At the end of October, Novi Sad was once again a regional hub of short film, thanks to the Film Front festival. Under the slogan “A Step or Two”, 64 works from Serbia, the region and the world were screened to packed cinema halls during the 24th International Festival of Short Fiction Film.
This year’s edition was given a special character by the programme “European Values Through Film”, held with the support of the Europe House Novi Sad. The segment was integrated into the festival’s main programme so that film could serve as a starting point for discussing important social topics, such as human rights, solidarity, equality, freedom and personal responsibility in the community. A special block of European films was shown as part of the International Selection, followed by an open discussion between the audience and director Stefan Ivančić, festival selector Filip Markovinović and sociologist Jelena Karać.
“When selecting films for this segment, I wanted the themes to touch on the biggest challenges Europe is facing right now: the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza, migration and environmental change. A film was also shown that best demonstrated the practice of including socially vulnerable groups, in this case people with Down syndrome, in a creative process that resulted in an excellent comedy with elements of a musical”, said festival selector Filip Markovinović.
Questions from the audience and a lively discussion confirmed that films about contemporary challenges easily find their way to viewers when they are given the chance for direct dialogue, Markovinović added.
Among the audience were young authors and future professionals, who were particularly interested in Stefan’s experience as a producer who, through European co-productions, has managed to make a series of notable films dealing with traumatic topics from our recent history, such as “The Burden”.
The discussion also covered the meaning of the term “European values”, which is often used in public discourse. Through dialogue, it was concluded that it implies a culture of dialogue, resolving challenges through consensus, and the inclusion of socially vulnerable groups. It also implies practices that often do not bring quick solutions but can lead to a better understanding of different cultures and traditions across Europe.
The story of European values also gained a practical dimension at the educational workshop “How to Read a Film”, led by Maša Seničić. About fifteen young participants analysed the European films they had previously watched and gained valuable tools for a critical understanding of film language and the social context in which art is created.
As for the awards, in the regional selection the main prize went to the film “Krš” (“Karst”) by Petar Vukićević, while the best film in the international selection was “Silent Voices” by Nadine Misong Jin. In the AnimaFront selection, the audience gave its award to the animated film “The King of Nothing” by Aleksa Gajić, while the film “The Gospel According to My Grandma” won in the Front Next Generation programme.
Next year, the Film Front festival will mark a jubilee quarter of a century.