SHERBET
Nikola Stojanović
Statement of the jury: The fact that the director Nikola Stojanovic is only 24 years old was the real surprise of this movie. Otherwise, it quickly became clear that the story of a wild night is more than just that. Big issues such as love, aggression, rejection, hope are negotiated and reflect the still difficult relationship that the people of the Balkans sometimes have with each other. The youth rebels and goes their own way - but everyone also carries a piece of history that shapes them. A film that is remembered for its impressive acting and strong images.
ZAŠTO MAMA VAZDA PLAČE? / WHY IS MOM ALWAYS CRYING?
Karmen Obrdalj
Statement of the jury: The film by director Karmen Obrdalj takes the audience on Ena's journey between Mostar and Pustograd, where the young family fled to during the Bosnian War (1992-95) and where her father was imprisoned. The skillful camera work is overlaid by the documentary inspired correspondence between father and mother, which Ena relives in her mind on her journey. The individual story is representative of hundreds of thousands of experiences of separation and far worse fates of war, which resound softly through the text, making these monstrous pasts accessible through a sensitive reappraisal.
RRUGA / THE PATH
Besim Ugzmajli
Begründung der Jury: The first surprise: In their short film "The Path", director Besim Ugzmajli and his team use the simplest of means to create a bizarre and perhaps for this very reason convincingly engaging scene in which two people meet for the first time. The second surprise: The dialogues of the two characters Lena (38) and Gent (11) seem learned - and we soon learn their reasons for this, which are suspiciously very similar. Despite its playful structure, the short film is a strong indictment of patriarchal oppression.
POSLEDNJA SLIKA O OCU / THE LAST IMAGE OF FATHER
Stefan Djordjevic
Statement of the jury: This film touches and asks what we leave to our children. Stefan Djordjevic approaches this question in an impressive way. It is certainly not an easy stuff to show the silent struggle of the father as he sets off with his son on a final journey. The acting performance is convincing. A great story, wrapped in a supposedly small film - a feat that the director masters with flying colors.
CIRKUS IZA LEĐA / CIRCUS BEHIND MY BACK
Luka Majkić, Dunja-Helena von der Maase
Begründung der Jury: The short film "Circus behind my back" is an imaginative teaching piece for the narrative possibilities of documentary film to engage with the stories of other people in a sensitive and appreciative way. The actual occasion of the film is a handicap of the protagonist. Through the artful staging, however, her 'little problem' recedes behind the joy of getting to know Jana and her special features. The jury would like to give a special mention for the inventive approach to the theme of inclusion and the documentary film genre.
