In the Balkan regions – Bulgaria, Romania, the Ex-Yugoslavian countries and Albania – we can see the rise of a young generation of artists: energetic, playful, angry and rebellious. This year’s edition wants to demonstrate the variety and quality of this new artistic explosion. This is why the fourth Balkan Snapshots Film Festival will take place under the theme: A Creative Spectacle. Balkan Snapshots 2009 thus will be a circus of creative assertiveness, displaying an enormous diversity of images, sounds and visions.
We’re especially proud of our film programme, which features an enormous variety of genres. From Film Noir (Zift) to Horror (Zone of the Dead), from Comedy (Here and There) to utter extreme provocation (Life and Death of a Porn Gang). Then we’ve got war related shorts, music related documentaries, and don’t forget Saturday’s Shorts Marathon, a feast of short low budget films from independent filmmakers all over the Balkans.
Besides the film programme Balkan Snapshots generates an outburst of activities: Balkan Snapshots is a podium this year to lots of provocative performances from young Balkan artists, lectures and a debate with insightful guests, such as David Jan Godfroid and Taja Vovk. Platform Spartak organised a creative meeting with comic drawer Sasha Zograf. Must sees: m.Eta Music Preachers with artist/violinist Manja Ristic and the Cine//Sonic film concert with Kingalita!
We have lots and lots of live music from classic to klezmer. We’re especially proud of the concert famous Macedonian jazzplayer Georgi Sareski and Dzijan Emin. We exhibit beautiful photographs, video art, graffiti, and even the bringers of a food revolution: the Ajvar state of mind! All will happen inside the Kriterion venue that for the occasion is turned into an extravert Balkan circus by the young Belgrade decorative artist Magdalena Klashnja.
To celebrate all global crises, the entry prices this year are highly reduced. Buy 10 “Snapshots Marks” at the BSFF stand for only 12 Euros and you’ll watch 3 movies and even drink a Rakia! Dead cheap. We think culture shouldn’t cost too much.
Everything our festival offers has been created by artists from the Balkans and the -this year actively included- Dutch Balkan Diaspora. Our purpose is to show you the variety and unique quality of Balkan culture. The result: a three-day fantastic creative spectacle, from a part of Europe which will not be unheard of.
