Montenegro is an outdoor film studio, but in vain

The year we saw off was one of the most successful years for Montenegrin cinematography, for many reasons, agreed the interlocutors of "Vijesti", general director of the Directorate for Cultural and Artistic Creativity Dragica Milić, director of the Montenegrin Cinematheque and director Andro Martinović, as well as director of the Film Center of Montenegro Gore and producer Sehad Čekić.

After stagnation, one of the most successful years

"I don't think I'm exaggerating if I say that 2018 was one of the most successful years for Montenegrin cinematography. There are many reasons for such a statement. After the stagnation of this sector characteristic of the last decade of the last century and the revitalization of film production with the support of the Ministry of Culture, which contributed to the sustainability of the sector in the previous 15 years, finally, from 2015 to 2017, the necessary normative and institutional conditions for consistent policy management were created of development in this area of ​​culture", Milić explained.

She pointed out that the region can be envious of the young film community, which is full of enthusiasm and positive energy, open to cooperation and the production of quality cinematographic works, and said:

"Film making is just one of the complex cinematographic activities in which a large number of young people work: producers, directors, screenwriters, actors, who were educated in Montenegro and made their first shots there. It seems to me that the most priority is to create conditions for their continuous work. This is our obligation, to create a favorable environment for the improvement of certain sectors of culture, as well as the activities of its actors, with adequate measures appropriate to the state administration body", she said.

Festivals and "Eurimaz" as confirmation of quality

Čekić also pointed out that the progress of our cinematography is evident through the presentation of Montenegrin films at renowned world and regional festivals, as well as their later life.

"Film premieres at significant festivals, including the premiere of Ivan Salatić's 'You Have the Night' at the Venice Film Festival, indicate the quantitative and qualitative shift and new positions that our cinematography has taken on the international scene. The Film Center is expanding its fields of activity, and the increased budget has opened the possibility for more and more projects to be launched, while focusing both on production, which is the most demanding, and on project preparation (script development, project development). Of course, the news about joining the Eurimaž fund marked the end of the year and completely legitimized everything we did as a film community in the previous period. By joining Eurimaž, we completed the international framework for the proper development of our cinematography, which represents a reliable support for the future of Montenegrin cinema. This year, the European Film Academy invited five new members from Montenegro to membership, which is enough to show the rapid increase in the visibility and reputation of our cinematography," he said.

Martinović also emphasized the participation of Montenegrin film productions at important international festivals, in various categories, and he himself was in the selection of the festival in Montreal, which at one time earned the prestigious status of the festival from the so-called A list.

"To establish a system in any area, a number of steps are required and, above all, to ensure continuity of action. Certain assumptions for this are expressed in the existing legal solutions and the establishment of the Film Center, for which we waited an unjustified long time. The first results of the activities of the institution that deals with contemporary cinematography are visible, they cover truly different aspects of supporting film production and film promotion. And the end of this year will be marked by news that directly resulted from the involvement of the Center: it is membership in the Eurimages fund", Martinović praised the involvement of his colleagues. His film "Between Day and Night" will be shown at the 47th International Film Festival in Belgrade, as part of the competitive selection "Serbia and Friends".

Continuity is lacking for faster development

Andro Martinović also said that "for a long time there was no clear strategy when it comes to film art and film heritage, what to do with it, do we even need it"...

"Efforts to establish the Montenegrin Cinema Library only had a positive outcome in 2000, and it is clear that we missed a significant amount of time. However, it is not only in the film that we are condemned to take pioneering steps over and over again in several generations. What we lack is continuity as a prerequisite for development, and I consider what we are doing now to be important precisely in establishing the system. It seems to me that there is a parallel with the transformations that Montenegro is going through as a society and as a country", said Martinović.

Čekić, visibly satisfied, said that FCCG had an extremely successful year, but also admitted that there is still much to improve.

"There are many things and procedures that we need to improve, both as an institution and the entire film community. Cinematography is a complex activity, conditioned by the technical and economic conditions in which it takes place, so a proactive role is intended for everyone. I hope that we learned that lesson the hard way, at least we in Montenegro. My sincere recommendation is to introduce a new level of more thorough project preparation and reflection in the sector, in order to reduce the negative impact of capriciousness and ad hoc solutions, which left and are leaving long-term consequences", said Čekić.

Many fields need to be improved

Dragica Milić did not hesitate to recall other cinematographic activities that are not up to the standard in Montenegro and pointed out that these will be priorities in the coming period.

"However, other cinematographic activities, such as the distribution and placement of cinematographic works, screening, technical capacities and conditions for filming in the interior, are not at a level that would ensure complete cinematographic development. In the coming period, this will be treated through various development priorities, which we planned in the National Program for the Development of Cinematography...", she announced.

"Analysis of the thematic focus of the new Montenegrin cinematography indicates an aesthetic diversity with a dominant authorial-artistic approach, with an evident lack of films of the era, films from the Montenegrin cultural and historical context, films for children and young people, as well as television films and series. The institutional organization of film production records a large number of production companies for Montenegrin conditions, of which there are 30 registered for the production of films and other audiovisual works in Montenegro today. Apart from attractive locations for filming, there are no other prerequisites for complete film production, so filming is realized by renting equipment from the countries of the region, where post-production is also carried out", she pointed out.

Milić also admits that there is no film studio in Montenegro.

"Distribution, as a cinematographic activity that ensures the economic valorization of a film work, is also underdeveloped. In Montenegro, there is only one company engaged in this activity and one non-governmental organization. The situation is also unfavorable in the display industry. Although there is a good institutional framework for showing films in cinemas in every Montenegrin municipality, the outdated technique affects the fact that this segment of the work of municipal cultural institutions (culture centers), where cinemas operate, is realized only with occasional screenings. Nevertheless, the business results and the number of tickets sold in two multiplexes show that the audience's interest in showing films exists. Therefore, in the coming period, special attention will be devoted to the digitization of all cinemas in Montenegro. In general, these are problems that affect a complete cinematographic development, which is why special attention will be paid to them in the coming period", she said and added:

"We have all the prerequisites, in a normative sense, for developing a favorable and stimulating creative environment, which is complementary and competitive on the international market. And above all, we have unique natural beauty, from the sea to the mountains, which we will intensively promote and make the famous claim that Montenegro is an open-air film studio a reality."

The Ministry of Culture invests only 1.200.000 euros in cinematography

Investments in cinematography have changed significantly after the establishment of the Film Center of Montenegro, Dragica Milić answers to the question about how much money the Ministry of Culture allocates for cinematography, and reveals that 1.200.000 is invested in the cinematographic field as a whole, i.e. 15 percent of the budget related to the stimulation and development of cultural and artistic creativity.

"During 2018, investments in film production and co-productions increased significantly thanks to the newly established Film Fund, from which support was provided for 24 new Montenegrin films and minority co-productions in a short time. When we talk about allocations for cinematography, for the sake of comparison, I will note that in the previous period, something between 200 and 300 thousand euros was allocated from the budget of the Ministry of Culture for these purposes, while now almost a million euros are allocated from the state budget and the Film Fund for financing. she points out.

Milić explains that FCCG provides the most significant support to filmmaking, but also that other projects are also financially supported.

"In addition to the budget of the Film Center, from which about two-thirds, or about 400.000 euros, is allocated to support the cinematographic sector, a significant source of funding is also the Film Fund, established by the Law on Cinematography, from which an additional 500 euros is allocated for these purposes at the annual level".

She also says that, in addition to this, the Ministry additionally participates in financing when it comes to the international presentation of domestic films at reference international events, as was the case this year with the Film Festival in Venice, the Film Festival in Montreal, the participation of the Montenegrin representative in the competition for Oscar...

30 registered production companies operate in Montenegro, announced Dragica Milić and pointed out that this is a significant number for our small area.