The best film of the 50th FEST is Nitram, directed by Justin Kurzel. The decision was made by the international jury of the Main Competition Program, chaired by actor Miloš Biković.

According to Biković, at the 50th FEST, there were more great films that deserved recognition than there were awards, and that whatever decision the jury made, it would not be absolutely fair.

– The time when artists are censored and banned is absurd,  and it is dangerous to ban and censor artists – said Biković and added that FEST has been an oasis of freedom and opportunities to communicate and speak for ten days. which is what most of the films were about.

According to the jury, which included Tamara Dragicčvić, Georgi Raduli, Argiris Papadimitropoulos and Toni Gojanović, “this film deals with the essential and important challenges created by a lack of communication between people and the devastating lack of love, creating a unique world with exceptional characters and original characters was awarded. and authentic visual language”.

According to the jury’s decision, the award for best director goes to Dina Duma, for  the film Sisters. According to the jury, she was awarded for “her skill inguiding and directing young actors and fantastic storytelling through the lens”.

During the presentation of the award, the young Macedonian director Dina Duma said that she was especially happy to be in front of the FEST audience because her film was “conceived” right in Belgrade, at the FEST four years ago.

– This film was made as a result of cooperation at this festival within the FEST Forward program and I am glad to be here after four years to receive this award – Duma said .

Photo: Dušan Milenković

Famous producer Dean Devlin received the Honorary Belgrade Winner for his exceptional contribution to film art. The American producer and screenwriter, who wrote and produced such Hollywood hits as Universal Soldier, Stargate, Independence Day, Godzilla and Patriot, and who is currently shooting numerous American series in Serbia, with the largest investor in the film and television industry in our country.

– Thank you very much. When they told me that I would receive this award, I was really honored, but very surprised. The movies and TV series I did during my career were not meant to win awards or criticism, my idea was to entertain people. That the viewers of my films and series can escape from everything for an hour or two – said Devlin.

 

Photo. Dušan Milenković

The Belgrade winner for the best screenplay went to Ivan Atal and Jael Langman, for the film Accusation by Ivan Atal, according to the jury’s decision, the film “is a extremely detailed analysis og a very complex topic and it allowed us to identify with different characters without losing tension and a balanced view of human ability to communicate from different perspectives.”

The award for best female role at the 50th FEST went to Suzana Juane  in the aforementioned Accusation directed by Ivan Atal, for “creating a rich inner world in a more than convincing and impressive way.”

The award for the best male role went to Caleb Landry Jones for the film Nitram directed by Justin Kurzel “for a powerful and complex performance, so convincing that it erased the line between film and reality.”

The award for the best debut of the 50th FEST went to director Sonja Tarokić for the film Zbornica.

 

The special FEST award was given to  Aleksej Germanu Jr. for his film House Arrest.

“A silenced, forbidden, isolated and excommunicated individual who strives for his ideas and beliefs and is therefore ready to pay the price in an unjust world,” the jury said in a statement.

The international jury of the Fest Focus program, consisting of Ljubica Luković, Filip Đurić and Strahinja Madžarević, awarded the film The World After Us directed by Luda Ben Salah-Kazan as the best film of the program. As the jury states, the director with “surprising maturity, precisely implemented vision, manages to capture the spirit of the generation in his debut achievement in a witty and honest way”. The director expressed gratitude for the award via video link, .

The jury of the Fest Focus program especially wanted to praise and highlight the film “Heroes” directed by Goran Nikolić, which “exudes an original and courageous vision, and can be a guide for young authors to rely more on their ideas rather than on production conditions.”

– I would like to especially thank the jury for the special recognition that authenticity and ab uncompromising approach are not qualities that have been forgotten in this country – said Goran Nikolić and added that the biggest award for his film will be if it inspires even one person who wants to persevere.

Photo: Predrag Mitić

The Fedeora Award for the best film in the international selection went to the film Accusation directed by Ivan Atal.

The jury for the “Politika” award was composed of film critic Dubravka Lakić, director and producer  Miloš Avramović  and director Nemanja Ćeranic, who was the last year’s winner of this award, unanimously decided that this award for best Serbian majority film  belongs to director Stefan Arsenijević for his film As Far As I Can Walk.
– It is always very emotional when you are recognized and receive an award in your country and your city – said the winner Stefan Arsenijević.

The “Nebojsa Djukelić” award went to the film Darkness directed by Duđan Milić.

And the jury consisting of Biljana Srbljanović, Goran Terzić and Dragan Petrović believes that the film “Darkness” directed by Dušan Milić is a flawless study of the genre, based on primordial human fears of the unknown, which could be overcome if there was a social effort to unknown meet ”.

“This achievement transcends local, political and ideological boundaries and establishes a connection with feature films of an important subgenre from the entire history of film art and thus fully connects the contemporary personality of Nebojsa Djukelic, whose name this award bears,” the jury said in a statement.

– Although I have already received this award for the previous film, I am honored. I did not know Đukelić personally, but he left a special influence on my work – Dušan Milić pointed out while receiving the award.

Ivan Karl, the city secretary for culture and president of the FEST board, and Jugoslav Pantelić, the artistic director of FEST and the director of the Yugoslav Cinematheque, declared the 50th FEST closed.

– We hope that the next 51st FEST will be held in a better world without war and without diseases, and that we will, as before, look forward to what FEST has been providing for 50 years – said Pantelić, thanking the jury and guests and audience for another great FEST.

The 50th FEST was closed by the RTS Symphony Orchestra, performing the music of John Williams with themes from movie hits such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Harry Potter and others.