Croatian director Vinko Brešan, a member of the feature film jury at the Herceg Novi Film Festival - Montenegro Film Festival (FFHN-MFF), says that he loves the festival and is happy to return to it.
"This year, the festival makes me extremely happy because I have already watched and will watch four Montenegrin films and I think it is a great success of Montenegrin cinematography", says Brešan.
He points out that it is a question of high quality films, great professionalism and excellent actors. He says that the topics change, which is good, but he is pleased that there is a dose of humor in them, both in tragedies and in thrillers and dramas, specific to the region. Although he participates in festivals both as a director and as a member of the jury, Brešan claims that the nature of film is not competitive, just as the nature of art is not.
"Who will judge whether the Sistine Chapel or the Mona Lisa is better? They are great works of art that live on their own. Of course, when we watch movies, we watch different worldviews, some different microcosms, where people tell different stories, and it's hard to compare. Juries exist here to create a collective common opinion, maybe some other jury would evaluate the films completely differently... This alone is proof that the nature of the film is not competitive because it depends a lot on taste", says Brešan and concludes that the film is competitive because the creators competitions, because there are festivals and because prizes are awarded.
"Festivals were invented by producers, distributors, to warn about some achievements and to tell the audience to watch a film. That is the goal, that is the purpose of the festival. Awards are not an idea, it's just a message to the audience to watch a film," said Brešan.
He adds that, nevertheless, he prefers to come to the festival as a director, because "as a member of the jury he has obligations and must work, and as a director he "comes and enjoys".
He also revealed to "Vijesti" that he is currently preparing a film based on his father's play (Ivo Brešan "Hamlet in Mrduša Donja") and hopes to start filming next year.
Vinko Brešan (Zagreb, 1964) studied philosophy and comparative literature, and graduated in directing at the Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was awarded several times, and with the film
"The Priest's Children" participated in the 27th FFHN-MFF and then received the "Milan Žmukić" award, which is traditionally awarded for the overall contribution to that film festival.
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