Matthieu Firmin: I am proud of Gran prix, BOSIFEST is a serious festival

October 23 2017

Grand prix at the 8th Belgrade International Film Festival of Persons with Disabilities won Matthieu Firmin for the film "Arise and Walk". The French author in the film talks about his struggle against the paraplegia that he suddenly received after a stroke.

Matthieu Firmin for the BOSIFEST website speaks about his impressions from the festival, the heaviest moments in the fight against paraplegia, but also about the next film he prepares, which he hopes will also be shown in Belgrade.

What impressions do you take home from BOSIFEST?

- Serbia seems to be in some things ahead of France. I'm not just saying this because I'm a guest of the festival, but I am really impressed that Belgrade has been holding a festival of disability films for the eighth consecutive year. In France, for example, a film festival of people with disabilities was held for the first time only last year. It is very impressive to see that a beautiful country like Serbia, with a great tradition, is so advanced when it comes to the problems of people with disabilities.

Is that why Grand prix that you won has bigger value?

- Absolutely. I'm relieved of this prize. This is a serious festival, and the prize is especially significant when it is known that more than 150 authors have applied for the festival. Being successful in such a competition is not a small thing, although, I must say, at the festival, I see many great films that leave a strong impression, such as "Daniel" or "They went dancing".

How long did your paraplegial struggle last, and when was the worst?

- It lasted for two years. First, I had a difficult period of recovery at a hospital that lasted six months, and then I went to the hospital every morning and returned home in the evening, for one year and a half. Every recovery period was difficult in his own way, but with the help of good therapies, I managed to win. So I would recommend to Serbs to protect public health because I probably would not have enough money to cure myself that the hospitals in France were not well organized.

What is the message to other people with disabilities, how to best deal with problems?

- Physical strength is important, but psychic power is much more important. As I have shown in my film, everyone has this power somewhere deep inside, just needs to find a way to discover it. It's very important thing to find that power for yourself and find a way to get to it.

Are you already preparing the next film?

- Yes, it will be a wonderful story about people who will cross the Atlantic Ocean themselves in a small boat, only six meters long. They intend to do so without any communication, without any technological instruments, as it used to be the only way to do it. It will be a story of courage and the realization of your dreams as something most important in life.

At this year's BOSIFEST, 18 films, selected by the prominent domestic documentary Goran Radovanovic, were shown, 10 in the competitive and 8 in the non-competitive program. This year, for the first time, the Conference "Start a Change" was organized, on which students and high school students participated in addition to the experts.

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