On 14 November, The Family, a film that observes the inner workings of a Slovenian family, received its Ljubljana Film Festival premiere within the scope of the National Cinema Series – organised by Cankarjev dom and the Slovenian Film Centre. The observational documentary that earned a prolonged and warm applause captivated the spectators. The screening in Cankarjev dom’s sold-out Kosovel Hall was followed by a Q&A with the director and writer Rok Biček and cast members: Matej Rajk, his brother Mitja, Matej’s girlfriend Emanoela Skulj and her mother Ivka Gruden. Several fascinating details were revealed in the talk hosted by Tina Poglajen; the film started out in 2006 as a documentary for one of Biček’s directing assignments at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television. Biček first met Mitja but then refocused his attention on Mitja’s brother Matej. During the screening of Biček’s short documentary at the Slovenian Cinematheque, the director again saw Matej, this time accompanied by his girlfriend Emanoela, who was showing her baby bump, and the idea emerged to continue his cinematic observation of the idiosyncratic family from Novo mesto. The director met with the two lovers for coffee the following day to discuss the project; they embarked on a journey and spent a considerable amount of time together. The feature condenses ten years in the life of the protagonist, Matej, and the people around him into less than two hours.
In response to the appeal issued by OZRK Novo mesto, the director Rok Biček, Liffe, Cankarjev dom, Novo mesto Grammar School, Alenka Sivka and others, charity contributions are being gathered to help the family. Collection boxes are located on the film voting ballot boxes in cinema lobbies during the screenings of The Family.
Andraž Jež
Pravkar poteka tudi dobrodelna akcija za novomeško družino, pri kateri sodelujejo OZRK Novo mesto, režiser, Liffe, Cankarjev dom, novomeška gimnazija, Alenka Sivka in nekateri drugi. Škatle za dobrodelne prispevke so postavljene na nabiralnikih za filmske glasovnice pred festivalskimi kinodvoranami ob dneh projekcije filma Družina.
Written by Andraž Jež
Photo Iztok Dimc