At the Crossroads: Slovenian Cinema July 16 – 22, 2008
Begun last October with our spotlight on Croatian film, our examination of the cinemas of the former Yugoslavia continues with a look at Croatia’s northern neighbor, Slovenia. We’re delighted to welcome director Marko Nabersnik and author, film writer, and Slovenian scholar Joseph Valencic to introduce screenings throughout the series.
Check out the video preview of the series, courtesy of Manhattan Bureau.
Surrounded by powerful neighbors, with a population of barely two million and a language spoken only by its inhabitants, Slovenia has struggled for centuries to keep its own identity and culture. It was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the 14th century to the end of World War I, when it was included in the newly founded “Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes,” a political unit created at the Versailles Peace Conference that was later renamed Yugoslavia. During World War II, Slovenia was invaded and partitioned among Austria, Hungary and Italy. Afterwards, it was incorporated into Tito’s Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, where it became the country’s most prosperous and developed region. On June 25, 1991, the Republic of Slovenia declared its independence.
With this turbulent history, it’s remarkable that Slovenia has maintained a national cinema at all. Yet film, which first appeared in the capital Ljubljana as early as 1896, thrived within the socialist republic. Triglav Films, Slovenia’s first major film studio, was founded in 1947, and within a few years was producing both popular domestic comedies such as Vesna and international hits including Valley of Peace, for which African-American John Kitzmiller received the Best Actor prize at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. Many of the new currents in ‘60s European cinema arrived early in Slovenia, and works such as Dance in the Rain and Paper Planes helped introduce a modernist sensibility into Yugoslav cinema. Following independence, many feared that an audience as small as Slovenia’s could not sustain a national cinema. Despite rough years, critical and commercial successes including Outsider, Sweet Dreams and last year’s major prizewinner and box office hit Rooster’s Breakfast have shown the viability of the country’s filmmaking.
Slovenian films, currently averaging about six to eight a year, have also become an increasingly familiar presence at international film festivals. The Slovenian Film Fund has been essential in fostering this remarkable growth. Founded in 1994, the SFF has supported over 20 directorial debuts, helping create a new generation of filmmakers. It has also promoted Slovenian film more actively internationally and encouraged co-production arrangements with other members of the European community. As a result, at a time in which most discussions of international cinema focus on the negative impact of globalization, Slovenia has become an uplifting and inspiring success story for the cinemas of other small nations.
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Calendar to view the schedule & purchase tickets online ($1.25 service charge per ticket).
Series Pass admits one person to five titles; $40 public/$30 Film Society member, available at the Walter Reade Theater box office (cash only transactions).
At the Crossroads: Slovenian Cinema is presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in collaboration with and with major support from the Slovenian Film Fund. The series was programmed by Richard Peña and organized by Irena Kovarova, independent film programmer. Additional support provided by The Consulate General of Slovenia. Special thanks to Consul General Alenka Suhadolnik and Nerina T. Kocjancic, Head of Promotion, Slovenian Film Fund. Additional thanks to Slovenian Premium Wines, Tri-Wines, Inc.
