Bosnian Films In New York For American Debut

Posted by erolavdo ARCHIVE, Home Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

(Webpublicapress) — It was a packed house at the ninth annual Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival (BFF), which took place in New York City, May 3-5 in the nearby surroundings of Tribeca. With some already known films, and a “great closing party” featuring the performance of “Burek” bend, the festival was a full success – since “everyone put so much heart into it”, a BFF’s written statement that was sent to Webpublicapress said.

By the end of its first decade of its existence – the BFF is now mostly established tradition featuring many short films making their American debut. Thus, the name “festival” sounds like not fully served by the matter of facts — that this is  a mostly — New York revue of some very good, but already seen Bosnian films. Certainly part of the known festival’s glamour, as testified by this year participants in the mentioned written statement — was there as well. 

Yet, the festival – gathering was also described as some of the “friendliest and most welcoming festivals in New York, screening some of the deepest, most elegiac films”. Year by year the event is prepared by group of film loving friends and tireless volunteers.

Winners and Audience

And this year winners are: “Circus Columbia,“ feature film by Oscar-winner Danis Tanović. It was awarded as Best Feature Film at the BFF for 2012. “The Cell Phone Movie,“ documentary film by Nedžad Begović — won BHFF 2012 Jury Award for the Best Documentary Film; “Short for Varnesa B,“ short film by Jons Vukorep — won Jury Award for Best Short Film, and “The Fuse: or How I Burned Simon Bolivar,” documentary by Igor Drljača — got Special Mention of the BHFF 2012 Jury. In addition,  “Circus Columbia“ won the BHFF™ 2012 Audience Award for Best Picture.

According to the BFF Executive team mentioned statement – there were young filmmakers who came all the way from Bosnia, Canada and Slovenia just for BHFF: Naida Begović, set designer of  film“Jasmina” who also appears in the “Cell Phone Movie” documentary directed by his father, acclaimed  director Nedžad Begović; Davor Mamuzić, director of “Framed” and Samir Bajrić, director of “Searching for the Devil,” also came.

Famous Aleksandar Hemon in BFF Jurry

Other guests who came to this year’s film festival included BHFF 2012 Jury members — world-wide famous Bosnian-American fiction writer, Aleksandar Hemon was there. Also award-winning filmmakers Refik Hodžić and Steve Nemsick, as well as an Kasia Grabowski (Australian actress from the “Gold Diggers”), Pamela Hogan (director of “I came to testify”).

“We are like a little engine that could and hearing encouraging words from everyone keeps us going year after year! It’s a lot of work but in the end, it is all worth it and we all keep on coming back for more. And we keep on making new friends – absolutely amazing”, the statement said.

Donators and supporters

According to the same written statement – this 2012 BFF was made posible thanks to “tireless volunteers, individual donors, media partners, jury members, filmmakers, distributers, Burek The, EuroChannel, Graphic Executions, Harriman Institute (Columbia University), Mehanata, Stone Creek, Storks and Forks, Tribeca Cinemas and Waffles and Wolf”.

 

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