Beside programme, the main subject of the conference were eight times smaller financial means, in comparison with the previous year, that Serbian Ministry of Culture has provided for the Festival. Director of the Festival Radoslav Zelenović, director of the Open University (executive producer of the Festival) Blažo Perović, president of the Festival Council Branislav Lečić and programme director Miroslav Mogorović spoke at the conference.
„Ministry of Culture has provided 1.3 million RSD which is eight times smaller figure in comparison with the previous year. This way Ministry unexpectedly stepped out of the protocol of co-financing of the Festival, that had been signed earlier between the Ministry itself, Province of Vojvodina, Municipality of Subotica and Open University“, said Blažo Perović, director of the Open University the executive producer of the Festival.
The director of the Festival Radoslav Zelenović underlined that in January Ministry of Culture had guaranteed that all necessary means were going to be provided but the agreement was broken.
„ For the first time there won't be films on the 35 millimeter film tape which means that the Festival has to get new, modern equipment which consequently brings additional expenses. All agreements and contracts directly made with authors and distributors will have to be respected. The festival like ours must be planed 10 months in advance. About 150 guests are invited and it would be irresponsible to reduce the number now.“, said Zelenović.
President of the Festival Council Branislav Lečić resumed that „People who organize Palić Festival are magicians considering the budget they have“.
„These people have succeeded in 20 years to raise Palić Festival to the European level which can be easily proven if you know who were its guests.“, highlighted Lečić.
Programme director of the Festival Miroslav Mogorović announced that this year's winners of the Aleksandar Lifka Award are Russian director Nikita Mihalkov and one of the greatest Serbian filmmakers Emir Kusturica. Both of them confirmed their arrival to Palić. He also added that film The Congress, by Ari Folman, will open the Festival and that the final version of programme will be known in ten days. He also indicated that the premiere of one national film can be expected and that the only certain thing is that the audience will have chance to see new film by Srdan Golubović Krugovi (Circles).
20 European Film Festival Palić, one of the most important festivals in the region, will be held from 13 to 19 of July 2013 at various locations within the beautiful natural environment by the lake of Palić and in town of Subotica. Jubilee will be celebrated with many programmes, such as Palić Winners selection, monograph regarding 20 years of the Festival, exhibitions, debates... and of course the largest number of guests from all around the Europe so far.
Jubilee celebration wont be a glamorous ceremony. It consists of 100 films in 11 selections. There will also be debates and panels on Serbian cinema in 2012, ecological and health topics considering the NATO bombing of Serbia, as well as scientific conference on „Europe and Christianity“. Monograph „Slobodni ljudi“ (Fee People) about Aleksandar Lifka Award winners, prepared by the journalist and film critic from Belgrad Nebojša Popović, will also be presented.
