Documentary film "Women of the Popular Front" (The Divine Feminine) Serbian female directors Ivana Todorovic, filmed at a clinic in Belgrade, will have its world premiere on February 10th at the 42nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival, as part of the official Artists & Idealists selection.
According to the author Ivana Todorović, this intimate story from a hospital in Serbia has a universal resonance: for young women who are just becoming and for older women who are entering new phases of their bodies and lives. “Talking openly about womanhood is still an act of courage. I hope that by watching this film, every woman will feel understood, accepted and embraced, and that every man will be able to understand and feel a woman more closely,” the film’s director emphasized.
Ivana Todorović stated, on the occasion of the premiere, that she is the program director of that festival. Claudia Puig one of the most respected American film critics and that she is very honored that her film was recognized and included in the official selection.
"Santa Barbara is a festival with a long tradition of strong auteur film, where directors such as Chloé Zhao, Paul Thomas Anderson, Richard Linklater and Kelly Reichart have screened their works. I am delighted that our film will begin its festival journey there," she added.
Ivana Todorović is also the film's producer, while the rest of the film crew consists of Marija Jelusic (assembly), Masa Drndic (camera), Jakov Munizaba (sound design and music), Ivan Uzelac i Akesa Prljevic (sound effects), Milica Drakulic (color film), Andrej Đukić (VFX), Nebojsa Petrović (graphic design), Amira Medunjanin - music and Petar Tanasijevic - lyrics for the song "This morning my rose bloomed", Katlin Mekinis (marketing), Daglas Opedal (executive producer), Jesper Osmund, Milina Trišić (assembly), Dear Sestic (production). Ivana Todorović, Maša Drndić and Marija Jelušić were responsible for the film's form.
The film was produced by Blok Film with the support of the Film Center of Serbia.
Ivana Todorović is a director of short, socially engaged films that explore trauma and healing processes through empathy. She completed her master's degree in film and TV directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, a Graduate Certificate in Documentary Media Studies at The New School in New York, and studies in ethnology and anthropology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade.
She has made most of her films in Belgrade, and one in New York. Her films have been screened at international festivals such as Berlinale Shorts, IFF Rotterdam, Sarajevo Film Festival, Dokufest, Palm Springs International ShortFest, and Guadalajara IFF, where they have won numerous awards.
He lives and works between Arizona and Belgrade, where he is currently developing new film projects, a documentary in the Sonoran Desert and a feature film in Belgrade.
The Santa Barbara Film Festival runs from February 4th to 14th, and is dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. This year, it will feature 46 world and 80 American premieres, with a strong focus on auteur films and gender equality.
As part of the festival, honorary awards will be presented to some of the most important names in contemporary film, including: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Adam Sandler, Sidney Sweeney, Jeremy Allen White, Kate Hudson, Skarsgor Suit i Michael B. Jordan, and the program also includes numerous panel discussions, talks with authors, and educational programs.
Ivana Todorović's film will be re-screened on February 11th.
(SEEcult.org)
Bonus video:
