The 28th edition of the Festival of Slovenian Film, which ran between 21 and 26 October in the coastal town of Portorož, came to a close with an awards ceremony held this Sunday in the town’s Auditorium. This particular edition offered detailed insight into the quality of this year’s film production, and dominating trends and topics. The festival’s industry sidebar hosted the unveiling of the European Film Academy memorial plaque on First of May Square in the neighbouring town of Piran, which was listed as one of the eleven new European Film Culture treasures earlier this year by the EFA, as well as a conversation with EFA director Matthijs Wouter Knol, conducted by Slovenian producer and EFA member Danijel Hočevar, and a talk on how to include series in existing financing schemes, alongside various other events.

In terms of the movies themselves, a jury consisting of Croatian director Juraj Lerotić, Slovenian film scholar Natalija Majsova and Slovenian critic Andrej Gustinčič decided Urška Djukić’s Little Trouble Girls [+lee también:
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ficha de la película]. Julij Zornik was also recognised for sound design, while Djukić’s work was crowned Best Film by the jury of FIPRESCI’s Slovenian section.

Kukla’s Fantasy [+lee también:
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Petra Seliškar’s documentary The Mountain Won’t Move [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] scooped two Vesna awards, for Best Director and Best Editing (won by Laureline Delom and Sashko Potter Micevski respectively) - though, surprisingly, not Best Documentary, which went to Urban Zorko’s short animated film Man With Straw Hat – as well as a trophy from the Art Cinema Network of Slovenia. The Czech-Slovak-Slovenian-French parity co-production Tales from the Magic Garden [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] was crowned Best Animated Film and also bagged Best Screenplay thanks to a group of writers from all four of the film’s co-production countries who drew inspiration from stories by Arnošt Goldflam. The long list of Vesna award winners was rounded off by Igor Bezinović’s Fiume o morte! [+lee también:
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ficha de la película], which nabbed the award for Best Minority Co-Production, while Gregor Božič triumphed in cinematography.

The full list of awards:

Vesna Awards

Best Feature Film
Little Trouble Girls [+lee también:
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Best Director
Petra Seliškar – The Mountain Won’t Move [+lee también:
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Best Screenplay
Petr Krajíček, Marek Král, Patrik Pašš, Jerneja Kaja Balog, Maja Križnik, Blandine Jet – Tales From the Magic Garden [+lee también:
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Best Actress
Jara Sofija Ostan – Little Trouble Girls

Best Actor
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson – Hidden People [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Slovenia/Iceland/Serbia)

Best Supporting Actress
Mina Švajger – Little Trouble Girls

Best Supporting Actor
Saša Tabaković – Little Trouble Girls

Best Cinematography
Gregor Božič – Fiume o morte! [+lee también:
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Best Original Music
Relja Ćupić – Fantasy [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Slovenia/North Macedonia)

Best Editing
Laureline Delom, Sashko Potter Micevski – The Mountain Won’t Move

Best Production Design
Maja Šavc – Fantasy

Best Costume Design
Damir Raković – Fantasy

Best Make-up
Tinka Prpar – Fantasy

Best Sound Design
Julij Zornik – Little Trouble Girls

Best Minority Co-Production
Fiume o Morte! - Igor Bezinović

Special Achievement Award
Fantasy – Kukla

Best Documentary
Man With Straw Hat – Urban Zorko (Slovenia) (short film)

Best Animated Film
Tales from the Magic Garden – David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar, Jean-Claude Rozec

Best Short Film
DEATH 101 – An Introduction for Beginners: A Handbook with Regulations, Norms, and Useful Tips. Third, Revised Edition – Martin Horvat (Slovenia/Italy)

Best Student Film
Arachnophobia – Melita Sandrin (Slovenia) (short film)

Best Experimental Film
N/A

Special Achievement
OHO Film – Damjan Kozole (Slovenia/Croatia)

Audience Award
When I Get Out – Metod Pevec (Slovenia)

Other Awards

Art Cinema Network of Slovenia Award
The Mountain Won’t Move – Petra Seliškar

FIPRESCI Award
Little Trouble Girls – Urška Djukić