Veoma heterogena produkcija domaćeg srednjemetražnog i dugometražnog dokumentarnog filma ipak bi se mogla svesti na nekoliko dominantnih tendencija koje su opet svedene na večnu dilemu – lokalno nasuprot univerzalnog. Tematski i idejno autori su zabrinuti zbog neosvetljenih događaja i nerazrešenih nepoznanica iz bliže i dalje prošlosti Srbije i regiona, postavljaju pitanja, ali nude i odgovore. Neka od pitanja, ipak nikada neće biti odgonetnuta, bez obzira na sve valere i nijanse u kojima se kreativnost pojavljuje nasuprot realnosti u dijalektičkom sukobu na filmskom platnu. Teško bi se moglo objasniti kako i sa kojim "oružjem" možemo da se borimo protiv izazova surove stvarnosti koja je sve manje nalik humanom okruženju, a na koju su nas nekada prethodnici upozoravali. Neke od tinjajućih istorijskih sukoba, pak, možemo razrešiti ili barem pokušati to da učinimo suočavanjem lice u lice sa njima. To je upravo ono što rade i nude nam autori koji se bave problemima uronjenim u manje poznatu ili brižljivo skrivanu istoriju ljudskih sudbina u Drugom Svetskom ili kasnijim ratovima u bivšoj SFRJ, izdižući je ponekad na meta-nivo. Na vrednosti popularne i avangardne (pod) kulture podsećaju nas drugi koji prave prave apoteoze umetnicima od značaja, pokušavajući da nas prenu iz letargije komformizma. Ličnu, skoro intimnu upućenost u sudbine svojih junaka prikazuju nam treći, čiji su filmovi male ode ljudskom duhu i njegovoj istrajnosti u nadljudskim podvizima uprkos svim preprekama. Na posletku, tu su i oni koji nam na suptilan ili direktan način ukazuju na mnoštvo protivrečnosti koje čine naš "suživot" na Balkanu, poluostrvu čijeg naziva se mnogi neopravdano stide, koji je obeležio naše živote, odredio naš senzibilitet i estetiku odvajkada i zauvek. Stilovi i pristupi su raznoliki, ima ih na pretek, ali empatija i iskrenost su dragoceni sastojci od kojih se stvara dobar dokumentarni film.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

A very heterogeneous production of domestic middle and long-length documentaries can be reduced to several dominant tendencies which again boil down to the eternal dilemma – local against universal. In terms of topics and ideas, the authors are worried about the unlit events and unresolved issues from the near and distant past of Serbia and the region, they ask questions but also give answers. Some questions, however, will never be answered, regardless of all the variations and shades creativity appears in, opposing reality in a dialectical conflict on the film screen. It is hard to explain how and with what "weapons" could we fight the challenges of cruel reality which loses touch with humane surrounding; something we were warned about by our predecessors. Still, we can resolve some of the ongoing historical conflicts, or at least try to it by confronting them face to face. That is exactly what is done and offered to us by the authors dealing with the problems immersed in the less known or carefully hidden history of people's fates during the World War II and later conflict in ex-Yugoslavia, elevating it sometimes to a meta-level. Other authors reminds us of the values of popular and avant-garde (sub) culture, making apotheosis for significant artists and trying to rouse us from the lethargy of conformity. The third group of authors shows a personal, almost intimate familiarity with the fates of their heroes. Their films are small odes to human spirit and grit in accomplishing superhuman feats against all odds. Lastly, there are those who point out, subtly or directly, numerous contradictions in our "co-life" on the Balkans, a peninsula whose name raises unwarranted sense of shame in many people and which has marked our lives, determined our sensibility and esthetics.

2. PRONICANJE U SUŠTINU ILI TOPLOTA U OSVIT LEDENOG DOBA

Dok se prosečan stanovnik zemalja bivše SFRJ svakodnevno bori sa visoko postavljenim egzistencijalnim preprekama, u šta se potpisnik ovih redova nedavno uverio in vivo, autori dokumentarnih filmova, pritisnuti bremenom života, sa kamerom u rukama ili iza nje pokušavaju

da dublje proniknu u naizgled skrivene, samo nama poznate fenomene, pojave, sudbine.

Dugo razmatrana tvrdnja da film a posebno dokumentarni, može da bude katalizator društvene svesti i utiče na promenu recepcije stvarnosti, u ovogodišnjim regionalnim programima festivala još jednom je na proveri. Sve zajedničke teme, manje ili više bolne, su prisutne u ovogodišnjim selekcijama.

tački, ili na tragu nekih aktuelnih trendova i tendencija, svejedno, savremeni regionalni dokumentarci pogađaju tačno tamo gde treba. Brojem izraženo, tu su 12+1=13 posveta, apela, opomena, krikova, putovanja, portreta, snoviđenja, pop kulture, paradoksa, subverzija, eseja, ispovesti, sevdaha... jednostavno, filmova, u svojoj izvornoj, dokumentarnoj formi.

Oni stvaraju posebno elektrizirajuće polje koje se može osetiti kao toplota na vlastitoj koži. Zadržali su spontanost i neposrednost, iako nastali u teškim porođajnim mukama konkursnog finansiranja ili upornog učestvovanja na pičinzima širom evrope. Rečju, odražavaju suštinu ovoga u čemu smo svi zajedno, bez obzira na male razlike koje nas čine narcisoidnim: neki kao prolaznici i učesnici, neki kao tvorci i tumači.

INSIGHT INTO THE ESSENTIALS OR WARMTH AT THE DAWN OF AN ICE AGE

Whilst the average citizen of the Ex-Yugoslavian republics fights daily with serious existential obstacles, which the author of this text has had the opportunity to confirm in vivo, the authors of documentary films, burdened by life itself, with cameras in their hands, or behind the camera, try to get a deeper look at the seemingly hidden phenomenons, occurrences and fates known only to us.

The long discussed claim that film, documentary film especially, can be a catalyst of social awareness and affects the change of reception of reality is being tested once more in this year's regional programs of the upcoming festivas. All common issues, the more and the less painful, are present in this year's selections.

Whether they are still preoccupied with the recent inglorious past, immersed in the present or worried about the uncertain future, the directors try to manifest an esthetic film consciousness about the possibility that everything could be expressed by means of a language different than the common language, which is the formal message of both mass media and political activists. From a personal, innovative point of view, by use of their own poetry, anchored to one strong point, or on the trail of some current trends and tendencies, the contemporary regional documentaries hit the bulls eye.

Expressed in numbers, it looks like 12+1=13...dedications, appeals, warnings, howls, trips, portraits, dream-like states, pop culture, paradoxes, subversion, essays, confessions, trance-like states...simply,

films in their core, documentary form. They create a special electrifying field which can be felt like warmth on one's own skin. They have retained a spontaneity and directness even

though they were born with hard labor pains of contest financing or pitching around across Europe.

Using words, they reflect the essence of what we all live in, regardless of the small differences which make us narcissistic: some as spectators and participants, some as creators and interpreters.

Igor Toholj je rođen 1968. godine u Beogradu. Studirao Sociologiju i diplomirao Filmsku i TV montažu na FDU u Beogradu, gde je dobitnik nagrade Slavko Vorkapić za najboljeg studenta u generaciji. Od 2000-2003. predavao je Osnove filmske montaže na Katedri za kameru Akademije Umetnosti BK. Pisao tekstove iz oblasti filmske kritike i esejistike za Beoramu, Ritam, Talas i Filaž. Od 1994. do danas radi kao Urednik filmskog programa u Domu kulture Studentski grad. Autor je kratkometražnih eksperimentalnih i nekoliko srednjemetražnih i dugometražnih dokumentarnih filmova, koji su prikazivani i nagrađivani na festivalima i retrospektivama u zemlji i inostranstvu.

Igor Toholj was born in 1968 in Belgrade. He studied Sociology and Film and TV montage at FDU in Belgrade where he received the Slavko Vorkapić award for best student of his graduation year. From 2000 to 2003 he lectured Basics of film editing at the Camera department at Art Academy BK. He wrote film critique and essays. Since 1994 until today he works as Film program editor at "Student City" Cultural Centre. He is author of short experimental films and feature length documentary films that were shown and awarded at festivals and retrospectives in Serbia and abroad.