INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR AND BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES -

BOSIFEST representatives in Veliko Gradiste

May 26 2017

High school in Veliko Gradiste was visited by BOSIFEST representatives and their partners from The Belgrade College of Tourism on Friday, 26th of May. The lecture about people with disabilities and their problems in the society was held in front of the huge number of high schools students and their professors, as also the presentation of the upcoming International Film Festival For People With Disabilities, BOSIFEST 2017.

A lot of attention of the audience was attracted by the documentary “You have a handicap too”. This Belgium achievement of the author Idriss Gabel reveals an interesting story that shows the world through the eyes of people with disabilities. As reporters, with cameras and microphones in their hands, people with disabilities were interviewing the passengers, asking them simple questions as: Do they know and what means to them the word “handicap”? Emotions that were being caused by strong impression during the interview, expressed their unconsciously and unconscionable behavior of the society towards them. In the end of the film, participants are expressing their dreams through modular animations in a funny and creative way, and those dreams are as almost as identical to any other in the world.

BOSIFEST is an international film festival for people with disabilities, only of that kind in Southeast Europe, and this year it is the eighth time that is being organized by Hendi Centar Koloseum, whose president is Darko Ivic, and who is also a director of the Festival. There will be a lot of films on the big screen, both in competitive and in the review part. Over 300 films were shown in BOSIFEST until now, dealing with the topic of life of the people with disabilities or their authors are people with disabilities.

Statements by participants

Ilić Lazar I 2

In the neighborhood I have a disabled person with which to hang and I have never and in no way stood out from the others. However, regardless of that, I have to admit that I knew about their problems very little. So it's good that you're here to explain part of the problem they face, which certainly contributed to the fact that I learn something more. I have already participated in the "Plug handicap". I sincerely wish to attend the festival Bosifest and through film screenings their findings further expand.

Jelena Milovanović II 4

I knew very little about the problems of people with disabilities prior to your arrival. Unfortunately I had no opportunity to take part in actions aimed at helping them. After these presentations and a film which I look, I can say that I learned a lot. I sincerely wish to attend Bosifest and find out which are the current issues facing people with disabilities and, more importantly, to learn how to help them.

Stanislava Savović I 1

I knew before the problems of persons with disabilities, but after today's presentation I know a lot more. Today I had the opportunity to hear and understand what kind of all the problems faced and how they feel. Now I have even more desire to be socially responsible and engage in all actions that aim to help people with disabilities and make their lives easier.

Anđela Milićev I 2

And before I was aware of the problems of persons with disabilities, or even close to how big they really are. It is very important that today I realized that they have the same needs as we do, but they gratification is very difficult for them. This is precisely our task to help them to live normally. They fantasize and dream of a better, just like everyone else. So far I have participated in several actions that our schools and municipalities Veliko Gradiste organized and related to assistance to people with disabilities. Bosifest is a good opportunity to give even greater impetus to solving this problem.

Zoran Tasic, director of the High School of Veliko Gradiste

I'm pretty familiar with the problems of persons with disabilities in regular contact with them. We also organized several lectures in our school that are the subject had exactly this problem. A few months away we were representatives of the Agency for Traffic Safety, who, along with people in wheelchairs, graduates of our schools presented, not only how to behave in traffic, but also the problems of people with disabilities. Particularly important was the part where disabled people are talking about how their life was like a disability, and that today when they are in a wheelchair. Our school is fully open for cooperation and always ready to contribute to solving the problems of persons with disabilities, and therefore to participate in all projects which will aim at creating publicity for these problems, and of course find solutions for them.

Aleksandra Dimitrijevic, teacher Secondary School in Veliko Gradiste

Our school is participating in various projects, including those who put emphasis on diversity. On civic education has pointed out these problems and try to find solutions for them. Also, both teachers and students are happy to respond to lectures that are the subject of this social problem. And this day's lecture and presentation of the festival dedicated to people with disabilities is part of that effort. So it's good that you're here.