The Grand Prix of the 12th Bosifest was won by the documentary House/Une Maison by French director Judith Auffray. The award for the best director went to the film VIctoi by Belgian director Christoph Hermans. The award for the best screenplay went to the Iranian film Invisible Lines directed by Mehdi Rakhshani. Special recognition went to the Italian film Crazy Wheels/Meglio un Giorno directed by Elena Rebecca Carini and Ilaria Giangrande. The awards were presented by jury members Ivan Ikić and Stefan Ivančić at the closing of the Festival on October 20 at the Yugoslav Cinematheque.
The explanations of the jury’s decisions state the following:
House introduces us in to a very special place an unusual way, and further focuses on its occupants – it allows us to get to know individual characters within their everyday life. Their difficult-to-understand gestures thus become familiar and close to us over time. Directing decisions are simple, as is the style of the camera, but the clarity of approach and narrative structure instill certainty from the start. The second act brings formally new elements that complicate the story – records from another time appear, but at this stage the author leaves it to us to form meanings and connections ourselves. The third act brings another point of view: we now learn about the protagonists and their autism through the stories of their family members. These different layers succeed in an extraordinary endeavor – to build a very complex and emotional insight into the lives of autistic people. Thus, the House confirms its unique place in today’s world, through which the author leads us unobtrusively, imaginatively and thoughtfully.
The film Victor follows a rebellious teenager on his way to growing up and becoming independent in a recognizable form of coming-of-age film, but the fact that the protagonist is visually impaired – on the verge of blindness, makes this story very specific. At first glance, Victor gives the impression of an ordinary young man, and even his rebellion seems like a natural part of his age and dynamics with the environment. But a careful observational process reveals many layers of this human drama, in which the heroes keep their emotions below the surface, because that is the way they fight and the way of their love. The director patiently follows all life stages and steps that many would skip over as insufficiently attractive, but it is precisely these nuances and specific small differences in Victor’s life that gradually build a deep sense of non-belonging, despite all personal efforts. The director equally subtly builds the character of Victor’s mother, and under his persistent gaze that does not interfere, but does not turn away at any moment – her solid facade disappears and reveals the original maternal fear and care. The ending of the film builds a universal image of a man doomed to constant struggle and wandering in the labyrinth of an uncertain future.
In art, there are no boundaries. Invisible Lines is a precisely guided portrait of an extraordinary artist born with a physical disability, who dedicated his life to his vocation – painting. Born in a small Iranian village, his talent manages to overcome the fateful predestination of physical restraint and take him far beyond the usual and artistic practices of his country, all the way to Scotland – where he perfects his skills. This is a film about perseverance, about the creative process, about the importance of support, about the artist’s strong connection with the environment he comes from, about constant learning and knowledge transfer – but, above all, the beauty of artistic expression and the power of creative impulse.
Crazy Wheels is a film that surprises and breaks the rules, just like its protagonist – a young man from Italy named Mimi suffers from a severe degenerative disease. From the borderline situation of a body of incredible fragility, he plastically demonstrates his superiority via an almost fanatical strength of his bohemian spirit, combined with the will to live. You won’t see tender sympathy in this film, and sometimes it may even seem like there is a lack of feeling for the protagonist. But, that is exactly where its courage and sincerity lies – this film follows its hero closely, because just like Mimi, he always looks to challenges without fear! That is how the film becomes a special and rounded portrait of a very unusual man and an ode to his love for life, despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, despite everything.
The director of Bosifest, Darko Ivić, expressed his satisfaction with the successfully held festival, despite all the difficulties caused by Covid 19. He thanked everyone who participated in the realization of the festival.