The breakdown of the system of values in post-transition countries of Eastern and Central Europe, the problems of refugees and migrations under the new circumstances of “extended Europe” make the framework of his current cycle that started in 2000 with “Fortress Europe”. The latest film from this cycle is “Pirika on Film”, which premiered in April this year at the 60th Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival, where Žilnik received the Life Achievement Award.
In addition to his work in film production, as of 1997 Žilnik has also been teaching – he is a mentor and executive producer of a number of international film workshops, and as of 2006 he has been engaged as a visiting lecturer at several international film schools. As part of this year’s academic programme of the Festival, Želimir Žilnik will hold a three-day workshop “Cinema Youth Plus” for young film authors, attendants of the CINEMA CITY Campus. The workshop will address the circumstances and decades of working on low-budget films.
Respect to… Želimir Žilnik will screen the total of 18 choice films, representing all of the above mentioned phases of his work:
"The Illness and Recovery of Buda Brakus", "Brooklyn - Gusinje", "Black Film", "Kenedi Goes Back Home", "Kenedi is Getting Married", "Wanderlust", "June Turmoil", "Marble Ass", "The Unemployed", "Little Pioneers", "Early Works", "Oldtimer", "The Old School of Capitalism", "Tito Among the Serbs for the Second Time", "Fortress Europe", "Uprising in Jazak", "Hot Paychecks", and "A Newsreel on Village Youth, in Winter".
The entire programme of the festival, including locations and screening schedule can be found at the following link.