Avala Film sold, film artists stage protest

BELGRADE - Serbian film studio Avala Film was sold for RSD 980 million to Film Way after a public bidding on Wednesday, Belgrade media reported.

The film artists, who have waged a campaign against the sale of the largest film production company in the former Yugoslavia, rallied to protest in front of the Privatization Agency.

The Agency underlined that it was not in charge of the decision, but only of the law enforcement in the capacity of a bankruptcy trustee.

The Avala Film catalogue (1947-1992) comprising over 200 feature films and 400 documentaries, including the winner films at the festivals in Cannes, Berlin and Venice, will also come into the hands of the new owner. The Yugoslav Film Archive requested from the Commercial Court to postpone at least temporarily the sale of this large film fund, but the Court disagreed.

The campaign against the Avala Film sale was supported by numerous associations of actors, members of the Film Academy, numerous institutions and prominent individuals.

Photo Tanjug, O. Toskic