4th International Sports Film Festival Concludes
The 4th International Sports Film Festival on Zlatibor concluded last night with a screening of the film “Messi.” Prior to the final screening, the winners of this year’s festival were announced.
The jury—composed of Aleksandar Avramović, producer, television director, and long-time cultural professional (jury president); Arzu Memedova, a film director from Azerbaijan; and Dane Korica, advisor to the President of the Sports Association of Serbia—faced the difficult task of selecting the best films. This year, awards were presented for Best Documentary Film, Best Feature Film, Best Feature-Length Documentary, and Best Short Documentary Film. In addition, the jury presented awards for directing, cinematography, high moral values, and a film about a sports personality. The jury also decided to grant two special awards.
The film “Spirit in Motion,” directed by Sofija Gevejlar, Julija Biševa, and Sofija Kučer, won the festival’s Grand Prix. The film follows the lives of Paralympic athletes who competed at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics. The jury noted that the authors reached the highest artistic level of documentary filmmaking, describing the film as “a brilliant cinematic mosaic of effort, human solidarity, sacrifice, and the triumph of goodness.”
The award for Best Feature Film went to the company “Intermedia Network” for the film “We Will Be the World Champions.” Director Darko Bajić accepted the award, emphasizing in his speech that the company заслужује this recognition for its efforts over the past decade to restore film to its core values. In sports, he noted, this is in some ways easier, as medals and world championships remain for all time.
“Running for Jim,” a film from the United States by Dan Noyes and Robin Hauser Reynolds, explores the bonds among athletes, particularly between athletes and their coaches. The story follows a well-known high school coach diagnosed with a terminal illness. In the final race, the school’s top athlete falls near the finish line but, with the coach’s support, manages to cross it, securing victory for the team. The story is told concisely, clearly, and with the same intensity as the real-life event that inspired it.
The award for Best Short Documentary Film went to the Russian film “CSKA – The Beginning,” directed by Rauf Memedov. The jury highlighted the director’s skill and talent in interpreting a tragic event at the start of the storied history of the CSKA hockey club.
Among the special awards, the jury decided that the Best Director Award “Dinko Tucaković” would go to Benjamin Kahlmeyer for the film “Meanwhile in Mamelodi,” about the World Cup in South Africa. The award for promoting and nurturing high moral values in sport was given to the film “The Kostelićs,” by Bruno Kovačević. The Scottish film “Just Run” received the award for Best Cinematography, while the award for Best Film about a Sports Personality went to “Mima Jaušovec,” dedicated to the renowned Slovenian and Yugoslav tennis player.
The jury also granted special recognitions to the films “The Tennis Court” and “Free Program.” “The Tennis Court” was recognized for its concept of members of a polar expedition playing a tennis match at the North Pole. As for “Free Program,” the jury noted that director Vianney Etos demonstrated exceptional creative potential in the short feature genre, using a distinctive cinematic language to depict the intersection of sport and the love story of a young French figure skater of African descent.
The festival was officially closed by director Darko Bajić, who emphasized that the festival deserves continued support and expressed confidence that both the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Sport will support its future development.