As many as 34 films of various genres from all periods of the history of cinematography in Slovenia will be shown in Vienna’s Metro cinema as part of the biggest Slovenian film retrospective in Austria so far. Some filmmakers will also participate in the events.
Retrospective, titled SLO: Motion, prepared by the Slovenian Cinematheque, will offer Viennese audiences a cross-section of Slovenian cinema through the decades. The head of the film program at the Austrian Film Archive will announce the retrospective with ceremonial speeches Florian Wideggerdirector of the Slovenian Cinematheque Ženja Leiler Kos and Acting Director General of the Directorate for Creativity of the Ministry of Culture Barbara Koželj Podlogar, which will also open the retrospective. The opening will be attended, among others, by the Director General of the Austrian Film Archive Nicolaus WostryDirector General from the Austrian Ministry of Culture Jürgen Meindl and head of the cabinet of the Ministry of Culture Nina Ukmar.
Two short films before the introductionAs the first film, drevi will be shown the very first Slovenian feature film In the kingdom of Golden Horn, recorded in 1931 by Janko Ravnik. The screening will be accompanied by musical accompaniment performed live by composer, conductor and pianist Andrej Goričar, violinist Matej Haas, clarinetist Jakob Bobek and cellist Milan Hudnik. Before that, they will screen two contemporary short animated films, which have been awarded multiple times Steakhouse directed by Špela Čadež and The Legend of the Golden Horn Lee Vuchko.
On March 15, there will be a screening of the film Boštjan Hladnik Dancing in the rain introduced a conversation about Slovenian cinematography, in which Špela Čadež, Lea Vučko, director and cinematographer Karpo Godin, and retrospective co-curators Varja Močnik and Igor Prassel from the Slovenian Cinematheque will take part. A day later, Karpo Godina and director Matjaž Ivanišin will present their filmmaking.
Some directors, such as France Štiglic, Karpo Godina, Jože Babič, Damjan Kozole and Jan Cvitkovič, will be presented with several creations. Among other things, films will also be shown Kiss me soft eraser Zvonka Čoha, (A)torsion Stefan Arsenijević, Express, express Igor Šterk, Border guard Maje Weiss, Fight for Siniše Gačić, Peter: the year of decision Vlad Škafar and The man with the shadow Eme Kugler, this year’s Prešeren laureate.
Social criticism – a common feature of Slovenian films“Of course, no retrospective of Slovenian film, which is limited to a selection, can answer the question of what are the main characteristics and special features of Slovenian film, whether it concerns its early beginnings, the period within Yugoslav cinematography or the period after Slovenian independence. Perhaps this question is almost easier to answer if we ask what these characteristics are not. So, what are not the peculiarities of Slovenian cinema?” they wrote in the movie theater.
They added that it is difficult to talk about distinct stylistic or thematic currents. “On the contrary: Slovenian film is above all a panorama of auteur poetics, which are characterized by the fact that they do not respond to trends, but seek their own thematic, aesthetic and authorial expression. This, on the other hand, does not mean that Slovenian cinematography is full of authors with a continuous and recognizable film face; there are many more directors who search for and invent new cinematic languages and approaches from film to film.“
A common, or at least dominant, feature of Slovenian cinema might still be found in social criticism, in the exploration of the relationship between the individual and each social and political present, and consequently in the heroes who are often in fatal conflict with the conventions and norms of the time and the society in which they live. conflict, it is written in the forecast of the retrospective.
Source: Rtvslo
