Hallo again!!!!! How long has it been??? Too long since I posted here. But this time, I really have a great reason. I spent a great week in Banja Luka, as a member of a jury at Bnjalukaanima, an international festival of animated movies http://www.banjalukanima.org/2012/index.php?str=btg_pocetna.
How did it all start? Well, as per usual, I was busy with something very interesting and artistic, when I got a call from Vesna Dovniković :
Yes, it was a struggle. My colleges were all over me. Though decision, but I knew what my duty is. And I was always GREAT when it came to duty.
And so, I packed my stuff, left my coworkers in good hands (my aunt), and went to Banja Luka, with my good, good friend Bajko Hromalić as a driver.
As you can see, it was a smoooooooth trip. What else could it be with two such experienced and rough and though travelers as the two of us?
Mind you, we did stop for a sightseeing...
...and we visited few local attractions.
But we arrived at time and in one piece. We checked in the Hotel (lovely), and went to eat (lovely). I liked the restaurant Citadela. Good food, and a lot's of it. And a nice service. It did, however, have a few side effects :
And there were few funny accidents, when it comes to comunication :
Let me just say one thing : this was my first time as a member of a jury at some international festival. I was a bit scared. I mean, I'm not a big international author!!! And haven't made a movie in a few years now! I spend my time animating (love, love, love) and earn my daily bred by working for others and teaching kids about animation. At this moment, I would like to say, that i was lucky enough to work with truly wonderful people. So, please allow me to introduce my colleges :
Alexis Hunot
This guy writes about animation. Also has a website where he does that http://www.zewebanim.com/blog/ He worked in different jobs at the Annecy Festival (Annecy people, Annecy!!!!), since 2002 he has been writung for the magazine Storyboard, in 2004 he lounched the website Zewebanim, etc.
Lock up your daughters when dealing with him. Also, he can't pronounce the certain food name (it's che-wap-chi-chi!!!!!! God!!!!!!)
Film director and production designer from Poland. A quiet type. Puppet master. Speaks only when he has something to say. Determined. Also, won the Grand Prix in Banja Luka on the last festival.
Predrag Bijelošević
Ana-Marija Vidaković
Eh, do I really have to? Oh, OK. I'm an animator. And author. And I corrup...I mean teach kids how to do classical animation. I like cats. Not sure about them liking me. They like the food I give them (sometimes).
Georges Schwizgebel
Do I really need to introduce this man? I do?????? What the hell are you doing here? Oh, ok. Switzerland native, one of the biggest names in contemporary animation. Author of 15 short films, which picked up prizes at Cannes, Annecy, Zagreb, Hiroshima, Stuttgart, Ottawa and Espinho. Also, a very, very dear human being, very polite and very nice to talk to. Modest and friendly. Like, like, like.
Of course, we had to chose a president of the jury, which we did, in a very democratic way. Four of us raised hands for the same person, and it was decided. And the fact that he was absent at the moment means nothing. We had a majority. It was legal.
And now, introducing the people who made all this possible :
Goran Dujaković. The Festival president. His Royal Highness. Nice guy. Also, the founder of the festival. Runs the Pheonix Art. He was everywhere at the same time and managed to look relaxed and cool while doing it. God I envy him.
Ah, the Festival beauties! On your left, Dragana Protić Solomun, the highly competent head producer, whose closet I'm going to raid when she least expects it. On your right, Suzana Vukmir, the PRESS head honcho, who can put to shame many so called professionals. Well informed, well traveled, a delight to talk to. Also, a band manager.
People responsible for interviews and festival reports. The tall one with the mike is Davor Pavlović, and the one with (or behind) the camera is Draško Gajić, with whom I was happily chatting about football.There are others, whose pictures I do not have, but should be mentioned here, like Zoran Đerić, the art Director of the Festival, and Predrag Solomun, the program Director. Thank you all!!!!
There is something special about watching movies as a jury member. You don't have the luxury of saying "this is boring", or "oh, I've seen this one", and stop watching. You have to watch every single movie fully concentrated, in order to be able to judge. You start wery fresh, with a lots of enthusiasm, and in the end...Oh, well.... It looks something like this :
Joking aside, I'm glad I was in this position. I noticed, that animation is making a comeback in animated movies. There was a period, about 3-4 years ago, when I would go to the Festival of animation and watched experimental movies. Nothing against them, but...But I came to watch animated movies, if you know what I mean.
The festival in Banja Luka is presenting a lot of movies one can not usually see on other festivals. It is my observation, that it's concentrated on the authors and movies sometimes neglected by the so called "big festivals". And I like that. There was a lots of movies from Poland, Russia and Estonia, and the selection offered a good insight of some less known schools and country productions.It also confirmed my belief, that the world of animated movies is in the moment of transition. The Big Authors that we all knew are less and less active, and the new ones are in the forming, but not there just jet. The world of animation is still waiting for the new Big Ones. I think they are about to come.
There were other attractions, beside the movies, like lectures by Pritt Parn and Georges Schwizgebel. I heard one of Pritts lectures before, but I never heard Georges talk about his movies. I enjoyed both very, very much. Also, Predrag took time and gave us a big, interesting tour through the Puppet museum.
All that made even Alexis turn serious ;-)
And so, after seeing all the movies, we, the jury, have retired to Predrags office, to make the decission. It was pretty easy, but we wanted everyone to think that we are working hard, so :
Decission made, we decided to accept Predrags kind offer to celebrate with a little, little drink (an finger of whiskey each). A bottle and a half later, we decided we were hungry, and ended up...somewhere...eating...and drinking...We found out later we were searched for. Quite panickly...
Next day, when we were found (and nursing the mother of all hangovers), we were taken to a little siteseeing. Quite interesting thing, thanks to Suzana, who was our dear, unofficial guide. We were taken through the citadel, that weas build quite a long ago, by Romans, if I'm not mistaken, and used throughout the centuries.
Again, Alexis was the joker soul of our
little group. At one point, he stroke a pose, pointed to the gaits and
yelled . "A thousend years is looking at you!!!" Guess who walked
through the gates at that very moment? Yes, that's right:
The closing ceramony was a blast. We had Alexis read every result, exept the Grand prix (that honor went to Predrag), because he is fun. He was sulking a bit, because we stoped him from honoring one of the sponsors on the stage:
He got better after he consumed few products by the said sponsor (coughdrinkcough). Anyway, here are few photos from the festival. Lets just say I almost went home with the new pet (I think you will recognise that photo). The photograpfs are taken partly by me (the bad ones), and partly by dear Drago (thanx!!!) :
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| Dodaj naslov |
And so, it ended. It was a BLAST!!!!! I met some truly, truly wonderfull people (and potential pets). We exchanged e-mails and hugs, and we parted.
And so I went home. It was a bvlast too :
And for my last little picture here, two Festival directors, seen from the back. There are similarities :
In the end, all I can say is . I LOVED IT!!!!! Hope to go there again. And soon.
