Director Boban Skerlic opens 42nd Fest

BELGRADE - Director Boban Skerlic declared open 42nd International Film Festival Fest, which began with the premiere of his movie "So Hot Was the Cannon" (Top je bio vreo) on Friday evening.

This drama is about one boy's growing up in Sarajevo during the war. The screenplay was written by Vladimir Kecmanovic and Ales Kurt.

The actors and film crew made a final bow before the audience at Centre Sava.

Until March 9, movie buffs will have an opportunity to see 75 movies which have been divided in several program units: 'Main Program' showcases festival winners, Oscar winners and nominees, and films by famous authors, 'Hollywood' features American mainstream cinema, 'Europe' shows films produced and co-produced in the EU, and 'World Film Panorama' presents works of cinematic art from far-off countries.

Films from Scandinavia and Russia will be 'In Focus' this year, and other Fest programs include 'Fest Presents' and 'Fest Party', with "Duran Duran: Unstaged", concert film directed by David Lynch.

The only competition program, 'Europe out of Europe', will show six films that do not fall into the European mainstream but are under great influence of Europe - coming from Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, Norway, Israel and Macedonia.

The decision on the award (and a prize of EUR 2,000) will be made by an international jury comprising Serbian director Goran Markovic, German film critic Klaus Eder and Croatian critic and author Tomislav Kurelec.

The festival will close with the Cannes winner, Abdellatif Kechiche's "Blue is the Warmest Color".

The screenings will take place at five locations across Belgrade - Sava Center, Dom omladine, Dvorana kulturnog centra, Dom sindikata and movie theater...