Last night, on 8 November 2017, the 28th International Film Festival was formally inaugurated with an opening ceremony in Cankarjev dom’s Linhart Hall. The introductory event featured a tribute to the giants of Slovenian cinema, auteurs who have created unforgettable cinematic moments. A walk down memory lane was accompanied by well-known musical passages, excerpts from film scores that have gone down in the history of cinema – performed by San di Ego ‘tribute band’, and including songs like Eye of the Tiger, Pretty Woman and Staying Alive. Liffe’s homage to legendary Slovenian filmmakers was hosted by a charming couple of Slovenian stage and screen actors, Milena Zupančič and Radko Polič - Rac, who drew loud applause just by appearing on stage. Two of Slovenia’s living movie legends, they reminisced about the golden days of Yugoslav cinema and the shooting of the Flowers in the Autumn, an iconic film that generated enthusiastic public response. However, there were also offended viewers who wrote Milena Zupančič a letter complaining that “the autumn flowers in our hearts have withered away and died [in view of such open display of affection].” After another rapturous applause, the audience was addressed by the Festival Director, Simon Popek. After briefly outlining this year’s festival programme (e.g. 97 feature films), Popek expressed his gratitude to sponsors – especially Telekom Slovenije, Festival’s main sponsor, and went on to welcome his special guests, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, Tone Peršak, theatre director Dušan Jovanović, and veteran actor Rade Šerbedžija.
Thereafter, the film festival officially started with the screening of Call Me by Your Name by Luca Guadagnino featuring Armi Hammer and Timothée Chalame in lead roles. The movie invites comparison to at least two works in the genre, examples of the broad spectrum of similar French cinema – L'Heure d'été (2008) and Things to Come (2016), which are shot in idyllic rural setting during the summer, and whose captivating scenery cannot fail to mesmerise the viewers. And picturesque backdrop, featuring the rural aesthetic of more or less authentic mansions and villas, coupled with a plot revolving round more or less perfect aristocratic artists or intellectuals, makes for an unbeatable combination that will effortlessly please even the most discerning palates. The set design was perfect; each scene included at least one iconic object that was supposed to add authenticity, legitimacy to the movie. With reference to innovativeness, it is worth foregrounding the brief take of the mountains and a forest trail where shaky camera was employed to invest the film sequence with an illusion of a painting. Although we have no intention of spoiling your enjoyment by revealing the plot, we can nevertheless conclude by saying that the film viewers will greet each other with a knowing grin: “Later!” You can find out why on Friday, 10 November, by catching the next screening of Call Me by Your Name.
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After the screening of Call Me by Your Name by Luca Guadagnino the cinema-goers enjoyed the convivial atmosphere of the CD Club, indulging in liquid refreshments and great music. Among the familiar faces we spotted at the Club were numerous (according to Festival Director, Simon Popek) cinematic “protagonists and antagonists”: Radko Polič - Rac, Milena Zupančič and Dušan Jovanović, actor Rade Šerbedžija, Director General of Cankarjev dom Uršula Cetinski, radio anchor Jure Longyka, legendary TV presenter and diva Miša Molk, editor and translator Zdravko Duša, film director Luka Marčetič, director Miha Hočevar, writer and translator Erica Johnson Debeljak, blogger Natalijo Pihler, blogger Marko Crković, editor Hermina Kovačič, actor Demeter Bitenc, former Mayor of Ljubljana Vika Potočnik and Head of the City Theatre Ljubljana PR, Simona Belle.
Written by Nataša Šušteršič and Andraž Jež
Foto Iztok Dimc