branko Vidaković ...
The film ’Spring Song’ will be shown in the Fest Focus selection. The director of this film is Natalija Avramović, who also wrote the screenplay together with Ljubinka Stojanović. The main character in the film is a young director Petra, a single mother, who is trying to normalize her life after a divorce and is preparing to make a film about the famous Serbian poet Desanka Maksimović. Her father's death stirs up emotions inside of her that she was not aware of. She is invited to celebrate 15 years of graduation in her hometown, and her best friend is getting married at Ada Bojana, a popular tourist destination in Montenegro. As Petra becomes attached to Vuk, her life becomes an emotional-sexual roller coaster. The roles are played by Mihaela Stamenković, Ivan Đorđević Džudi, Djordje Djoković, Milan Kolak, Svetozar Cvetković, Danica Maksimović, and others.
The documentary-animated film ’Scenes from the Life of a Mutt’ by director and screenwriter Tanja Brzaković will be screened in the same selection. The film follows the life and destinies of stray dogs from the margins of our society through seven scenes, making us reconsider our attitude towards them. By combining documentary material, animation and acting interpretation of the thoughts of our heroes, we get to know the lives between disappointment and hope, quite similar to ours. Vuk Palibrk was in charge of the animation, and the voices of the heroes were given by Jelena Bosanac, Anica Dobra, Momčilo Bajagic Bajaga, Mirjana Karanović, and others.
The documentary ‘Kreka: Lovac na snove’ follows the career of the famous film set designer Miljen Kljaković - Kreka, who made an invaluable contribution to domestic and world filmmaking. His story, along with previously unpublished materials from his personal archive and conversations with some of the most important filmmakers, actor Johnny Depp, director Barry Levinson, cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, director Majid Majidi, screenwriter Brian Helgeland and many others, reveals elusive moments behind the camera.
The Main Competition programme of FEST will also include two minority Serbian co-productions. The film 'Deadlock’ directed by Vinko Möderndorfer (Slovenia, Serbia, Northern Macedonia), which will have its world premiere at FEST, follows two married couples from the opposite ends of the social scale, which, at first glance, seem to have nothing in common. However, an accident and a tragic event bring these people together fatefully in a single night and most likely until the rest of their lives. At the centre of the plot of the film ‘You Know Him’ by Ercan Kesal (Turkey, Serbia) is Kemal, who is preparing the election campaign gala dinner hoping that the head of the party will announce his candidacy for mayor.
The biggest and most famous film event in Serbia and the region is being prepared and will take place under the slogan ’Back to the Future’ with the intention to contribute to a sizable return of audiences to cinemas.
This year's International Film Festival - FEST will be held in compliance with all measures of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the COVID-19 Infection Disease Crisis Response Team. The priority for the organizing team of the Festival is the health and safety of the audience, the guests and the Festival team.
Information about ticket sales for the 49th International Film Festival - FEST will be announced at a later date.
