The Montenegrin Human Rights Film Festival FAST FORWARD 2024 will present three premieres on its second day, which the audience in Podgorica will be able to watch at the Montenegrin Cinematheque. This evening, the Berane edition will also open at the Centre for Culture.
The programme at the Montenegrin Cinematheque starts today at 17:30 with the screening of the short film “You Play My Father”, a co-production between the United States and Spain. In this film, victims at a Bosnian theater, along with a survivor and a former soldier of the Dutch UN battalion, share the stage in a play about the 1995 genocide. It represents the final act of their personal catharsis, in search of responsibility and forgiveness.
At 18:00, the Croatian film “Woods that sing” will have its premiere. The film connects four stories that combine visually stunning scenes with powerful testimonies of partisan women. It explores hidden female principles and meanings within well-known, forgotten, and untold stories, erecting a monument to them.
The day’s film programme will conclude at 19:30 with a screening of the multi-award-winning film “Kamay”, which tells the story of a Khazar family, a historically oppressed ethnic minority, as they try to uncover the truth behind the sudden death of their daughter Zahra, who had moved to Kabul to study.
At 20:00, the UBRZAJ 2024 Festival will begin its Berane edition at the Centre for Culture with the premiere of the short film “Milena”, directed and written by Željko Stanević. The film follows Milena and Stevan’s refugee experience when they were forced to leave their home in Croatia in 1995, as well as the twists this event brought into their lives. The film stars Milica Sužnjević, Igor Greksa, Branka Katić, Aleksandar Đurica, Anton Augustinov, and Milica Stefanović.
At 20:35, the film “Novi Sad Remembrance”, directed by Aleksandar Reljić, will follow. This film tracks the lives of survivors of the 1942 pogrom, known as the Novi Sad Raid, focusing on Teodor Kovač (99), Ivan Ivanjii (93), and Marta Flato (81).
Admission to all screenings is free, and more information is available at www.ubrzaj.me.
This year’s edition has been financially supported by the EU Delegation to Montenegro, the Ministry of Public Administration and the Municipality of Kotor. Additional support comes from the KIC “Budo Tomović”, Montenegrin Cinematheque, JU KC “Nikola Đurković”, and the Centre for Culture Berane. The FAST FORWARD Festival’s partners are BELDOCS, the Sarajevo Film Festival, and the Human Rights Film Network.
Socially responsible approaches are also visible in the business sector through sponsorships from Cue Hotel, PG Taxi, Compania De Vinos Montenegro and Metropolis. The festival’s media sponsors include RTCG television and portal, Nova M television, Gradska TV, Gradski radio and portal gradski.me, Prva TV, E TV, Radio and portal Antena M, daily newspaper Pobjeda, portal CdM, portal Analitika, Radio Kotor, Radio Berane, Radio Tivat, Radio Titograd, as well as radio stations Elmag, El, Mag, and Arena.
Maja Marinović, Programme Associate