FILM REBELLION: Serbian film treasure is in danger!

Once upon a time, our biggest film producer, Avala Film, is today set to be subject of a sale by a public auction at the Commercial Court in Belgrade, due to many years of bankruptcy.

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Film artists and workers have been leading a campaign against the sale in the past few days, and at noon today have announced a protest in front of the Privatization Agency on Terazije. The Agency states that it is not their decision, because as a bankruptcy trustee they only enforce the law. The Yugoslav Film Archive has asked the Commercial Court to temporarily exempt the sale of the Film Fund - nearly 600 recorded achievements during the decades of the Avala Film Studios.

The court refused, and the Serbian Ministry of Culture announced that the decision was surprising. The Ministry has also announced that it has taken all necessary steps, within its jurisdiction, for the protection of cultural property in the sale of Avala Film.

Minister Tasovac, appearing on television N1, stressed that "the Serbian Hollywood has not been working since 1989" and that distinction must be made between privatization and bankruptcy proceedings.

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Printskrin: Youtube/Košutnjak film

- My concern is to protect what is culturally good in the company, said Tasovac and reiterated the decision of the Commercial Court not to accept the request of the Cinematheque was surprising, but said he could not comment on the decision of the court.

Tasovac said that he was sorry that the Cinematheque had not previously taken steps to declare the fund for the cultural good, but that he's not looking for the culprit rather the solution.We must wait and see if the auction will be successful. Maybe the customer will want to continue the film business, he concluded.

Foto: Telegraf

The Dean of the Faculty of Drama Zoran Popović said that Serbian filmmakers insist they are exempt from the privatization of the film production company.

- They are a national treasure and should be handed over to the Yugoslav Cinematheque. In these film works were built decades of our cultural heritage, and in their making participated a generation of authors and performers - said Popovic.

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According to him, it is unacceptable that we hand over our film treasure to someone who can do with it as they wish.

One of the most famous Serbian directors, Srdjan Dragojevic notes that he spent two and a half years studying the problem, but that his initiative to protect the film material of "Avala Film", was unsuccessful.

- I asked a parliamentary question, but even that gave no result - resigned Dragojevic.

Foto: Tanjug/Sava Radovanović

The Cinematheque indicates a high risk of alienation of the Heritage Fund, as would be the case if it were to be sold to foreign companies outside of Serbia, making it outside of our country's borders!

- That would make decades-long work of the people who created "Avala film" senseless, but also the investment in our country in production, protection and preservation of the Film Fund - they said in the Cinematheque for "Informer".

The protagonists of the award-winning documentary film "Cinema Komunisto" of Mira Turajlic, launched a campaign in recent days called the "City of lost films."

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They will host a panel discussion tonight at 7 pm in the new Cinema Star, demanding that the catalog "Avala Film" be nationalized and given to the Cinematheque.

- The auction included a film catalog of Avala Film (1947-1992) which comprises more than 200 featured films and 400 documentaries, winners of the Cannes, Berlin and Venice festivals. Nearly  half of the Yugoslav films and a good part of the Yugoslav heritage will fall into private hands - they warn.

Printskrin: Youtube/Košutnjak film

On the panel they will present the results of the auction for Avala film, and discuss the future of our film heritage, as well as further possible ways of fighting for an inheritance. Wake-up calls from apathy in relation to the violent sales of culture and heritage and call upon the accountable and decision with regard to this problem.

As announced, speakers include; Radoslav Zelenovic, director of the Cinematheque, Goran Markovic, director of films produced by Avala film, Mina Djukic (New Cinema Star)and other members of the Movement for the occupation of the cinema, Branko Pavlovic, former director of the Privatization Agency, Marko Miletic (campaign "Stop Privatization"), and the moderator's director Mila Turajlic (campaign "City of lost films").

Support for efforts to prevent the sale of the Avala film fund in the past days, have been given by the Association of Serbian film directors, film producers Association of Serbia, The association of film distributors in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Film Artists Association of Dramatic Artists, Film Academy, institutions, and prominent individuals ...

(Telegraf.co.uk/ Tanjug/ Informer)