"Normal Autistic Film" and "My hero brother" thrilled the audience on the first day of the 8th Bosifest

October 11 2017

Czech documentary "Normal Autistic Film" by Miroslav Janek and the Israeli film "My hero brother" by Yonatan Nir and Enosh Cassel, opened on Tuesday the eighth Belgrade International Film festival for and by people with disability - Bosifes. The "Amphitheatre" hall of Sava Center was packed during the showing of both films and there was not a person in sight who was left indifferent.

"Normal Autistic Film" is a story about five remarkable children that society persistantly and unflatteringly labels as "autistic". Teodora Jovanović, a student of the 12th Belgrade Grammar School, says that she liked this film because it presents the life and difficulties of people with autism in a specific way.

- I liked the flim because it helped me see that kind of life from a completely different angle. I found the girl in the film especially interesting because she is our age. It is hard for her, she doesn't like her life, but she is trying to overcome these life issues. Although I have been considerate of people with autism, now I will certainly look at them from another angle - says Teodora.

Luka Eremija, a student of the 12th Belgrade Grammar School claims that this film helped him understand the different thought process of people with autism.

- Interestingly, I saw that not all autistic persons are the same. Each one is different, they all have their own characteristics. This film helped me understand the world of peple with autism and their way of thinking - emphasized Luka.

Nataša Petrović, professor of Serbian language and literature at the Dental School Belgrade, emphasizes that only at Bosifest can we see such "educational film achievements".

- "Normal Autistic Film" is excellent. What my students noticed in this film is that children with disabilities have the same needs as all the other young people. They are joyful, sad, have problems in communicating with parents, don't like to study...There is almost no difference. Children with disabilities have the same needs and struggle with the same problems as all the other children - said Petrović.

Svetlana Đorđević, teacher of vocational subjects at the Dental School Belgrade, said that she has learned many things from the film "Normal Autistic Film".

- The film is fantastic. I have learned many things about people with autism that I didn't know before. My students were a little bit surprised by the film, as they probably didn't realize that they all have the same needs in spite of differences. It is just a matter of a different angle we view our everyday lives from - added Đorđević.

The Israeli film, "My hero brother", that follows a group of young people with a Down syndrome as they climb the Himalayas, was shown at Bosifest as the World Preview.

Darko Ilić, a professor of physical education at the 12th Belgrade Grammar School claims that what he saw in this Israeli documentary is love as a solution to so many life problems.

- Warm film, filled with love. We have learned something about people with Down syndrome. If they can climb the Himalayas, then none of us have an excuse for some personal failure or problem. I saw that they are solving problems by extending love, giving a lot of hugs, not allowing anything to lead them astray. That is what all of us lack - claims Ilić.

Mirjana Janičić, Latin professor at the 12th Belgrade Grammar School, believes that in the film "My hero brother" her students saw that there are no obstacles if we really want to accomplish certain goals and are fully committed to solving each problem.

- Film is very moving and I enjoyed watching it very much. It is very instructive they way these young people accomplished a feat. Although they have Down syndrome, not once did they give up on the extremely difficult way up to the top of the Himalayas and they kept encouraging one another along the way - concluded Janičić.

At this year's Bosifest from 10-12 October, in the Sava Center's "Amphitheatre", 18 films will be shown, selected by a prominent Serbian documentary maker, Goran Radovanović. Decisions about the awards for the best films will be made by the jury consisting of: Predrag Gaga Antonijević, our renown director, Radoslav Zelenović, director of the European Film Festival Palić and our famous actress Anica Dobra.

The conference entitled "Start a Change" will be organized within the framework of the Festival, where experts and students will present their views on several topics concerning the problems of people with disabilities.

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