09 Jul 11th UnderhillFest held in Podgorica
Citizens of the world in Njegos park
Since 2010 International festival of feature documentary film UnderhillFest represents a cross-section of very significant and artistically acclaimed documentaries. Respecting all the measures by the National coordination body for infectious diseases – from 16th to 23rd June 2020, audience in Podgorica had the opportunity to watch 19 films, different documentary stories, at the BC Buducnost in Njegos park as well as in the National library “Radosav Ljumović”.
As in previous years, Vuk Perovic was the film selector and the films were divided in three categories: international, regional and non-competitive.
The jury of the 11th UnderhillFest, consisting of: Jelena Mišeljić – producer, Ivan Marinović – director and Gojko Berkuljan – director, have made a decision to give the Dandelion award in the international category to the film TUNNEL directed by Nina Orjonikidža and Van Arsenishvili.
As stated in the jury explanation ‘The film observationally questions the group portrait of one community in extreme transition conditions. In an almost genre-like manner of narration, we are faced with a series of questions about the socio-political context of the turmoil between humanism and capitalism”.
A three-member jury decided to give the Special Recognition in the INTERNATIONAL category to the film EARTH IS BLUE AS AN ORANGE directed by Iryna Tsilyk.
“An authentic directorial approach offers new perspectives on participatory documentary. In the intimate portrait of a family in war, the experience of watching this film shifts from the perspective of directorial reflection to an internalized plan of the story, with whose heroines we unquestionably coexist in a surreal atmosphere of the new normality. ”
The award Dandelion in the REGIONAL category was given to the film HONEYLAND directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov.
“In addition to touching portraits, noble, emotional and witty content, through the means of subtle narrative Honeyland manages to expose and present the inherent mistakes written in all of us.”
The special recognition of the jury in the REGIONAL category was given to the film SPEAK SO I CAN SEE YOU by Marija Stojnić.
“The experimental documentary by Marija Stojnić explores the dreamy landscapes of memories and the archives of Radio Belgrade. The film is a pulsating audiovisual experience that deserves special attention and it also serves as a document about an institution and a dedication to radiophonic expression. ”
The audience award of the 11th UnderhillFest went to the film MILESTONES by Jelena Radenović with an average grade of 5.0.
In 2017, Jelena Radenović was a participant in the back then new segment of UnderhillFest, the RAD program (workshops for female documentary authors) and her project MILESTONES was recognized as one among the three best at UnderhillFest.
During the 11th UnderhillFest, international category included also the following films: Andrey Tarkovsky, A Cinema Prayer directed by Andrey A. Tarkovsky, son of the celebrated director, Wake Up on Mars by Dea Gjinovci, Our Time Machine directed by Yang Sun and Leo Chiang, Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin by Werner Herzog, For Sama by Waad Al – Khateab and Edeard Watts and Represent by Hillary Bachelder. Regional selection included 8 films and besides the awarded ones were If Only Dreams Came True by Visnja Skorin, I was 10 years old by Velibor Covic, Little Star Rising by Sladjana Lucic, I Am What I Am – The Story of Gipsy Mafia by Andrijana Stojkovic and Tusta by Andrej Korovljev. Non-competitive selection included three films But Beautiful by Erwin Wagenhofer, Sparks by Vladimir Perovic and Vrpca at Stivi by Danilo Pendo.
As part of the 11th UnderhillFest, for the fifth year in a row, a three-day program IN FOCUS was organized in cooperation with Women’s Rights Center. In the National Library “Radosav Ljumović”, we screened the films Represent, Milestones and Earth is Blue as an Orange, after which panel discussions were organized.
The guests of the festival were the producer of the film Little Star Rising Tamara Babun, director of the film Tusta Andrej Korovljev, director of the film I was 10 years old Velibor Covic, director and the team that worked on the film Vrpca at Stivi Danilo Pendo with the film’s protagonists.
A long-time friend of the Festival, “Petrović Njegos” Foundation, participated in the final evening of the festival, when we screened the film “Better World” in non-competitive category. Prince Nikola Petrović Njegos sent a message, which was read in front of a large audience by Milica Perisic, Secretary General of the Foundation.
“Dear friends, or rather dear Citizens of the World, because if I look back at the program of the 11th edition, you who were lucky enough to watch all these documentaries, you must feel like Citizens of the World,” reads the message of Prince Nikola.
This year as well, UnderhillFest was supported by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro, Secretariat for culture and sport, Film Centre of Montenegro…