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Programs New Hungarian Film and North Macedonia in Focus at the 30th European Film Festival Palić

10.07.2023.

As part of the 30th Palić European Film Festival, that takes place from July 15 to 21 in Palić and Subotica, Festival presents programs New Hungarian Film and North Macedonia in Focus.

In the New Hungarian Film section will be presented six works from this country: "Whose Dog Am I?" Robert Lakatos, "Grandson" by Kristóf Deák, "Blockade" by Ádám Tősér, "Supporting Actors - Fragments" by Árpád Sopsits, "Riviera East" by Dániel Tiszeker and Lévai Balázs, and "Be My Dad!" by Gábor Rohonyi. The films in this section will be in the repertoire from July 16 to 21, at 7 p.m. in the Eurocinema. As in previous years, the Palić European Film Festival realizes this program in cooperation with the Hungarian National Film Institute (Nemzeti Filmintezet/National Film Institute Hungary).

In the documentary satire "Whose Dog Am I" directed by Robert Lakatos, dog breeding ideologies serve as metaphors for human social and national politics.

Kristóf Deák's "Grandson" follows Rudy, a junior clerk who transforms into a different person after he decides not to let heartless phone scammers harass his grandfather.

Ádám Tősér's "Blockade" follows the events of 1990, when Józef Antal, six months after being elected prime minister, faces the most difficult test of his life: taxi drivers block the entire country in protest of the drastic increase in gasoline prices. The film shows the battles and struggles behind the scenes, as well as the private life of the prime minister who is dealing with the crisis, fighting for democracy.

The social drama "Supporting Actors - Fragments" by Árpád Sopsits shows parallel stories of three families today in rural Hungary. The life of rich businessman Arpad, his wife Franciska and their daughter Babita, photographer Gabor and his girlfriend, ceramicist Edina, and prison priest Tibor unfold on the screen. Their destinies are intertwined: many of them live or have lived in the same city, and their lives are fundamentally turned upside down by the secrets and crimes revealed during the film.

The action film "Riviera East" by Dániel Tiszeker and Lévai Balázs is set in Hungary in the mid-eighties of the last century. Hungary, mid-80s. Gyuri Maurer, a savvy car mechanic has a solution for everything: all the party bigwigs bring their cars to him. In a few days, he is about to take a vacation at the French Riviera with his family, but instead of four passports, they only have three. Suddenly, Gyuri has an epiphany: they borrow the luxury car left in the garage by an immigrated Hungarian. With a West German car and passport, the family begins to act like tourists who came to enjoy the luxury service at the Balaton. Little do they know that by borrowing that car, they ride into the middle of the cold war spy game.

"Be My Dad!" is Gábor Rohonyi 's story about the reunion of a father and his child - now a teenager - and their attempt to build mutual trust through bedtime stories.

In the section North Macedonia in Focus the program includes six films: "Only Human" by Igor Ivanov, "The Happiest Man in the World" by Teona Strugar Mitevska, "Secret Ingredient" by Gjorče Stavreski, "Mimi" by Darian Pejovski, "Snow-white Dies in the End" ” by Kristian Risteski, and "Sisters" by Dina Duma. The films in this programs are in the repertoire from July 16 to 21, at 5 p.m. in the Eurocinema. Palić European Film Festival realizes this program in cooperation with the Film Agency of North Macedonia.

The film "Only Human" by Igor Ivanov shows six characters in six cleverly interwoven sequences. This is a dramatic story depicting desperate individuals trying to survive, searching for love or redemption.

The plot of the film "The Happiest Man in the World" by Teona Strugar Mitevska follows Asja, a 40-year-old single woman living in Sarajevo. To meet new people, she spends Saturday at a speed dating event. She meets Zoran, a 43-year-old banker. However, Zoran is not looking for love, but forgiveness.

In Gjorcče Stavreski's “Secret Ingredient”, a low-paid mechanic gives his father a cake made of stolen marijuana to ease his cancer pain, but is cornered by criminals looking for their drugs and nosy neighbors who want the recipe of the "healing" cake.

"Mimi" by Darian Pejovski follows the main protagonist of the same name, who has left her mother and a dark secret behind in her village to come to the capital for graduate studies. She meets Sara, a former model, now a young mother with a rich, bullying husband. While Mimi works nights in her elderly uncle’s kiosk and occasionally dates passing customers, it becomes clear that it is not Sara’s husband, but motherhood that she craves. A succession of ever wilder liaisons between Sara and her husband, that Mimi witnesses, brings this psychological thriller to a powerful, dramatic climax.

In Dina Duma’s "Sisters", teenagers Maya and Jana are inseparable and do everything together. Headstrong Jana usually takes the lead and Maya follows. One night at a party they catch Elena, the most popular girl in school, having sex on video with Maya’s long term crush. Jana convinces Maya to post the video and when it goes viral, Elena’s life is ruined.

The Palić European Film Festival was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities, the City of Subotica, the European Union through the Creative Europe MEDIA program, as well as numerous partners and media partners.

Gorky List has been a sponsor and friend of the Palić European Film Festival for more than 20 years, as an indispensable part of our artistic scenography, but also a partner that encourages the engagement of the audience in exploring their experiences of the presented film productions through the Gorky List Audience Award. This year, the traditional cooperation will once again be extended to the musical part of the Festival program.