A critically important realm of avant-garde cinema has been largely neglected in North America over the years: the wave of films that emerged in the countries of ex-Yugoslavia. While a handful of filmmakers have penetrated the consciousness of scholars and cineastes – Dušan Makavejev above all, though Karpo Godina and Želimir Žilnik have begun to make ripples as well – these artists are merely the tip of the iceberg, representing an experimental film movement of extraordinary richness, inventiveness, and uncompromising political engagement.
To begin to redress the invisibility of these films here in North America, as well as to call attention to some of the important institutions and organizations that are heroically working (in the face of daunting obstacles) to preserve the avant-garde cinema of ex-Yugoslavia, the Slovenian Cinematheque, the Croatian Film Association, and the Academic Film Center, Belgrade, were invited to curate programs showcasing films from their collections. Though even these four programs represent only the most selective of surveys of the Slovenian, Croatian, and Serbian avant-garde movements, the films included here are guaranteed to transform your conception of 20th-century experimental cinema.
Very special thanks to Jurij Meden (Slovenian Cinematheque & George Eastman House), Diana Nenadic (Croatian Film Association), and Miodrag Miša Miloševic (Academic Film Center, Student City Cultural Center, Belgrade).
Presentation text (in French)
- La République socialiste de Slovénie présente : Expérimentaux en 8 mm par Karpo Godina et Davorin Marc - April 22nd 2015
- La République socialiste de Croatie présente : L'avant-garde croate des années 1960 - April 23rd 2015
- Le mouvement du film expérimental en Serbie : Années de formation - April 24th 2015
- Le mouvement du film expérimental en Serbie : Années structurantes - April 26th 2015
- La République socialiste de Slovénie présente : Expérimentaux en 8 mm par Karpo Godina et Davorin Marc - May 7th 2015
- La République socialiste de Croatie présente : L'avant-garde croate des années 1960 - May 7th 2015
- Le mouvement du film expérimental en Serbie : Années de formation - May 9th 2015
- Le mouvement du film expérimental en Serbie : Années structurantes - May 10th 2015