On the proposal of expert consultants and based on the decision of the Council, the Film Centre of Montenegro will this year support 21 projects from various categories in the competition for co-financing of cinematographic works, there including script development, project development, feature-length and short documentary, as well as live-action feature and short film.
Script development
Marija Perović, film director and playwrights Vasko Raičević and Jovana Bojović were expert consultants in the category for co-financing script development.
Out of thirteen applications submitted, seven received support.
The explanation states that the project “Poskokovo leto”, by scriptwriter Aleksandar Radulović and production company Natenane produkcija, brings “a story about maturing in dire circumstances, with great potential, very skillfully organized dramaturgical motifs and constructed characters”. It is indicated that the project “Braća”, by auteur Stefan Bošković and production company Cut-Up, possesses “a simple dramaturgy with a strong plot that announces a diligently prepared story in terms of the script, narratively and visually appealing, that lacks in our cinematography”. The expert consultants described the project entitled “Transfer”, by auteur Gana Čomagić and production company Live production as “An unpretentious and authentic story with a charm of local urban aesthetics, from an extraordinary perspective of strangers – accidental passers-by”. Another project “A.N.A.”, by auteur Maja Todorović and production company Bitter Frames also earned the attention and was described as a “story about growing up and coping with anorexia inspired by true events, which is told in a subtle manner and founded on a teenage girl’s experience of the world, with all authentic and real situations”. Expert consultants assessed the project “15 i po”, by auteur Mišo Obradović and production company A production as a “project that examines the general mental state of a character who has a strong desire for change, with an atypical film approach and playing with perspective and other metafilm elements”. The project “Tri sahrane i vjenčanje”, by Nikola Mijović and the production company Adriatic Western, is said to be “an amusing story based on an uncommon exploratory narrative structure. The project that uniquely merges the language of film and ethnographic heritage of this region”. “The project by auteur Mladen Vujačić and production company Far production “Skarabej”, was assessed as “a humorous crime comedy with original elements in the treatment of the local milieu and the potential for fundamental scenario development”.
Project development
Nina Redžepagić, producer, Aleksandar Radunović, playwright and Senad Šahmanović, director were expert consultants who considered twelve applications submitted for the competition for the co-financing of project development. Four projects have gained support.
Consultants stated that the project “Otapanje”, directed by Ivan Salatić and the production company Meander Film “represents a modern and innovative treatment of the Montenegrin tradition. Distinctive style and a clear directorial vision indicate that this is a project with enormous potential, both within foreign and domestic film circles. Good-quality production and communication strategy guarantee success with foreign co-producers”. The project “Dolina spomenika”, directed by Srđan Vuletić and produced by Artikulacija Film, which received support for the co-financing of script development at the previous competition of the Centre “brings us a strong and impressive story about growing up. The project portrays the ups and downs of a young person, with uncertainty playing a key role in the intensity of those early experiences. The universality of the theme suggests that this project will catch the attention of lovers of the seventh art, regardless of generational gaps”. The project entitled “Planeta 7693”, directed by Gojko Berkuljan and produced by company A production, which also received support at the previous competition of the Centre for script development, was assessed by expert consultants as “a project that addresses issues that we face growing up in a particularly sensitive and specific manner, with skillful playing with the genres. Because of its authenticity and the success its auteurs have achieved in previous projects, this film deserves to be highly ranked and supported.”
Expert consultants recommended the project “Teen bull Terijer”, directed by Ivica Vidanović and Jelena Filipović, and produced by Crossmedia agency, for further work on the script, with the confidence that it is a project of extraordinary potential, and explanation that it is a “quality project deserving of notice, first and foremost, because of the originality of the theme based on true events. Thus, the mentioned theme not present in regional cinematography is dealt with in a clear and articulate manner”.
Feature-length and short documentary film
Maja Bogojević, theorist and producers Anđelka Nenezic, and Drita Llolla were expert consultants for the category of feature-length and short documentary film.
It was decided that five projects out of six in total submitted for the category of feature-length documentary receive support. There were no applications in the category of short documentary film.
The project “Porodica na određeno vrijeme”, directed by Sead Šabotić and produced by Code blue production, was described by expert consultants as a “hybrid, poetic-philosophical documentary film, which through a specific story about days spent in a special institution tells about efforts to keep one family together in spite of all the health problems and difficulties”. It is said for the project “Đina”, directed by Sara Stijović and produced by Live production company that “thoroughly conducted research and consideration of a historical theme from various aspects make this film particularly significant for domestic and international cinema”. Expert consultants stated that the project “Ljubav, sudbine, beštije”, directed by Momir Matović and produced by Mfilm Montenegro is “of great importance for the national cinematography and film culture and that it brings us the story of three notable Montenegrin directors who have left mark on Yugoslav and world cinema”.
In the view of the consultants, “Bliski Bosfor” by Andro Martinović and production company “Mimesis” represents “a project that possesses the qualities of a broader epistemological spectrum. Historical, sociological, political and identity discourses are combined through a phenomenon called “football”. The scope and international nature of the project require further research; thus, it is recommended that this project develops additionally. The project “’gram Royalty” directed by Katarina Bulajić and produced by ABA film, is in the opinion of the consultants, a “thematically interesting project dealing with the phenomenon of “internet fame”. Due to the complexity of the theme itself, extensive initial research is necessary, therefore this project is recommended for development.
Live-action feature and short film
Directors Željko Sošić and Ivan Bakrač, together with Vuk Perović, film critic were expert consultants for the category of live-action feature and short films.
A presentation was organized before expert consultants for the category of the live-action feature film in order to consider the submitted projects in a more complete and comprehensive manner, after which it was decided that four projects out of a total of six submitted will be supported. In the category of the live-action short film, one project out of five submitted received support.
According to the assessment of expert consultants, “Živi i zdravi”, directed by Ivan Marinović and produced by Adriatic Western company, is a project “based on an extraordinary true story about a wedding in Luštica that goes sideways, with an unexpected, yet compelling plot, with strong and interesting characters. Long and thoroughly developed, with awards won at serious and relevant workshops, as well as professional deliberation of the director and production evident in the documentation attached, the project carries within itself a strong potential for good communication with cinema audience, but also for successful festival life”. “Zaliv”, directed by Draško Đurović and produced by MontenegroMax Film, was evaluated by expert consultants as “a project that plays with the motives from the history of Bay of Kotor and classical fiction in a specific manner. Situated in a picturesque space where diverse cultures and destinies meet, very simple in its narrative and style, with a story that is treated at moments as a fairytale, the project shows the capability for commercial success at a regional as well as international level.” The consultants described the project entitled “Djeca”, directed by Nikola Vukčević and produced by Galileo production as “a film of the era based on the story of academic Zuvdija Hodžić, which has a classic directorial approach and speaks of honor and sacrifice in wartime conditions. It is a project that has undergone many changes during script development which was submitted because of renewed consideration of producers and in advance stage of production”. It was stated that the project “Čovjek sa groblja”, directed by Milan Todorović and produced by B Film Montenegro “represents precisely set genre film, with a captivating story that plays with mythological motives and convincing plot, introducing significant social topics relevant to the region in a subtle manner. Situated at the scenic locations on our coast, the project has immense potential for promoting Montenegro as a film destination worldwide, bearing in mind the previous projects of the auteur’s team”.
Expert consultants noted that the live-action short film “Sve je teklo sigurnim tokom”, directed by Anja Jovanović and produced by Videa production, “represents an intimate and emotional story about the collision of different worlds. A quality script, well-developed explication of the auteur, honest approach to the story and characters are the main qualities that made this project particularly stand out in the previously mentioned category.”
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In the forthcoming period, individual contracts will be concluded with the beneficiaries of funds and those contracts will regulate the rights and obligations of the contracting parties, payment dynamics, the manner of using allocated funds, as well as other issues of importance.
The decisions can be found in the links below.
DECISION on the co-financing production of live-action feature and short films
DECISION on the co-financing production of feature-length and short documentary films