Numerous guests at the opening of the 8th Bosifest in the Sava Center

October 11 2017

The eighth Belgrade International Film Festival for and by people with disabilities - Bosifest, held from October 10 to 12 in Sava Center, attrackted numerous guests from Serbia and abroad.

Director of the European Film Festival Palić and a long-standing director of the Yugoslav Film Archive, Radoslav Zelenović, who together with a renowned director Predrag Gaga Antonijević and our famous actress Anica Dobra made up this year's jury, stressed that "Three days are not enough for such a serious manifestation like this one."

- This is the second time I am on this jury and am helping this festival to become more and more visible in media and the society. This Festival is of a much wider scope, which cannot be seen at first glance. This year, no less than 150 films registered for the festival from all over the world, and we, as the jury, received 12 of the best chosen films. It is interesting that we will have the opportunity to see films from all destinations in the world. These are films about people with disabilities that will certainly stand as a warning to all of us who think that our problems are insurmountable. I still can't stop thinking about the film of a boy from Georgia, "Listen to the Silence", who is deaf, but all he wants to do is get on a stage and dance. The effort he is putting into overcoming his handicap in order to achieve his goal is incredible - said Zelenović.

Nino Doliashvili, assistant to the director of the film "Listen to the Silence" Mariam Chachia, said that she was very glad that this film was shown on the first day of Bosifest in Belgrade.

- I think this is a brilliant festival and an excellent opportunity for many people to get acquanited with problems of people with disabilities. The film I am representing talks about a deaf boy who has a desire do dance, in spite of the fact that he cannot hear. With his iron will, he manages to accomplish something that even some people without any kind of handicap, are not able to accomplish - added Doliashvili.

Anastazja Dabrowska from Poland, director of the film "Daniel", couldn't hide her surprise at the huge interest among the audience of the eighth Bosifest.

- I am astonished at the large number of people in the auditorium. If there is such a great interest for a festival like this one, then this is a huge advantage for people with disabilities in Serbia. My film talks about Daniel who is going to the summer camp for persons with Down syndrome. He is going there in search for love, and friends are helping him find a girlfriend. This is a documentary with some comedy elements and that is why I think it will be very interesting to all who watch it - stated Dabrowska.

Director of the film "In another world", Anna Bedynska from Poland, claims that Bosifest is an excellent opportunity to use film in order to get young people acquainted with the life of people with disabilities.

- I am here for the first time and I was thrilled by the atmosphere at the opening night. Although these were specific documentary films, the theatre was completely full, and I could barely see an empthy seat. I am so glad that many young people came, because they are the target group of my film, as well as many other films here. My film speaks of a family whose life was instantly changed when the mother found out that she was carrying a baby with Down syndrome. This story talks about how to make the right decision, how to choose the right way and how never to give up. It is a story about making the most important decisions in life and I do hope that the audience will enjoy it - said Bedynska.

This year's Bosifest has organized a two-day conference entitled "Start a change", which will take place on October 11 and 12, in the 'Amphitheatre' hall of the Sava Center, where all the film screenings are taking place. A professor at the Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation and the chairman of the "Start a Change" conference’s program committee, Goran Nedović, pointed out that one of the main topics will be how media influences attitudes formed towards people with disabilities.

- We will discuss, in a professional way, how people with disabilities are being portrayed in the media. We will talk about culture, tolerance and many other aspects. This conference will be significant because it will have an interdisciplinary approach, as the experts of different profiles will discuss the problems.This conference was accredited by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor, Veteran and Social Policy, which actually makes it a part of the training for professionals who are working in education and social services - Nedović explained.

This year's Bosifest will present 18 films selected by the prominent documentary maker, Goran Radovanović, that is 10 in the competitive and 8 in the non-competitive part of the program. At the opening night, the audience was able to see the World Preview of the Israeli documentary "My hero brother" by Yonatan Nir and Enosh Casesel.

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