29/03/2012 03:33

Increased interest in Up to 10,000 bucks selection

Interview: Dina Vuković

In an interview with Dina Vuković, programme coordinator for Up to 10,000 bucks-Young Talent’s Competition, we found that this year there is an increased interest in this attractive competition selection. The call for entries is open from March 15 to April 5. Those interested who need to find additional information or download the application can do so here.


How many films applied in the first week after the call for entries for Up to 10,000 bucks – Young Talent’s Competition had been published? Has the interest increased when compared to last year?

This year I am very satisfied with the response to our call. Last year we had 20 applications within the first week, and this year we have 50. Every year, the number of applications, and therefore the interest in this selection, increases. The number of countries from where we received applications is also on the rise, and this year we have applicants from Africa and Far East. I sincerely hope we will get good films from these distant lands and that Ležaić will choose to include them in this selection. 

How do you explain the growing interest and popularity of this selection?

I believe the biggest role in the popularity of this selection is resting on the authors themselves, who bring positive impressions after they leave our festival. They talk about it to their colleagues, and good word travels fast.  Also, we started receiving increased coverage from relevant media from the world of film.

Out of the four previous editions of Up to 10,000 bucks selection, could you single out several of your most important experiences when working and communicating with the talented participants of this selection?

My best experiences are the moments at the beginning of the Festival, when the authors start coming in. Especially important are discussions with the audience after the screening, which I lead, because at that moment we all discuss cinematography issues, possibilities and problems young people encounter when trying to shoot a film. The exchange of experiences between directors, who come from countries of different levels of development, is very important, not only due to the artistic expression, but also due to production problems that they experience, and every example of good practice can be of help to someone.

I still keep in touch with many authors, professionally or privately, which is the most cherished thing for me. What I would like the most is to see a film in one of the future editions of the Festival, which would be a joint project of the authors who met each other at the Cinema City Festival.

And finally, what would be the main reason you would recommend film authors to apply for this selection?

First and foremost, the possibility to see new films and meet authors from all over the world. It is what I’ve been talking about – exchange of experiences, contacts, and following trends in contemporary film expression. Another reason why authors should apply is because our festival offers other interesting programmes, lectures and workshops. There is also something to this programme that could be called good luck, because all the authors who were awarded at our Festival were soon noted at big international festivals, and many doors were opened to them. And lastly, because everyone knows it, Cinema City makes for one memorable experience.