Opening of the 13th International Sports Film Festival
The official opening of the 13th International Sports Film Festival on Zlatibor took place on Thursday, August 22. All sports and film enthusiasts first had the opportunity to attend the opening of the exhibition “Siniša Mihajlović – A Life Like a Film” in the congress hall of the Zlatibor Cultural Center. The exhibition was ceremonially opened by Miroslav Tanjga—former football player, coach, Director of the Sports Sector of the Football Association of Serbia, and Siniša’s godfather—while the guest of honor was Dražen Mihajlović, Siniša’s brother.
Following the exhibition opening, a formal ceremony and presentation of special awards were held in the hall of the Zlatibor Cultural Center. The Festival officially began under the slogan “Let the Olympic Spirit Prevail.”
The International Sports Film Festival brings together major figures from the worlds of sport and culture, as well as all those interested in documentary filmmaking. The 13th edition of the Festival was officially opened with the song “Zlatibore, moj zeleni bore,” performed by the male vocal group “Udruženje za negovanje narodne tradicije Zlatibor,” along with an address by Arsen Đurić, President of the Čajetina Municipal Assembly and President of the Festival’s Organizing Committee.
Awards for outstanding contribution to sport, film, and lifetime achievement were presented to:
- Vladimir Vanja Grbić (volleyball player and Olympic champion), presented by Arsen Đurić, President of the Čajetina Municipal Assembly and President of the Festival’s Organizing Committee;
- Zoran Mustur (water polo player and coach), presented by Vladimir Živanović, Director of the Zlatibor Tourist Organization;
- Ratko Rudić (water polo player and coach), presented by Olivera Nikitović, Director of the International Sports Film Festival;
- Zoran Marković (Editor-in-Chief of the Sports Department of RTS), presented by Festival Selector Aleksandar Avramović;
- The Volleyball Federation of Serbia (on the occasion of 100 years of volleyball in Serbia), accepted by Vice President Vesna Đurišić and presented by Darko Đurović, Director of the Innovation Business Center;
- Filmske novosti (marking 80 years of operation), accepted by Director Vladimir Tomčić and presented by Snežana Đenić, Director of the “Ljubiša R. Đenić” Library;
- The Yugoslav Film Archive (marking 75 years of operation), accepted by Marijana Terzin Stošić, Senior Associate of the State Audiovisual Archive of Serbia, and presented by Danica Jevtić Šišović, Director of the Zlatibor Cultural Center;
- Milenko Pavlov and Slobodan “Boda” Ninković (actors) received the “Gold Gondola” award for their contribution to sport, film, and lifetime achievement in film art. The award was accepted on their behalf by director Ivica Vidanović.
The “Nataša Kovačević – Hero of Sport and Life” Charter was awarded to Miloš Grlica, a javelin thrower and Paralympic champion. The award was presented by Dane Korica, a distinguished Serbian athlete and member of the Festival Council.
Following the awards ceremony, the recipients and attendees proceeded to Kraljev Square, where they attended screenings of 26 short film stories under the collective title “Let’s Play,” as well as the feature film “The Boy and the Girls.”
The festival program runs until Sunday, August 25. Over the next three days, 77 selected documentary films will be screened from a total of 650 submissions. At the closing ceremony, to be held at Kraljev Square on Zlatibor, the jury—composed of Dušan Bulić (screenwriter and creative producer), Marijana Terzin Stojčić (Senior Associate of the Yugoslav Film Archive), and Vojko Korošec (Director of the International Sports Film Festival in Rogaška Slatina)—will present awards to the best filmmakers of the 13th International Sports Film Festival.