This year marks 20 years of the Festival and 10 years since it has become the European Film Festival. Celebration of these two jubilees we are going to organize without great ceremonies but with a rich programme. We provided screening of about 100 films within 10 festival selections and a great number of guests who are going to take part in debates and educational programmes as well. Therefore we decided that programmes should take place from 1 to 27 July, 2013. Central festival programmes are going to start on 13 July and last till the 19 of the same month. Two previous weeks are going to be dedicated to Aleksandar Lifka Award laureates and the films awarded on the Festival from 2003, the year when Festival has become dedicated exclusively to European cinema. After the festival we provided seven day of films in Hits programme. Apart from film programmes, Festival traditionally organizes debates and educational programmes as well as publishing activities.
FILM PROGRAMMES
1. OFFICIAL SELECTION
Official Selection is dedicated to those European films that provoke issues about destiny of European man, pointing at the beauty and importance of diversity within European region, at the same time.
This kind of films easily get to the audience since the identification with their protagonists is so real and possible whether they are tragic or happy ending. Emotions from the screen are getting emotional response from the audience.
This year's selection of 14 films made Nikolaj Nikitin. Films are in competition for Golden Tower for the best film of the Festival and two Palić Towers. Films are going to be judged by five-member international jury. The selection is going to be screened at the Summer Stage, Palić.
2. PARALLELS AND ENCOUNTERS
Competition programme Parallels and Encounters is dedicated to feature films from former geopolitical region of Eastern Europe which deals with problems of transition of society, political systems, ethnic relations, identity and need for peace and co-existence, tolerance in the widest sense.
Quality of the films is going to be evaluated by three-member INTERNATIONAL CRITIC JURY composed of eminent European film critics.
Selector of the programme is Petar Mitrić. 12 films are going to be screened within this programme in Jadran theater of Subotica's National Theater.
3. YOUNG SPIRIT OF EUROPE
Young Spirit of Europe programme is the space of freedom opened for everyone. Age, social status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ideological bias, artistic sensuality are all – at least for the six days of the Festival – formally put aside.
The programme consists of 6 feature films and also 10 shorts, animated, experimental films with a strong author attitude of fresh and modern European filmmakers. The programme is going to take place at the Great Terrace in Palić and the selector is Petar Mitrić.
4. NEW HUNGARIAN FILM
Culture is something you can always count on while seeking the way of understanding and acceptance. Traditional programme New Hungarian Film has already been of a great help as a part of culture, trying, trough the art of film, to find those who are open to learn about Hungary. The programme is inspired by the fact that there is a great population of ethnic Hungarians in the Province of Vojvodina, that hasn't got opportunity to be in touch with the trends of contemporary Hungarian film production.
This year Hungarian cinema is in a transitional crisis between two models of financing. This fact led to a quite small production and few films were entirely finished. This is the main reason why we decided for this year to screen films, never seen on the Festival so far, of six most prominent Hungarian directors in last ten years, instead of new production. So we will be able to see films by Szabolcs Hajdu, Agnes Kocsis, Kornel Mundruczo and others. Selector of the programme is Zoltan Siflis.
5. NEW TURKISH FILM
In the last few decades European film experienced great changes. We cannot differ small and big national cinemas anymore. At the film scene of the Europe there are numerous changes and sudden happenings that put certain cinemas in the center of interest. This is why, nine years ago, we introduced Cinema in Focus programme which every year presents some of the most important and most interesting film production in Europe. So far Festival presented cinemas of Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Austria, Bavaria, Israel, Russia, Check Republic and Poland.
This year is reserved for Turkish cinema that, in a last few years, constantly delights audiences all around the world with its freshness and quality. Six films chosen by Ahmet Boyacioglu gives a true insight in newest and very rich Turkish production. Programme has been achieved in a cooperation with Turkish Embassy in Belgrade.
6. ECO DOCUMENTARIES
We live in times when we can clearly see dreadful impact of human deeds on destruction of natural environment and planet Earth in general and on the other hand we experience growing conscious for necessity of actions towards peace between human kind and nature. Referring to this, four years ago, we started programme that deals with ecological documentaries. In this programme there are ten films of the newest production. Programme is being followed by a vivid debate as well as scientific conference during the Festival, where experts and activists in the field of environmental protection have an opportunity to contemplate various topics and issues. Programme is taking place in Art Cinema Theater “Lifka”. Selector of the programme is Igor Toholj.
7. HOMAGE PROGRAMME TO ALEKSANDAR LIFKA AWARD WINNERS
This year's winners of the Award are Russian director and actor Nikita Mikhalkov and our most popular filmmaker Emir Kusturica. Homage programms are going to be screened a week before the beginning of the Festival, in Eurocinama at the Open University.
European Film Festival Palić established award Aleksandar Lifka in 1999 for the exceptional contribution to the European cinema. So far laureates were Lucian Pintilie, Krzysztof Zanussi, Jiri Menzel, Andrzej Wajda, Miklos Jancso, Margarethe von Trotta and Theo Angelopoulos, Ken Russell, Ken Loach, Costa Gavras, Jean-Marc Barr. The award of the same title every year goes to a national author as well. Some of the winners are: Dušan Makavejev, Eva Ras, Gordan Mihić, Milena Dravić, Puriša Đorđević, Živojin Mitrović, Velimir Bata Živoinović, Goran Marković, Predrag Miki Manojlović, Goran Marković, Goran Paskaljević, Srđan Karanović i Zoran Simjanović. The Award got its name after one of the pioneers of regional cinema - Aleksandar Lifka who, beck in 1905, established first cinema theater in Subotica.
8. HOMAGE PROGRAM TO WINNERS OF ERSTE UNDERGROUND SPIRIT AWARD
The award ERSTE Underground Spirit this year goes to Buharov brothers. Homage programme dedicated to winners for the exceptional effort in the field of independent film is going to be screened during the Festival at the Great Terrace.
9. WINNERS OF THE PALIĆ
This programme is created within celebration of two jubilees: 20 years of Film Festival Palić and 10 years of the Festival being orientated exclusively to European cinema. For this occasion we decided to make an open cinema theater in the heart of Subotica, in front of the Town Hall. Within this programme we are going to screen 10 films that won Palić Tower awards.
10. EUROPE AND CHRISTIANITY PROGRAMME
In the year we celebrate 1700 years of Edict of Milan, European Film Festival Palić organized Europe and Christianity programme where you'll be able to see 10 films. The selection was one of the last deeds of late Dinko Tucaković. The programme is going to take place in the week before the Festival in Eurocinema at Open University in Subotica.
11. EUROPEAN FILMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
For five years now within the Festival we traditionally have programme dedicated to children and youth. In this programme we are going to screen 6 films. Screenings will take place in Art Cinema Lifka.
DEBATES AND FORUMS PROGRAMME
1. ACHIEVEMENTS OF SERBIAN CINEMA IN 2013 This programme takes place for the fourth time at Palić in a cooperation with Serbian Film Center. We perceive the achievements of Serbian cinema considering production, promotion, distribution, festivals and all the other aspect of the importance for film. This year is one of the most unpredictable for Serbian cinema due to a serious problems in finance. Evaluation of real achievements are going to give about twenty relevant participants from all aspects of film art. Debate will take part on 14 July 2013 in congress center Great Terrace at Palić.
2. ROUND TABLE ECOLOGICAL AND HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF NATO BOMBIN OF SERBIA is going to take place on 19 July, 2013. At this round table about twenty experts of ecology, health care and sociology are going to present facts from various aspects and try to sum up effects on peoples health and environment caused by NATO bombing. This round table is a part of Eco Documentaries programme.
3. SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE EUROPE AND CHRISTIANITY is meant to be final gathering of programme going on during this year in Subotica organized by Open University, Catholic Diocese in Subotica and Institute for Culture of Croats in Vojvodina. There were six sessions as part of this programme in which the speakers were the most prominent theologists, philosophers, sociologists and political scientists from the region. The programe is a part of celebration of 1700 years of Edict of Milan. It will be two-day conference, from 16 to 17 July, 2013.
PUBLISHING
Marking the 20 years of the Festival, executive producer Open university in Subotica prepares monograph Touch of Eternity dedicated to Aleksandar Lifka Award winners for the exceptional contribution to European cinema. Author of the publication is Nebojša Popović- journalist and film critic from Belgrade.
