The milestone tenth edition of the Slovenian Film Days, showcasing a retrospective of selected films by Slovenian authors, guests, and participants from 2015 to the present, was held at the Yugoslav Film Archive in May
Speakers at the event included H.E. Damjan Bergant, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgrade; Dr. Asta Vrečko, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia; Saša Verbič, President of the National Council of Slovenians in Serbia; and Jugoslav Pantelić, Director of the Yugoslav Film Archive.
The festival was officially opened by Jure Ivanušič, a prominent Slovenian actor and versatile film author. In his speech, Ivanušič expressed his enjoyment of spending time with colleagues from Serbia and friends from Slovenia.
“As I enjoyed walking the city streets alone in the rain without an umbrella two days ago, I thought about how we live in epic times without anything epic in us, how music is sold like shaving foam, how all despair is sold—everything is capital, advertisement, and consumers. I want to say that these are the themes Slovenian film deals with and themes with which you can dance in the rain without catching a cold. In short, I wish you to enjoy the screenings, constructive debates, a lot of socialising, and good cheer,” said Jure Ivanušič.
The festival was officially opened by Jure Ivanušič, a prominent Slovenian actor and versatile film author. In his speech, Ivanušič expressed his enjoyment of spending time with colleagues from Serbia and friends from Slovenia
Saša Verbič, President of the National Council of Slovenians in Serbia, thanked the event’s partners and sponsors and presented a plaque to Jugoslav Pantelić, Director of the Yugoslav Film Archive.
After the opening ceremony, two films premiered in the Makavejev Hall of the Yugoslav Film Archive. The short documentary “Ita Rina – Diva from Divača” by Vladimir Šojat is about one of the most beautiful and noted actresses of the silent film era who sacrificed a Hollywood career for love in Belgrade. The audience also watched “Caught at the Source – Slovenian Children of Lebensborn” by Maja Weiss, a documentary about the last surviving victims of the Nazi racial experiment. In 1942, thirty “racially suitable” Slovenian children were included in the infamous Lebensborn program, founded by Heinrich Himmler to expand the Aryan race.
An exhibition of posters and photographs from previous editions of the Slovenian Film Days was also organised in the hall of the Yugoslav Film Archive as part of the opening ceremony. The exhibition featured valuable artistic works by photographer Irena Herak, cultural and media advisor at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgrade. From the beginning of the Slovenian Film Days festival, Irena Herak contributed to the visual identity of the event by capturing personalities, events, and artist encounters with her camera.