As a follow-up to the presentation of the documentary competition in Sarajevo this year, I made a small email conversation with Rada Sesic, programmer of the documentary competition at the Sarajevo festival (August 12 – 20).

…This year many filmmakers have been brave enough to look critically into their own backyard and not point at the others. Several documentaries focus strongly on the relationship between national and personal memory of historic events. They recollect dramatic life moments either in first person or from a very intimate perspective of their main protagonists. Through talking about painful past events from a somewhat more removed position, many films underline the urgency to talk about the past.

… Unlike most documentaries that have previously been made in

our region, the films this year do not point the finger at the other but at their own makers and their communities. A big number of directors have spiced their film narratives with a layer of their own subconscious and, as a result the films are reflecting their own inner conflicts.

… For these reasons I feel that many of this year’s films would be, if given a chance, warmly received by cinemagoers in general and not only at the international film festivals. From a local perspective, these are extremely important films because they speak up for many individuals in our region, who are pondering over the same or similar puzzling matters. Painful sincere stories help us appropriate history in a personal manner, to survive our nightmares and connect with our memories and fears.

I asked Rada to highlight a couple of films which has the narrative focus, she has talked about.

She mentioned “Down There” (“Unten”) an Austrian film by Djordje Čenić, “an autobiographical journey through time, which begins in the mid-seventies in the Yugoslavian “guest worker milieu” in Linz and leads him to his original home town, which was destroyed by war, in today’s Croatia.”

She also mentions “Depth Two” by Serbian Ognjen Glavonic, already reviewed and praised on filmkommentaren, Rada calls it “amazing”.

And, first and foremost, “My Own Private War” (photo) by Lidija Zelovic, that is “a very strong, brave movie by a Sarajevan girl, who now lives in Amsterdam”, says Rada Sesic. Here is the description of the film:

”Mama, what is the difference between good and bad ?” What happens when collective trauma enters a family ? How do you get to terms with your war history? And how can you ensure that your children don’t have to carry this burden? In this very personal documentary Lidija Zelović tries to answer this question. A story told from the personal experience of the filmmaker.

http://www.sff.ba/en/page/documentaries

You could – if you have the time – travel from the Dokufest Prizren in Kosova to Sarajevo for the yearly festival that has the main focus on feature films but also includes films from the region. The festival runs from August 12-20, Dokufest ends on the 13th.

The intro text for the documentary section, however, is not very inviting: The programme consists of 21 films that examine issues as diverse as personal identity, national identity, emigration, social justice, family secrets, political mysteries, economical crises… Right, it gives you a smell of political correctness but if you looke at the titles your curiosity grows with world premieres of 3 Bosnian and 1 Slovenian and premieres with long awaited Bulgarian ”The Beast is Still Alive” by great Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova (known for their controversial success “Uncle Tony, Three Fools and the Secret Service”) and four more films that we have written about on filmkommentaren: Salome Jashi’s ”The Dazzling Light of Sunset” (photo) that demonstrates the huge talent of the Georgian director (”Bahkmaro”), Greek Apostolos Karakasis ”Next Stop Utopia”, Serbian Ognjen Glavonic ”Depth Two” and Klára Trecsényi’s ”Train to Adulthood”, all highly appreciated works.

http://www.sff.ba/en/page/documentaries

For years we have been following the festival in Prizren Kosova long-distance. This year – the festival dates are August 5-13 – it will be different. I will be there. Nevertheless – apart from enjoying the atmosphere and the open air screenings and all the side events – it will be a challenge to put together a film programme as there is so much interesting to choose from.

I say so after studying the press release that came out today announcing ”full slate of films for its 15th. jubilee edition, running from August 5 – 13 in the city of Prizren, Kosovo. Culled from yet another year of record number of submissions, the festival will showcase a selection of 238 films from 57 countries across 6 competitive sections and more than a dozen specially curated programs…”

It is impossible to mention all the elements – check the website, link below – but it is indeed impressive what is on the menu with the mix of

more classical competitive programs and special focus sections. Should be an inspiration for new festivals that are looking for a way to go, a profile, a (film) political statement to make.

In that respect one more quote from the press release: ”Corruption is central theme of the festival this year and its local, as well as global social context and consequences, will be highlighted and explored through a number of events, including panels, discussions with filmmakers and invited international and local experts, workshops and tech conference. A hand picked film program focusing on the issue of Corruption as well as two other phenomena that go hand in hand with it, Power and Lies, has been specially curated to coincide with the theme…”

9 films are in that section, we have written about ”A Good American” by Friedrich Moser, ”Behemoth” by Zhao Liang and Vitaly Mansky’s ”Under the Sun” – and I have read so much about ”The Lovers and the Despot”, ”Houston, We Have a Problem” and ”Weiner” – just some titles that will be on my viewing list in Prizren.

Much more will be written about this festival.

http://dokufest.com/dokufest-xv-announces-full-slate-festival-theme/

I could not find the information on the website of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – luckily Danish jury member Sigrid Dyekjær posted on FB the decisions made by her and colleagues Laurent Bécue-Renard and Hana  Kulhánková:

The Grand Prix for Best Documentary Film is given to LOVETRUE by Alma Har’el (photo). The jury motivation:

Often, filmmakers play the role of therapists for their characters. With great audacity and imagination Alma Har’el goes a step further in LoveTrue. Through intimacy and respect, the director is allowing her protagonists to elaborate and represent images of trauma from early in their lives. These psychodramas become parts of many layers in this innovative film, cinematographically pushing the boundaries of storytelling while addressing the inherent difficulties of the universal journey of love.

The catalogue description of the film goes like this: The highly anticipated sophomore effort from an Israeli director who has returned five years after her successful debut Bombay Beach, this time to uncover the essence of something as universal as the emotion of love. A documentary essay interweaving three true life stories and exposing naïve notions of the existence of “true” love that is free of pain. (USA, 82 mins., 2016)

The jury gave an honorary mention to “Ama-San” by Cládia Varejão, here is the catalogue description:

This lightly lyrical documentary takes us to a remote corner of Japan, where a community of traditional pearl hunters sets out to sea each day to dive down several metres below the surface in search of shellfish, octopuses, sea urchins and lobsters. If we adjust our breathing rhythm to the tranquil tempo of the passing scenes we will be rewarded with a fascinating world where, in equal measure, time-honoured rituals and companionable warmth introduce a sense of requisite harmony.

http://www.kviff.com/en/homepage