Montenegrin film in focus: Aleksandra Božović heads the jury of the “Cyprus Film Days” festival

It is particularly important to me that through such international activities we contribute to the visibility of Montenegro on the cultural map of Europe and the world, building bridges of cooperation that are essential for the development of our cinematography, the director of the Film Center of Montenegro told "Vijesti", Aleksandra Božović, on the occasion of her appointment as the president of the jury at the 23rd edition of the Cyprus International Film Festival “Cyprus Film Days”.

This year's jury is composed of five prominent film professionals, who will evaluate seven international and three Cypriot films within the “Glocal Images” competition program.

In addition to Božović, the jury members include an independent film curator and manager Delfin Hurry Up, award-winning Hungarian director and screenwriter György Palfi, French co-founder and director of the “Les Arcs Film Festival” Guillaume Callop and a famous Cypriot actress, Agni Shot.

Božović emphasized that her appointment represents an exceptional honor and recognition, "both on a personal and professional level."

"This recognition is not only a confirmation of my individual commitment, but also a recognition of the work of the Film Center of Montenegro as an institution that is dedicated to promoting Montenegrin film and developing co-productions with the countries of Southeast Europe and beyond," she said.

On this occasion, she speaks in more detail to "Vijesti" about the significance of this recognition for Montenegro and its cinematography, reveals her criteria for evaluating films, plans for culturally connecting our country, as well as the importance of nurturing independent film production and auteur films as opposed to the mainstream of large conglomerates.

How will your participation in the jury of the "Cyprus Film Days" festival contribute to the promotion of Montenegrin cinema?

My participation in the jury of the “Cyprus Film Days” festival represents a continuation of the already established cooperation between our cinematographies. It is important to point out that within the accompanying industrial program of the “Dot.on.the.Map” festival, Montenegrin films constantly participate in the co-production market. Thus, in last year’s edition, among the eight selected films was the project of the Montenegrin production company Parangal film “Four Funerals and a Wedding”, directed by Nikola MijovićAnd this year, the Montenegrin film “Like Warm September” was selected, directed by Vlastimir Sudar.

It is particularly significant that the Film Center of Montenegro and the Ministry of Culture of Cyprus, i.e. their Film Office, have been partners within the “SEE Cinema Network” - the South East European Cinema Network since 2018. Through this platform, we are very well acquainted with Cypriot film projects, as they are with Montenegrin ones. I see my appointment as the president of the jury as the crowning achievement of our previous cooperation and an opportunity to create new connections between our filmmakers.

What are your criteria for judging films within the “Glocal Images” competition program?

I am primarily guided by the artistic quality of the work, the authenticity of the author's expression, and the ability of filmmakers to convey local stories and the specificities of their cultures through universal film narrative. I especially appreciate the innovative approach, both at the level of the script, as well as in the director's vision and technical realization.

I believe that the most valuable films manage to strike a balance between artistic freedom and communication with the audience, between experimentation with form and clarity in conveying the message. In the “Glocal Images” competition, I am looking for precisely that balance: films that are deeply rooted in the specificities of their local contexts, but at the same time speak a universal cinematic language that can communicate with an international audience.

How do you evaluate the selection of jury members and the cooperation with renowned colleagues from the international film scene?

I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with such distinguished international film professionals. The jury brings together experts from various fields of the film industry - from independent filmmakers, to award-winning directors, to festival directors and famous actors.

This diversity of perspectives and experiences enriches our work and enables a comprehensive view of film achievements. At the same time, this cooperation represents an opportunity to strengthen ties between Montenegro and the countries from which the jury members come, especially considering that we are already building or planning to deepen cooperation at the institutional level with Hungary, France and Cyprus.

Are there any plans for stronger cooperation between the Film Center of Montenegro and similar institutions from Cyprus or other countries participating in the festival?

Cooperation with international film institutions is one of our key goals. We are currently in the final stages of preparing a co-production agreement with France, which will open up significant opportunities for cooperation between our filmmakers. In parallel, we plan to sign Memorandums of Cooperation with Hungary and Cyprus.

We are connected to Cyprus by the fact that both cinematographies have similar production capacity, which creates a good basis for mutual understanding and support. There is a mutual interest in deepening ties through formalized agreements, which would further strengthen our film industries. In general, we are working with all the countries participating in the festival to create favorable conditions at the level of film centers for Montenegrin filmmakers, in order to facilitate their access to international resources and partnerships.

How important do you think it is to nurture films that originate from different countries, where creators strive to create true works of art as opposed to something that is mainstream and hyper-produced by large conglomerates?

I consider nurturing independent film production and auteur films from different countries to be absolutely crucial for preserving cultural diversity and the richness of film art. In Montenegro, more than 95 percent of our films are auteur films, and the research we have done shows that 78 percent of production companies create predominantly artistic works, while only 22 percent deal with commercial content.

Our filmmakers, although aware that commercial projects are often more profitable, choose artistic expression because they believe in its deeper social values. Montenegrin directors focus predominantly on the story and atmosphere of the film, which clearly points to the European art-house tradition that we nurture through the Film Center.

Festivals like “Cyprus Film Days” play a crucial role in maintaining film diversity, creating a space for dialogue between different cultural perspectives. This is a mission we share and are committed to, convinced that it is precisely independent films, emerging from specific cultural contexts, that enrich world cinema and provide a necessary alternative to uniform mainstream content.