#Dana Linssen

[festivalists]

Brave

[moody-curtains]

Berlinale Talents 2022

There’s a lot to be cynical about these days when it comes to the future of film criticism and the movies in general. As someone in his mid-twenties, trying to figure this whole thing out, this cynicism, while sometimes useful, is more often than not pretty unhelpful and discouraging. 

But then, every once in awhile, something happens that reminds me why I love this work and leaves me feeling rejuvenated and more excited about the path ahead, whatever it might be. Last month, I had the chance to join seven other critics and journalists as a member of the Talent Press at Berlinale Talents 2022. 

The event took place over Zoom and featured a fantastic group of speakers, including filmmakers who had their works screened at the festival. I was very lucky to have as my mentor Dana Linssen, who has severed as a Talent Press mentor for many years. Coincidentally, I worked with Dana in 2021 when I made two video essays as part of Critics’ Choice at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, a program Dana co-curates. 

Berlinale Talents took place remotely this year due to COVID, which naturally brought with it a series of pros and cons. One of the benefits was that it fed a fascinating collaborative project made by members of the Talent Press. As Talents have in years past, we worked on a “collective assemblage,” which took the form of correspondences we “wrote” to the other participants. 

I was randomly assigned the task of kicking off the assemblage. In doing so, I walked away with a question I’m still thinking about: what does it mean to watch a film via Google Drive? 

Below you can watch/read/listen/experience the project, which was created by Susana Bessa, Łukasz Mańkowski, Rebecka Bülow, Öykü Sofuoglu, Fabiola Santiago Padilla, Mariona Borrull, Kayode Faniyi, and me:

“On the Future of Festival Coverage: An Assemblage”

And here’s a fun GIF of us all: 

Given the virtual nature of the event, we did not have access to all of the films at the festival. But we still got to see some fantastic work and discuss and write about the films each day. All of our work is over at the Talent Press blog, including short introductions to ourselves we each wrote. 

We also all wrote short reviews of Concerned Citizen, the latest from Israeli writer-director Idan Haguel. Here’s mine: 

“Concerned Citizen Falls Short of Its Intriguing Premise” 

We then each had a chance to review a series of different films from the festival. I reviewed the new documentary, Komm mit mir in das Cinema — Die Gregors (Come With Me to the Cinema — The Gregors). Here’s my review: 

“Die Gregors Charms But Lacks Formal Risks The Film’s Subjects Championed” 

It was a truly fantastic experience and I feel very grateful to have been a part of it. Many thanks to all of the mentors and organizers, and especially Talent Press Coordinator Leonardo Goi. 

I’ve not yet had the chance to cover a film festival in person, so here’s hoping that I will get the chance to do so sometime in the near future. And in the meantime, don’t forget to check out the Talent Press blog and read the amazing work by the other participants! Here are all of the non-Concerned Citizen reviews: 

“Taking the World to Berlin” by Susana Bessa 

“Remembering the past, without repeating it” by Rebecka Bülow

“Queer as Form: Politics of Forgetfulness in Gustavo Vinagre’s Três Tigres Tristes“  by Öykü Sofuoglu

“Dwelling on touch” by Mariona Borrull

“A punch, an eye, and the sweet cycle of loops” by Łukasz Mańkowski

“The Importance of Being Julius” by Kayode Faniyi 

“A Kingdom Crumbles in Northern Skies over Empty Space” by Fabiola Santiago

Image One Credit: Idan Haguel, Guy Sahaf

Image Two Credit: Alice Agneskirchner

[festivalists]

New Beginnings

In between the tragedy and the meme, 2020 has already proved to be different. This affected both the 26th  Sarajevo Film Festival as well as the 14th  edition of Talents Sarajevo, held online for the first time ever. Sure, under this year's theme NEW BEGINNINGS lie many old and well-tested elements, only this time we tried to build new structures out of them. Or to strengthen past bonds, which was the case with Sarajevo Talent Press' dedicated partner Goethe-Institut Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is not like there was much of a choice, for Zoom's flat grid has been omnipresent in the past months – as a new norm/al of sorts, and one that prompts a new understanding of this particular (also literal) merge between the reality and the moving image. Wonderful coincidence, as the online format allowed Kevin B. Lee to tune in from Berlin and discuss FILM CRITICISM ON SCREENS. Our second Goethe-Institut invitee, Jacqueline Nsiah, also joined in from Germany and opened the horizons even wider, by taking us on A PERSONAL(ISED) JOURNEY THROUGH SUB-SAHARAN CINEMA.

Mentored again by Dana Linssen and Yoana Pavlova, the 2020 all-girl team worked slightly differently this year – the five participants produced one, longer film review, paired with an “audiovisual diary” or “impression.” In addition, their opinions and surmises about the direction we are all headed to were quite enriching, yet there are only so many zrinks in an online festival...

Dina Pokrajac, Croatia

What primarily attracted me to film is what Barthes calls “mythologizing of the myth” – the possibility of re-using images that are known to us as part of dominant mythologies in order to speak about ourselves, our lives, and the world we live in from our own perspective.

film review of EXILE / EXIL (2020), dir. Visar Morina - Competition Features

Elena-Diana Smeu, Romania

How liberating is to write about what you love after days of self-isolation sentenced me to a slightly different way of being: one that permitted me to watch dozens of films, but didn’t allow me to share my emotions and thoughts with other people.

film review of THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION (2019), dir. Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese – Kinoscope

Savina Petkova, Bulgaria

Propelled by my Philosophy degree, I started reading film theory and being enchanted by the intertwined nature of reality and fiction, forever in love with cinema as the only tool of representation of memory.

film review of ALL THE PRETTY LITTLE HORSES / OLA TA MIKRA OMORFA ALOGA (2020), dir. Michalis Konstantatos - Competition Features

Tamara Tica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

To me, the true challenge is to be fair in respecting the hard work put into making films, and offering fair, nuanced, and thoughtful reflections.

film review of MARE (2020), dir. Andrea Štaka – Competition Features

Veronika Zakonjšek, Slovenia

There is something healing about films, in how they give us insight into worlds unknown; into perspectives different to our own that send us on a journey of introspection and self-reflection.

film review of HOLD ME RIGHT (2020), dir. Danijela Stajnfeld – Documentary Competition

[festivalists]

[festivalists]

Innocence Un/Protected

Innocence Un/Protected – quite a motto for the 13th Talents Sarajevo! Yet during the seven years of our partnership with the Talent Press initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we can assure you that passion, vigor, and inspiration have stayed intact ♥

In line with the commemorative 25th edition of Sarajevo Film Festival, this year's schedule was packed with masterclasses and noteworthy events featuring high-profile guests. We, too, had two special appearances – the prominent Romanian translator / critic / programmer / CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM's star Irina Nistor for THE VOICE, THE FILM CRITIC, THE LEGEND and fellow Festivalists contributor / Jugend ohne Film founder / writer / filmmaker / curator Patrick Holzapfel for NOBODY JUST WRITES (ABOUT CINEMA).

And indeed, as you may recall from last year, nobody at Sarajevo Talent Press just writes about cinema. This time Dana Linssen offered an experimental talk or mind walk titled INNOCENCE RE/PROTECTED, in which she touched upon the poetics and politics of images 2.0, also based on her experience as IFFR Critics' Choice co-conspirator. As for our editor Yoana Pavlova – inspired by Dušan Makavejev's 1968 classic, she proposed the (RE)COLLECTION BY OTHER MEANS challenge, the results of which you can see below.

But the SFF film reviews are here as well! Written by five talented youngsters from Southeast Europe and the Southern Caucasus, these texts offer a rich and nuanced insight into the cinema from the region, as well as (hopefully) a glimpse into our critical discussions in Sarajevo that we already miss dearly...

Alexander Gabelia, Georgia

Exchange of opinions and experience as well as critical analysis of different themes – that’s what I’m interested in.

SPIT (2019) dir. Neven Samardžić & Carolina Markowicz – SEE FACTORY → ROUNDS / V KRUG (2019) dir. Stephan Komandarev – Competition Features →

Călin Boto, Romania

As a freelance film critic, I follow the festival circuit closely and do try to understand as much as possible of the apparatus that’s behind it, especially in terms of curating.

THE RIGHT ONE (2019) dir. Urška Djukić & Gabriel Tzafka – SEE FACTORY → DAD (2019) dir. Vladimir Bilenjki – BH Film →

Jovana Gjorgjiovska, North Macedonia

The past year I have been completely devoted to developing Gledaj.mkc.mk and some of the milestones include securing institutional support, publishing our work in major print publications in North Macedonia and getting elected as a jury member for the Best Film Critic contest at the European Film Festival Cinedays 2018.

IN YOUR HANDS (2019) dir. Maša Šarović & Sharon Angelhart – SEE FACTORY → ROUNDS / V KRUG (2019) dir. Stephan Komandarev – Competition Features →

Milica Joksimović, Serbia

I have realized that film criticism has an essential role in the evolution of film as art and I like to think that in my articles I have raised some valid points and also inspired some of the people reading them to give them some thought.

THE SIGN (2019) dir. Eleonora Veninova & Yona Rozenkier – SEE FACTORY → TAKE ME SOMEWHERE NICE (2019) dir. Ena Sendijarević – Competition Features →

Sezen Sayinalp, Turkey

My pieces are generally about characters’ conditions in the society and society’s changes. This is also about past and future relationships, because I try to show that meaning of representation within social structures.

THE PACKAGE (2019) dir. Dušan Kasalica & Teodora Ana Mihai – SEE FACTORY → THE SON / SIN (2019) dir. Ines Tanović – Competition Features →

[festivalists]

The Freedom of Chaos

As we mark the 6th anniversary of Sarajevo Talent Press and our collaboration with the project, we also celebrate this year's topic: The Freedom of Chaos. Living up to Nicholas Davies' intro to the programme, knowledge was questioned, models were retooled, uncharted territories were explored, and a new narrative was created.

Apart from focusing on films reviews and radio interviews for Fred Film Radio, for the first time in 2018, STP participants had a chance to sit down with young filmmakers and create a collaborative photogram as part of the Shared Futures workshop. Led by the usual suspects Dana Linssen (co-programmer of IFFR Critics' Choice) and Yoana Pavlova (the initiator behind Festivalists' active approach to experimenting with various AV methods since the beginning of this year), the group came up with an intuitive and truly original solutions to the task, and within less than 30 minutes!

Please applaud the STP2018 entrants and make sure you keep an eye on their (multiple) talents!

Barbara Majsa, Hungary

I believe that using films to unfold history and/or promote values such as diversity, egalitarianism, human rights, democracy, etc., is a great way to provide a better understanding of the world. For this reason, I tend to write about films that deal with social, societal, economic, or political issues and/or human rights.

COLD WAR (co-created with Berrak Çolak)

CHRIS THE SWISS (2018) dir. Anja Kofmel - Kinoscope →

WHITE BONE DEATH / SMRT BIJELA KOST (2018) dir. Filip Mojzeš - Competition Shorts →

Jovan Marković, Serbia

I applied to Talents Sarajevo to advance my writing skill, to find appropriate balance between journalistic and academic style. I am interested in in-depth analysis of film, trying to understand the movie, to reveal its hidden meanings, not necessary to judge and evaluate it.

EVERYBODY KNOWS (co-created with Svetislav Dragomirović)

THE WILD PEAR TREE / AHLAT AĞACI (2018) dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan - In Focus →

BREATH / DAH (2018) dir. Ermin Bravo - Competition Shorts →

Mirela Vasileva, Bulgaria

My love for film started with a small art cinema in Sofia, where I first met Pedro Almodovar. Once or twice a week after school I was going there to watch his and many other European films and slowly my plan to study Law gave place to applying for the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts.

EVERYBODY KNOWS (co-created with Hani Domazet and Yana Lekarska)

EVERYBODY KNOWS / TODOS LO SABEN (2018) dir. Asghar Farhadi - Open Air →

UNTRAVEL / NEPUTOVANJA (2018) dir. Ana Nedeljković & Nikola Majdak Jr. - Competition Shorts →

Nadina Štefančič, Slovenia

Life listens to art when it is in contact with it. But for that art must be connected to the audiences, must find a way to talk to them. Writers can do that, can make films make sense, connect the stories with people who need to hear these stories, give the words to the images, find the meaning and importance behind the story, explain a way in which a film gathers experience and beauty or tells what people do not want to hear.

EVERYBODY KNOWS (co-created with Anja Kavić and Dritero Mehmetaj)

TOUCH ME NOT (2018) dir. Adina Pintilie - In Focus →

MORSKI BRIZ (2018) dir. Cecilia Ștefănescu - Competition Shorts →

Victor Morozov, Romania

Talents Sarajevo is such an opportunity – the opportunity to open up to the world and, simply put, to recalibrate. As a film critic, dialogue is mandatory; without it, you cannot evolve.

COLD WAR (co-created with Hanis Bagashov)

GIRL (2018) dir. Lukas Dhont - Kinoscope →

THE FOREST / TO DASOS (2018) dir. Lia Tsalta - Competition Shorts →

[festivalists]

Other images pour out and mix, in a museum that is perhaps his own memory. Time rolls back again, the moment returns. But you have to say something. where is it now, who is it now? (NO ANSWER)

[festivalists]

Close-up

For the 5th anniversary of the Talent Press project in Sarajevo, we will go into full cinematic mode with this year's topic: Close-up – Facing Realities.

As the 11th edition of Talents Sarajevo is about to welcome participants from Southeast Europe and the Southern Caucasus, as well as internationally acclaimed experts, we get ready for a quest – to study the face of film, and the face on film. Yet, do we need a new apparatus to approach the audiovisual terrain, are words merely sufficient?

Throughout our journey we will follow six brave adventurers who will push the boundaries of critical reflection, mentored once again by Yoana Pavlova and Dana Linssen. Zoom on the visages of Sarajevo Talent Press – 2017:

Arman Fatić, Bosnia and Herzegovina

In my writings, I try to analyze the ideas and motivations behind the film, find and highlight the role models that inspired directors to make a particular film, and to encourage wider masses to watch movies that are not high-budget Hollywood productions.

INTO THE BLUE / U PLAVETNILO (2017) dir. Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović - Competition Shorts → GRAIN / BUĞDAY (2017) dir. Semih Kaplanoğlu - Competition Features →

Aslı Ildır, Turkey

Even though the film criticism as a field is overlooked and underappreciated in Turkey both financially and intellectually, I believe that there is a film culture rich enough to go on writing for. Also under the increasing authoritarianism and repression on the field of culture and writing in general, writing on films “politically” is vital in my opinion.

OUTSKIRTS / HİNTERLANT (2017) dir. Sinan Kesova - Competition Shorts → HOSTAGES / MDZEVLEBI (2017) dir. Rezo Gigineishvili - Competition Features →

Flavia Dima, Romania

Participating in Sarajevo’s Talent Press program would enable me to come into contact with one of Europe’s largest and most important film festivals, to further improve my writing skills and to get the chance of seeing the festival’s fine selection of movies, while getting to know film professionals from across the continent.

INTO THE BLUE / U PLAVETNILO (2017) dir. Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović - Competition Shorts → DIRECTIONS / POSOKI (2017) dir. Stephan Komandarev - Competition Features →

Lana Mihailović, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Writing about film was for me always a good way to practice my eye, which meant paying attention to small details that in normal viewing are often unnoticed.

THE PERFECT ORDER / SRULKOPILI SHEKVETA (2017) dir. Anna Sarukhanova & Katalina Bakradze - Competition Shorts → HOSTAGES / MDZEVLEBI (2017) dir. Rezo Gigineishvili - Competition Features →

Mina Stanikić, Serbia

Taking the examples of Bulgakov or Chekhov, with no intention of comparing myself to them, I consider it no precedent that beside medicine I deal with certain amount of art. Precisely this – observing the art world, and film as part of it, from the outside of that world – is what distinguishes my writings.

PLAN A (2016) dir. Tomislav Luetić - Competition Shorts → HAPPY END (2017) dir. Michael Haneke - Kinoscope →

Mónika Bajnóczi, Hungary

Sharing my thoughts and the values of movies were always my primary motives.

THE PERFECT ORDER / SRULKOPILI SHEKVETA (2017) dir. Anna Sarukhanova & Katalina Bakradze - Competition Shorts → DIRECTIONS / POSOKI (2017) dir. Stephan Komandarev - Competition Features →

[festivalists]

Postcard from Turnhout

Photo: Pamela Biénzobas / Text: Dana Linssen

"To celebrate the 5th anniversary of Filmkrant's Slow Criticism Project, the Belgian film festival MOOOV in Turnhout invited five international critics and cinephile border-crossers (Pamela Biénzobas, Müge Turan, Gabe Klinger, Hassouna Mansouri and Sam Roggen) for a Slow Criticism Retreat. They are currently working on a text about distance and proximity and concepts of otherness in relation to film criticism. The result will be published after the end of the festival in Filmkrant (editor Dana Linssen) and FIPRESCI's Undercurrent (guest editor Aily Nash)."