This  summer  the  fairy  tale  location  of  Bled,  Slovenia  will  host  the  first  annual  Bled  Film  Festival  

 

 

 

The   Bled   Film   Festival   (BFF)   is   a   major   new   festival   on   the  international   film   scene,   supported   by   leading   filmmakers   from  southeastern   Europe,   Great   Britain   and   USA.   The   festival,   which  runs   from   June   17-­‐21,   will   include   8   feature   films   and   8  documentaries,   which   will   be   considered   for   juried   prizes.    The  documentaries   have   a   thematic   focus:   to   raise   awareness   of  environmental  issues  surrounding  water.      

These   exciting   feature   films   and   thoughtful   documentaries   will   be  complemented  by  a  rich  assortment  of  additional  events,  including  talks  with  major  stars  and  film  world  personalities,  the  free  screening  of  four  films   in   an   outdoor   theater   beside   the   lake,   special   events,   VIP   after  parties,   and   much   more.     This   year,   afternoon   film   sessions   will   be  dedicated  to  the  famous  Serbian  director,  Srdjan  Dragojevič.  

Feature   film   screenings  will   be   held   at   Festival   Hall   on   the   shores   of  Lake  Bled,  while  screenings  of  documentaries  will  be  at  the  11th  century  Bled  Castle,  perched  high  atop  a  cliff  overlooking  the  town  of  Bled  and  the  postcard-­‐perfect  lake  beside  it.  

 

 

 

The   BFF   is   run   by   two   local   cinematic   legends   with   extensive  Hollywood   resumes:   Rade   Šerbedžija,   President   of   the   Board,   and  Branko   Djurić   –   Djuro,   the   film   festival’s   Director.   Other   Board  members   include  Slovenian  actress  Tanja  Ribič,  Serbian  actor  Nikola  Kojo,   American   actor   Armand   Assante,   British   actress   Vanessa  Redgrave,   American   Casting   Director/Producer   Donna   McKenna,  Croatian  producer  Čedomir  Kolar,  and  several  other  famous  Slovenian  actors.  

Bled   Film   Festival   was   founded   by   Marko   Gajić,   the   BFF   Business  Manager,  and  Danijel  Utješanović,  BFF’s  Executive  Director.  

In   addition   to   promoting   the   latest   international   and   regional   feature  films,   the   theme   of   the   documentary   portion   of   the   festival   will   be  promoting  environmental  issues  with  an  emphasis  on  water.  

“The  Bled   Film  Festival   strives   to   use   the   power   of  moving   images   in  order   to  create  a  better  world,”   said  Rade   Šerbedžija,  BFF  President.  “By   launching   a   festival   like   this   by   Bled   Lake   –   one   of   the   most  beautiful  places  on  earth  –  we  would  like  to  become  a  part  of  the  global  environmental   movement   to   save   our   planet.   We   are   witnesses   to  catastrophic   wars   that   are   destroying   this   world   through   chemical  warfare   agents.   We   are   also   witnesses   to   unscrupulous   global  corporations  who  are  polluting  the  air,  sea,   lakes  and  rivers  with  their  factories,  chemical  gasses  and  industrial  waste  –  all  due  to  their  desire  to  increase  profits.  For  this  reason,  we  do  not  wish  our  film  festival  to  be  just  one  of  many,  but  rather,  we  want  to  initiate,  here  by  the  water,  an  important  environmental  campaign  to  clean  our  planet.  We  want  to  attract  film-­‐makers,  both  known  and  unknown,  to  the  festival,  who  are  eager   to   join   our   movement.   I   also   need   to   stress   that   we   are   all  initiators   of   a   great   humanitarian   campaign   that   is   starting   here   in  Slovenia.”  

Festival   prizes   will   be   selected   from   the   8   competing   films   in   each  category   by   a   three-­‐member   jury   panel.   This   panel   will   give   out  “Wishing  Bell”  awards  in  five  categories.  Branko  Djurić  –  Djuro,  BFF  Director,  explained  that  the  film  selection  process  is  already  underway.  He  also  noted  that  the  final  list  of  selected  films  will  be  released  about  a  month  or  so  prior  to  the  Festival’s  opening;  a  formula  that  is  typical  at  prominent   international   film  festivals.  Noah  Charney  will  play  a  main  role   in   selecting   the   feature   films   for   the   competition,   whereas  Rada  Šešić  will  focus  on  selecting  the  documentary  films:  

”  Water  in  our  selection  of  eight  creative  documentaries  is  approached  from  different  angles:  water  as  a  savior  among  people  who  dig  and  look  

 

 

for   water   meticulously;   water   as   a   destroyer   that   takes   away   lives,  houses,  hope;  water  as  the  embodiment  of  greed  when  appropriated  by  the  rich  and  powerful  while  it  belongs  to  all  of  us;  water  as  a  comforting  element  in  everyday  life;  water  as  a  friend    that  rejuvenates,  preserves  and  nourishes;  water  that  provides  food,  keeps  the  tradition  and  seeks  love  and  companionship.”  

The  program  will  later  be  published  on  our  web  page.  

Fall  in  love  with  film  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Bled,  which  has  been  called  the  most  beautiful  place  on  earth.  

             Photographs  can  be  downloaded  from  the  website  www.bledff.com/fileadmin/datoteke/fotogalerije/2014/press_1.zip  (Photo  by:  BFF)    You  can  also  follow  us  on  the  Bled  Film  Festival  –  BFF  Facebook  page,  or  on  Twitter  @BledFF.        Public  relations:      Duška  Žolger,  +386  31  533  714    Jagoda  Đorđevič,  +386  41  708  485    press@bledff.com