Radmila Djurica

 22nd of November, the 20th LIFFE http://en.liffe.si/  came to the end. 20 years of feature films, short films were screened, in Ljubljana, a beautiful little country called Slovenia. This year, over 45,000 tickets were sold for 254 screenings. The Kingfisher Award of International jury Dana Linssen, Elma Tataragić, Martin Turk of the 20th LIFFE went to “The Blacks” Croatian film directed by Zvonimir Jurić and Goran Dević. a film that is “courageous in its portrayal of a war situation which not only recalls the war outside, but also confronts us with the enemy within every human being that is perhaps the biggest threat to him. Starting from a very realistic situation, the film slowly turns into a surrealistic nightmare. For expressive acting, a convincing story and inventive directing…”

The same jury gave a Special Mention to a film “for its perfect aesthetic, storytelling, directing of the actors,  social engagement and philosophical insightfulness” of the 20th LIFFE went to “Politist, Adjectiv” directed by Corneliu Porumboiu. This year’s jubilee LIFFe had 15 films competed for the Best Short Film Award (with international Jury of Iva Krajnc, Hanna Preuss, Neil Young). The international jury gave the award to “Missing” by Jochem de Vries from the Netherlands. For “the winning film explores childhood and family with a directness and simplicity that allow us to glimpse apparently ordinary events which say much about the people concerned, their milieu, and their society. Free of inherent judgment or insinuation, its content is left fully open to interpretation of the viewer. It is executed with the economy and confidence that mark the best work in the short-film format.” The Special Mention went to Australian film “The Ground Beneath” by Rene Hernandez. The Dragon Award, wonderful sculpture designed by Polona Demšar, went to young Canadian director Xavier Dolan for the film “I Killed My Mother”, film shot on the north of Canada, Xavier  noted the festival: “I am honored, flattered, astonished to receive this award. It is a message of love and appreciation from a collectivity of people, and is therefore so valuable, sincere. A prize from a Jury may have a prestigious or intellectual value, but an Audience Award means a numerous crowd is behind the film, and such consideration from an eclectic, multigenerational, cinephilic public touches every single bit of my heart, my pride, my spirit. I am mesmerized by the film's effect on people all around the world, from here to you, with all the cultural disparities and differences that distances, seas and countries imply. Thank you so much, and long live cinéma for bringing us closer in art and in life.”     Sonic Youth Power Of Judging Lots of long drinks, fantastic food, sightseeing of Ljubljana and Slovenia, laughter and of course lots of good films that we had on 20th of Ljubljana International Film Festival LIFFE. After my personal nightmare of going on the stage to proclaim the winner and falling over in public on the award ceremony and finally, after late night of conferencing and partying, the jury Zoran Gojić, Špela Barlič and myself decided for The FIPRESCI Award, the International Federation of Film Critics, to go to an American film directed by Ben and Josh Safdie “Go Get Some Rosemary”. We stated that “Josh and Ben Safdie brothers tell a simple story about a complicated family – which is their own. Inspired by the New York independent film tradition, it captures the hectic patchwork family life. It’s a comical drama about a man in between extremes and his confused sons. A warm-hearted look back without anger.”A film inspired by American indie film tradition (New York Independent Film)  present us with the hectic NY life. Slightly comical and powerfully serious well crafted drama shows us a warm giving man, thorn between his boy-always-young immaturity and fatherhood responsibility.  With “not totally film camera”, skillful editing and dogmatic atmosphere, film reflects the irresponsible and charismatic father and NYstate of mind, and Manhattan that interferes in his role of father and constant life downs between picking the children up from school and petty living that almost Takes upon fatal proportions. In truly odd, "Go Get Some Rosemary" is a convincing depiction of real life situation of many others in NY. Simple enough fact“Go Get Some Rosemary” is about the culmination of long and demanding emotional struggles, faithful to its New York-indie tradition it surprises with appearances of Abel Ferrara and Lee Ranaldo from the NY band Sonic Youth. Also children special mention to Ranaldo's children that played a main part in this drama, with a film director, in this case main actor of this film Ronald Bronstein, guest of the festival.