
PROGRAMS
Competition program
Contemporary trends
NEW AUTEURS
LES PALMES D'OR
jury
Main jury

Ksenija Zelenović
Ksenija Zelenović graduated in acting from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade and later earned her master’s degree from the same faculty in the Department of Film and Media Theory.
She currently works as the Deputy Director and Film Program Editor at the Yugoslav Film Archive, as the Editor of the Summer Cinema Program for A1 Kinoteka, and as the Project Leader for A1 Kinoteka, the institution’s most significant project dedicated to the digital restoration of Serbian films.
After years of active involvement in theater, she worked for two years as the Assistant City Councilor for Culture of the City of Belgrade, and then for three years as a Cultural Advisor at the Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade.
At the same time, as an independent artist, she organized and produced various interdisciplinary projects, including exhibitions, festivals, theater performances, and other cultural events. Over the past decade, she was engaged for eight years as the Deputy Artistic Director of FEST and served as a member of the festival’s Board of Directors during the last two years of her tenure. She has also collaborated on the programs of several other prominent film festivals.
She is the author of a book about noir and neo-noir films, published in 2012 by the Film Center Serbia. She works as a film critic and writes articles about film for the magazine Kinoteka. Since 2022, she has been serving as Serbia’s national representative in the Eurimages film fund.
Edoardo De Angelis
Edoardo De Angelis is a director, screenwriter and producer, born in Naples in 1978. Before discovering cinema, he was an overweight ballet dancer, a rapper, a talentless actor and painter, a poet cursed only by himself, and a water polo player. Then, at the age of 19, he discovered cinema and made his first short films in the abandoned quarries and countryside of Caserta. After graduating from Rome Film School, he made his debut with Mozzarella Stories (2011), followed by Perez (2014). The film that brought him fame is Indivisible (2016), the story of two Siamese twins who, thanks to their gift of bel canto, manage to feed their whole family.

Presented at the Venice Days of the Venice Film Festival, it won the Pasinetti Prize for Best Film and a special mention for the twins Angela Fontana and Marianna Fontana making their debut, as well as 6 David di Donatellos, 6 Silver Ribbons, 1 Italian Golden Globe, 8 Golden Ciaks and 50 other awards worldwide. This was followed by The Vice of Hope (2018), working alongside his wife Pina Turco, which earned him, among others, the Audience Award at the Rome Film Festival, Best Director and Best Actress at the Tokyo International Festival, a David di Donatello, three Silver Ribbons and three Golden Ciaks. His book of the film with the same name was published by Mondadori. In 2020, he directed an acclaimed Tosca for the San Carlo Theatre in Naples, and shot the film Natale in Casa Cupiello for RAI, based on Eduardo De Filippo’s masterpiece of the same name, with Sergio Castellitto and Marina Confalone. In 2021 he shot two more films for RAI based on the works of Eduardo De Filippo, Non ti pago, with Sergio Castellitto and Maria Pia Calzone, and Saturday, Sunday and Monday with Sergio Castellitto and Fabrizia Sacchi. In 2022 he filmed the series produced by Fandango for Netflix The Lying Life of Adults based on the novel of the same name by Elena Ferrante. The cast includes Valeria Golino, Alessandro Preziosi, Pina Turco and Giordana Marengo. Тhe book Comandante, a novelisation of his eponyomous film, co-written with Sandro Veronesi, was published by Bompiani.

Giacomo Abbruzzese
Born in Apulia, Giacomo first worked as a photographer before graduating from Le Fresnoy, where he received the Jury’s Special Mention in 2011. His short fiction and feature-length documentaries have won awards at numerous international festivals, including Torino, Winterthur, Indielisboa, Kustendorf and Tampere. His short film Stella Maris was notably nominated for the Cesar Awards in 2015 and won the Canal+ Award at Cinemed. Cahiers du Cinema described his work as vivid and inspired before being militant.
An artist-in-residence at the Cite Internationale des Arts, the Clermont-Ferrand Festival, and the Cinefondation at the Cannes Film Festival, Giacomo continues his filmmaking career between France and Italy. His first feature film, Disco Boy, premiered in Berlin International Film Festival in 2023.
VilKO FILAČ AWARD JURY
Vladan Radović
Vladan Radović is a cinematographer based in Rome, Italy. He was born in Sarajevo, where he graduated from classic secondary school. In 1996 he moved to Rome, to continue his education at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, prestigious Italian national film school, where he attended three-year-long cinematography course led by Giuseppe Rotunno. In 1999, he started working as a second and first camera assistant, as well as a camera operator with various Italian and international filmmakers, working on feature films and commercials. During the same period he filmed numerous short films, documentaries, commercials and music videos. He debuted as a director of photography on feature film with Salmir (2004), Francesco Munzi’s directorial debut that premiered in Venice.
Vladan Radović went on to work as a cinematographer on many films awarded in prestigious international film festivals. For his work on Red Like the Sky (2006), directed by Cristiano Bortone, Vladan Radović received the award for Best Cinematographer at Palm Beach IFF. The Rest of the Night (2008), his second collaboration with Munzi, premiered within Cannes Directors’ Fortnight program. Radović went on to win the Best Cinematographer award at Newport Beach IFF, with Apartment in Athens (2011).

That same year The Last Man on Earth, a graphic novel adaptation by Gian Alfonso Pacinotti, competed for the Golden Lion in Venice. With the film director Paolo Virzi, he collaborated on Every Blessed Day (2012), Like Crazy (2016), and Magical Nights (2018), films that went on to win many awards, including six David di Donatello awards. Radović returned to Venice with his third collaboration with Francesco Munzi, award winning crime drama Black Souls (2014). For his work on this film, he also won the David di Donatello Award for Best Cinematography. His collaboration with Marco Bellochio on The Traitor (2019) was awarded with Golden Ciak Award for Best Cinematography, among other awards. Vladan is member of Italian Association of Cinematographers (AIC) and European Federation of Cinematographers (IMAGO).

Michel Amathieu
Michel Amathieu, director of photography, was born in 1955 in Crevecœur-en-Auge, France. He studied mathematics, obtaining a master’s degree in this field and practiced photography as a hobby. He taught mathematics in high school for two years before joining the evening classes at Louis Lumière film school and devoting himself to the art of cinematography. He worked on a number of short and feature films, before Dobermann (1996), directed by Jan Kounen, attracted the attention of public to his work. This was followed by a noted thriller Cousin (1997) directed by Alain Corneau, and I love L.A. (1998) by Mika Kaurismäki, in a slightly different vein. Michel Amathieu was then called to replace Thierry Arbogast at the end of Black Cat, White Cat (1998) shooting because of the delays: Thierry had engagements elsewhere.
Since then, Michel followed Emir Kusturica on the No Smoking Orchestra tour, and took part in Super 8 Stories (2001). He returned to Serbia to work on Life is a Miracle (2003). For an anthology film Paris, I Love You (2006) he filmed a segment directed by Oliver Shmitz. Michel then worked as a director of photography on films such as Volker Schlöndorff’s Diplomacy (2014) and Agnieska Holland’s Rosemary’s baby (2014). His more recent endeavors include televised period pieces such as Versailles (2015–2018) and Bardot (2023), but also a feature film The Breitner Commando (2019).
GALLERIES
HOW TO GET THERE

Mećavnik can be reached from three different directions: from Belgrade, from Višegrad, or from Zlatibor. From Belgrade, the most frequent route is taking A2 highway, direction to Požega and Užice, then leave the motorway using Pakovraće exit, and follow the road M5 through Požega, and Užice. From Užice, follow E761 through Kremna. At the tenth kilometer after Kremna, there is a sign on the right-hand side to turn for Mećavnik where Drvengrad is located.
From the west of the Balkans, take the M5 highway across the national border. The turn for Drvengrad will then be on the left-hand side of the road. From the south of the Balkans, travel through Zlatibor, following E761 and E763.
From the Belgrade bus station, there are several daily departures for Višegrad. In this case, the passenger should tell the driver in advance to stop at Mokra Gora railway station as this is not one of the regular stops.
MAP
The Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival was founded in 2008 with the idea to bring together the icons of contemporary author’s cinema and young, future filmmakers. The festival takes place every year in January in Drvengrad in Mokra Gora, organized by “Rasta International” and under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia. The founder of this unique film and music festival is celebrated film director Emir Kusturica.
Kustendorf is a unique festival, without red carpet, billboards and advertisements, fully devoted to film, music, friendships and exchange of creative ideas and energy.
Drvengrad, the town made of wood, is the center of all festival happenings. It is a place where films are screened, concerts performed, where people meet, make friends, fall in love, work, learn, rest, sleep, eat, think and enjoy. Like any other town, Drvengrad has a central square with the church of St. Sava, a library, an art gallery, a market, a kindergarten, a “prison”, a swimming pool, a sauna, a hair salon, a pastry shop, a grocery shop, a sports area, cinemas, restaurants and many other facilities that make the visit to the Festival an unforgettable experience.
Film programme
The film programme at Kustendorf Festival is screened in several theatres. The Competition Programme and the Contemporary Trends Programme is screened at the biggest, Damned Yard theatre. Other films are shown in the Noam Chomsky amphitheater. After the projections of films, workshops are held by renowned film authors.
Accommodation
No two rooms are alike in Drvengrad, since each room contains uniquely painted and handcrafted furniture, a different view and a different path leading to it. The rooms are located in authentic log cabins and all provide a bathroom, TV, phone and Internet access. During the Festival, accommodation in Drvengrad is booked for guests and participants of Kustendorf. Guests are also accommodated in hotel Iver in a newly opened ski resort, and Vizitorski centar, in close proximity of the village.
Dining & Social Spots
- Restaurant Visconti – local and international cuisine provided for the Festival participants and guests
- Cafe The Damned Yard – a perfect place to meet people in a great atmosphere
- National restaurant Lotika – a national cuisine restaurant
- Pastry shop Kod Ćorkana – sweets and hot drinks
- Kapor Bar – a place to enjoy jazz music
- Orson Welles Club – newly opened nightclub
Reception
Kind and diligent staff at the reception of the Mećavnik hotel will provide you with all necessary information about the festival, accommodation and events, and give answers to all your questions.
About the Festival
The 18th Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival will be held between January 22 and 25, 2025, organized by the production company Rasta International, and under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia and Mećavnik Grad. As in previous years, the festival is dedicated to young filmmakers and the greats of world auteur cinema.
CONTACT
The Eighteenth Kustendorf International Film and Music festival
January 22 – 25, 2025
Rasta International
Milorada Mitrovića 15
11 000 Belgrade
tel / fax: +381 11 24 31 505
Festival Office
rastaint@gmail.com
Programme Coordinator – Guest Service
Nana Kusturica
rastaint@gmail.com
Press Office
Danijela Rakić
presskustendorf@gmail.com
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF



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