The film "God exists, his name is Petrunija" by the North Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska won the Grand Prix of the 33rd Film Festival Herceg Novi - Montenegro Film Festival in the selection of feature films, which ends tonight with the awards ceremony at Kanli Kula. In the explanation of the five-member jury, which included Dunja Klemenc - president and members Vinko Brešan, Nikola Ristanovski, Jelena Mišeljić and Nikola Ljuca, it was stated that the award was given to this achievement "for a politically provocative modern fairy tale that resonates, hurts and makes people laugh".
The golden mimosa for directing went to Ivan Salatić for the film You have the night, for "radically visual and deeply thought-out process that writes the timeless chronicle of Herceg Novi".
The film also received the FEDEORA award of the association of critics of Europe and the Mediterranean (Dževdet Tuzlić, president and members Vuk Perović and Dragan Jovićević).
"The director's post-transitional theme is stylized and framed by a metaphor that equally refers to the country of origin of the film and the Mediterranean area to which that country belongs, but also many others, not only shipyards, but all large enterprises from the system of social values that no longer exist. You have the night is characterized by an original approach to metafilmic content, work with actors and the film's technical crew.
Special value was given to the framed film manuscript by Ivan Marković as the director of photography, and Jelena Maksimović as the film editor. This film is also proof that festivals without local authors cannot have a deeper meaning, and that the presence of a local film adds value in itself," the jury explained.
Marius Oltean for the film "Monsters" for "a fascinating and mysterious triptych of the complicated emotional life of a modern Romanian couple" received the golden mimosa for the screenplay.
The best male role was achieved by the Turkish actor Alican Yucesoyu in the film Beautiful Indifference. The jury reasoned that with this role he showed "vulnerability and courage with which he subtly and wittily deconstructed the modern Turkish man".
The Golden Mimosa for the best female role was awarded to Nataša Ninković for the role of Vida in the film "Ajvar", in which she portrayed "emotional nakedness and nuancedly portrayed the pain of a modern woman".
For the specific sense of rhythm and eclecticism of its proceedings, the jury awarded the "Živko Nikolić" award for special contribution to film expression to Jelena Maksimović for the editing of the film You have the night.
Actor Momo Pićurić deserved special recognition from the Jury, due to the specificity of his authentic acting expression and contribution to a large number of films at this year's festival.
The jury singled out the Slovenian designer and sound mixer Juli Zornik, who gave post-Yugoslav cinematography the exceptionality of his work on the films Posljedice and Šavovi.
Anyone who has a film here as a student - has proven real skills and talent in filmmaking
According to the jury, "Strano telo" by Dušan Zorić is the best film in the student selection.
The jury consisting of Eleonora Veninova, Dušan Grubin and president Bojana Radulović judged that everyone who has a film here as a student has proven serious skills and talent in filmmaking, the jury congratulated the students and the selector Dušan Kasalica,
"This year's jury consists of two women, but contrary to the tendencies of today's time, we chose a film made by a man, which deals with masculinity. However, this film is not about love, relationships, weddings, or motherhood. It deals with sex and violence. The film talks about our region and its painful wartime past, when the rape of a woman is not only fraud, but a weapon of war, the transmission of violence. A radical film, honest in our era, when pornography has become a banality. An excellent choreography of our souls, a story about a young man who discovers an aggressive part of himself when he meets a victim of sexual trauma", the jury explained.
Two special awards went to the films "Jedini" by Nikola Polić and "Vrzel" by Ana Trebša.
In the film "The Only One", the director masterfully guides us through the quiet world of his protagonist, creating a superb cinematic experience. Visually stunning and patiently crafted. It is unique, mature and authentic from beginning to end, as the name of the film suggests.
Through the well-developed and brilliantly played character of Klara, in the film "Vrzel" the director leads us through the break-up process in an extremely emotional way and with subtle actions. It confronts us with one of the main problems of our generation, loneliness.
The jury of MINI PITCH Nikolina Zečević, president and members Sanja Jovanović and Vuk Perović, with an explanation for "an effective dramaturgical and visually presented love relationship between two people, a well-rounded producer's vision, a well-prepared project, as well as for a clear and precise presentation, the award for the best MINI PITCH under the auspices of the Film Center of Montenegro awarded the project "Rikvert" directed by Andrija Mugoša and producer Iva Kasalica".
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