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Press Conference July 22nd, 2025

22.07.2025.

32nd European Film Festival Palić – Report from the Press Conference on Day 4 of the Festival

Jaana Puskala: "100 Liters of Gold is the most popular Finnish film this year"

At the press conference held on the fourth day of the 32nd European Film Festival Palić, Tuesday, July 22, the following guests spoke at the Grand Terrace: Jaana Puskala, Head of the International Department at the Finnish Film Foundation; Mihajlo Kiril Plankoš, director of the film "Breaking a Taboo"; Genovéva Petrovits, producer of "Cactusman"; representatives of the FAFA project: Vladimir Petrović, head of the project sector at the Open University, and Klara Godo, project manager at the Center for the Organization of Events and Media Activities in Szeged; Đorđe Mišina, actor in "Warm Film"; Marko Stojiljković, lecturer at the MIOB Lab workshop; and Saša Radojević, who presented his book “Street Children of Film”.

Jaana Puskala spoke about the Finnish film "100 Liters of Gold", screened in the Official Selection of the European Film Festival Palić: "The film is still showing in Finnish cinemas – it is the most popular Finnish film this year. We expect it to reach over 200,000 viewers, which is a very good number for films from Finland. Interestingly, it started very well in less populated areas before becoming popular in Helsinki. Also, director Teemu Nikki previously made several arthouse-oriented films shown at major festivals, like Venice. But this one was something completely different that he wanted to do, primarily because of the two main actresses," said Puskala.

Mihajlo Kiril Plankoš is director of "Breaking a Taboo," made as part of the Erasmus+ project of the same name, which aims to raise awareness about the issue of early marriage among Roma girls and inform the wider public. As a result, a European documentary omnibus film was produced, composed of seven stories from each partner country, and screened at the festival. "It was very challenging to make these films in all those countries. It is extremely interesting how Roma heritage, as something shared and somewhat similar, can be found everywhere; on the other hand, it merges with the local culture of the region where they are," said Plankoš.

Genovéva Petrovits, producer of "Cactusman," shown in the FAFA section, commented on the film’s atypical medium-length format: "The story deals with love between two elderly people. To portray that love properly, exactly the number of scenes we filmed was needed." She explained the development process: "The film developed alongside the script. There was a long search for what the main character’s profession could be; once the location was found, the decision was made about the main character's occupation to fit the space. The film was shot in 11 days and edited over six months, due to the limited budget, so they had to do other jobs at the same time."

Đorđe Mišina, an actor in "Warm Film," also part of the FAFA section, spoke about his experience: "My colleague Đorđe Galić and I played two young actors, more or less ourselves, exploring what it's like to take on a role that isn’t very conventional, especially in this environment. I think that even today, many of my colleagues are still afraid of what might happen if they play a queer character. This says a lot about our society."

Vladimir Perović and Klara Godo presented the cross-border FAFA project, which included a workshop for students from film schools from Subotica, Szeged, Novi Sad, and Kecskemét; screenings of eight selected films from contemporary Serbian and Hungarian cinema by young filmmakers addressing socially engaged topic; discussions with guests from the films; and knowledge exchange sessions between project partners and festival organizers.

Marko Stojiljković, film critic, introduced the MIOB Lab program, part of the European festival network Moving Images - Open Borders (MIOB), of which the European Film Festival Palić is a long-standing member. The MIOB Lab is dedicated to fostering distinctive voices among the new generation of critics and film journalists, bringing fresh perspectives and writing styles to the field, and offering selected participants personalized mentorship from leading experts in cultural journalism.

Saša Radojević presented his new book “Street Children of Film,” dedicated to garage cinema in Serbia: „This book set out to address what is a small trend in Serbian cinema and what preceded the trend of garage and meta-film. Beyond presenting personal insights, there is also the reception of those films, as well as a chronicle of facts. “Street Children of Film“ can be useful to anyone interested in seeing the complete picture of Serbian cinema.“

On the fifth day of the festival, Wednesday, July 23, the documentary “Echoes of the Plains” by Maja Uzelac will be screened out of competition at 9 p.m. on the Summer Stage in Palić, as part of the Official Selection, followed by Anne Le Ny’s “Out of Control” at 11 p.m. The Parallels and Encounters competition program features “The Black Hole” by Moonika Siimets at 6 p.m. and “Broken Voices” by Ondřej Provazník at 8 p.m., both screening at the Abazija Cinema.

The European Film Festival Palić has been 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 sponsors.

For 29 years, Gorki List has proudly stood alongside the European Film Festival Palić as a long- term partner and supporter of film art that inspires and connects. Believing in the power of authentic expression and meaningful dialogue with audiences, Gorki List will once again, in keeping with tradition, present the Audience Award for Best Film. By listening to the voices of the viewers, Gorki List affirms their role as essential allies of art, which lives on through those who truly appreciate and understand it.