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CANNES 2015 Special Screenings / Serbia

Pavle Vučković travels to Cannes via Panama

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- Young Serbian director's first feature film will be shown as a Special Screening at Cannes

Pavle Vučković travels to Cannes via Panama
Panama by Pavle Vučković

Serbian director Pavle Vučković's first feature film, Panama [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, will be in impressive company at Cannes: in the Special Screenings section, it will be shown side by side with debut films by Natalie Portman and Elad Keidan, a new film by Samuel Benchetrit, and those by veterans Barbet Schroeder, Robert Guédiguian and Souleymane Cissé.

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But this is not Vučković's first time at Cannes: in 2003, his short Run Rabbit Run won the first prize in the Cinéfondation programme, and in 2007, with Minus, he took home the third prize. 

With the tagline “Love tainted by pornography and social media”, Panama is the story of a young man named Jovan, who is, among others girls, seeing Maja, a seemingly ordinary young woman. He treats her casually – no strings attached.

But his first impression of Maja shifts when he starts to discover home video clips posted on her Facebook page. In them, he finds hidden clues hinting at Maja's deception and infidelity.

While confused about why he feels bothered by it, Jovan becomes insecure about Maja’s feelings, hurting her in order to bring her true emotions to the surface. His jealousy and possessive impulses disappear only when they are united in passionate sex. 

As the video clips gradually merge with reality, Jovan loses himself, desperately trying to understand who Maja really is.

Panama is a love story about an emerging issue in the younger generation. Hiding emotions, running away from intimacy and honesty, and general alienation are the central themes of this intimate love drama,” says Vučković in his director's statement.

The lead actors are first-timers: Jovan is played by Slaven Došlo, and Maja by Jovana Stojiljković, while the supporting cast includes Nebojša Milovanović and Jelisaveta Orašanin (both from How I Was Stolen by the Germans), Tamara Dragičević (Montevideo), Aleksandar Djurica (Redemption Street [+see also:
trailer
interview: Miroslav Terzić
film profile
]
) and Branka Pujić (The Brothers Bloom).

The script was co-written by Vučković and another debutant, Jelena Vuksanović. This is also the first feature film for editor Bojan Kosović, and the second for DoP Đorđe Arambašić, who previously lensed The Disobedient [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
.

Produced by Belgrade-based Collapse Films, and supported by the Serbian Ministry of CultureFilm Centre Serbia and SEE Cinema NetworkPanama is handled internationally by WIDE

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