29th Liffe opening ceremony and screening of Sing Me a Song, a documentary about Vlado Kreslin
The opening ceremony was hosted by Jure Longyka, who poetically spoke about the illusion of cinema. About the moving pictures that should only serve art, and not business or ideology, which is largely an ideal rather than reality. After addressing the audience and welcoming the guests, amongst other the former president of Slovenia, Mr Milan Kučan, he handed over to Festival Director Simon Popek, who is optimistic about the programme, being confident that “among the hundred featured films everyone should find their favourites”. Popek also jocularly introduced the legendary singer and songwriter Vlado Kreslin who shares a special bond with Cankarjev dom, selling out his traditional concerts at this cultural venue.
Longyka kept saying that he was dreaming to be awake but did not only dream about movies. His reverie was real and ambitious, poetically referring to the fact that Liffe will soon reach an attendance milestone of one million visitors: “There’ll be a million of us – a million dreamers.” This waking dream was continued by musicians Severa and Gal Djurin, who played Kreslin’s song Nekega jutra, ko se zdani and thus announced the documentary Sing me a Song.
The documentary succeeds in capturing Kreslin’s professional expertise and highlighting his formidable talent that ranks Kreslin alongside Bob Dylan. To say that Sing me a Song is a documentary would be an understatement; it is a homage to Vlado Kreslin. The screening was followed by a Q&A with the crew, director Milan Zupanič, producers Boštjan Ikovic and Amela Ikovic, and technical crew Maksimilijan Sušnik, Janez Furlan, Bojan Mestilović. The director expressed his gratitude to Jaka Kovačič and Luka Umek, as well as Franci Zajc and Danica Ikovic. Kreslin rounded off the opening with an optimistic song Vse se da.
Nataša Šušteršič
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The magnificent 29th Liffe opening ceremony was followed by an after party at the Grand Reception Hall. The guests mingled and chatted, enjoying live music by Vlado Kreslin’s back-up band, members of Beltinška banda and Mali bogovi. The programme started with a track called Spominčice and featured folk music and original pieces. The party-goers included director Miran Zupanič and members of the Sing Me a Song crew, as well as the evening’s host, Jure Longyka.
The revellers toasting to the new festival included Festival Director Simon Popek, former Festival Director Jelka Stergel and Cankarjev dom’s Director General Uršula Cetinski. Other notable guests included Minister of Culture Dejan Prešiček and former Minister of Culture Majda Širca, former President of Slovenia Milan Kučan and spouse Štefka, actor and politician Franci Kek, filmmakers Karpo Godina, Miha Hočevar, Darko Štante, Peter Bratuša, Boris Petkovič and Andrej Košak, actress Manca Dorrer, film producer Jožko Rutar, composer Aldo Kumar, journalist Mateja Valentinčič, RTV Slovenija Director General Igor Kadunc, blogger Marko Crnkovič, Natalija Pihler, Luka Novak and Valentina Smej Novak, photographer Katja Goljat, moderator Toni Cahunek and Cankarjev dom’s Jazz and Music of the World Programme Director Bogdan Benigar.
Singer Vlado Kreslin joined the musicians, singing the popular compositions Bela nedelja, Ptič and Spominčice. The songs were a winning variation on the intro, which took the Ljubljana audience on a poetic journey into the output of a Slovenian pop music legend.
Andraž Jež
Photo Iztok Dimc
