If Kustendorf were a ordinary festival, the jury should be limited to explain the reasons for the awards that will be given. But Kustendorf Film and Music festival is much more than what its name promises. It is the demonstration that, even nowadays, a utopia can exist. Everything here is unique and extraordinary. A place that nourishes itself with beauty, originality and passion. A place open to young artists from all around the world that have the possibility to meet each other, to see and hear each others work, to listen and speak with great international artists. A place where music and cinema provide an opportunity to gather and get to know each other better.
Kustendorf is a place where the pride of authors’ origin and identity are welcomed to become the flour and the yeast of the different expressions of their art. Where the bread that fed us was cooked in the oven of generosity that Emir, Maja, Dunja and Stribor produced for this unique occasion. So when leaving we will be filled with beauty, hope and expectations.
The quality of the selection has allowed us to recognize quotes from many classical authors, from Melies to Chaplin, from Vigo to Buńuel, but also, there were others who had the courage to experiment with new territories.
Many genres were represented in the program, from animation films such as ABOUT SOCKS AND LOVE, from the Slovakia school, which animated and shaped the ghosts of our daily lives. The ability to mix genres that happily flows in the Mexican film REALITY SHOW, showed us the traps that television provides every night. The Czech documentary ABOUT SHOES which, with surprising grace, reveals the folly of racism,
even in a small community. In addition to the genre it will be impossible to forget the young and vibrant performers of the Scottish film RIVER CHILD and the humor of the protagonists of the Serbian SCENT OF FORMALINE as well as the irony, beauty and rhythm of ODA A LA PIÑA.
Among many successful films, we decided to give a special mention to FIVE SECONDS, the work carried out in Spain by a young French student. An amazing and courageous film, able to develop a bright idea and transform it into a film that is both new and elegant.
The BRONZE EGG goes to VIOLA from the USA by SHIH-TING HUNG, a Korean director. For the emotion it has provided, for the ability to use large sources of inspiration visible in the XX century and coming from painting, theatre, experimental cinema. And for creating a fairy tale film, the inexhaustible images inlaid of life fantasy.
The SILVER EGG goes to MIKI'S BALLAD by NINA VUKOVIC a Montenegrin director from Germany. Beautiful and yearning, this film reveals the face and pace of a it’s hero. The faces, movements, the music, the looks and the language make this ballad a perfect mechanism.
And finally, the GOLDEN EGG goes to GODOG made in the Philippines by the Japanese director KOHKI HASEI. It is rare that a film with such a topic is able to become a perfect and tragic metaphor of our civilization and its false successes. On the debris of the industrial society beautiful, angel like children are moving, dancing, running in front of the camera without any veils. It is a powerful film that warns the consciousness and morality of our time.
