Doc Тalks under the fig tree

The day is slowly going away and if the mind becomes silent for a moment, and takes the body along, you may hear the words of the song which the muezzin sings in a language indecipherable for many of us. But what does it say, really? To slow down, to let go, to lighten up our heavy steps while walking down the cobblestone alleys in the Old Turkish Bazaar in Skopje, rushing toward the An in order to escape the scorching August heatwave. Suddenly, a relief! Behind the massive stone walls a cool breeze embraces us, our thoughts become clear, water is flowing in the center… All is well. We hear the sound of children’s laughter and a distant echo of dogs barking. It’s just a few minutes before 6 p.m, so that means that it’s too early for screenings for it’s still daylight. However, it’s time to talk, to listen, and then talk and listen a bit more…

We are sitting in a circle. For a moment we become silent, all of us are here and we may begin. А summer scent is gently spreading in the air- black Turkish tea, wild figs, and watermelon. The tiny metal spoon is making a swirl, melting away the sugar cube. Ching, ching, the spoon goes, announcing the beginning of our discussion. We are talking about characters who live lonesome lives in the middle of mountains, ice deserts, and oceans, then for some others who found luck midst unfortunate, next we turn toward the new forms of communication and technology, then we are listening about the craziness of going shooting when everyone tells you that you shouldn’t, then someone shares their aches and pains about the time when realizing that their entire recorded material had simply vanished, then we hear about the joy to see that all the nonsense finally made sense when revealed on the film screen…

Dear dreamers, this year we will, once again, in person, talk under the shadow of our fig tree.

Location: Kurshumli An

Date: 18.08-24.08.2023

Time: 18:00 – 20:00

Date and topics of discussion:

18.08 – Editors’ choices – decisions of editors vs. directors

Tue Steen Müller (Editing workshop – LOOKING FOR LAYERS)
Jesper Osmund (Editing workshop – LOOKING FOR LAYERS)
Jelena Maksimovic (Onion Award Jury)
Gorana Jovanovic (BALLS)
Viera Čákanyová (NOTES FROM EREMOCENE)

19.08 – Finding film in the material

Rodolfo Castillo-Morales (Onion Award Jury)
Andreas Johnsen (Moral Approach Award Jury)
Rimantas Oičenka (THE TRIP)
Daniel Asadi Faezi & Mila Zhluktenko (WAKING UP IN SILENCE)
Niko Väistö (POLAR LIGHT NIGHT), Christian Einshøj (THE MOUNTAINS)

20.08 – Finding the film language for your film

Daniel Kötter (LANDSHAFT)
Mila Turajlić (SCENES FROM THE LABUDOVIC REELS)
Vlad Petri (BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS)
Rok Bicek (Young Onion Award Jury)
Dragan Von Petrovic (Sliced Onion Award Jury)

23.08 – The quality of being patient

Peter Hammer (REVIR: EVERYTHING YOU HOLD DEAR)
Barbara Orlicz-Szczypuła (Sliced Onion Award Jury)
Natalia Libet (Onion Award Jury)
Lauren Clarke (Young Onion Award Jury)
Anabela Angelovska (RETREAT)

24.08 – Strength to finish the film

Marko Grba Singh (Onion Seed Award)
Vladimir Gojun (Young Onion Award)
Mariam Chachia & Nikolas Voigt (MAGIC MOUNTAIN)