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From Magazine ‘Most / The Bridge’
Short films are frequently called poetry, while long ones prose. The poet STANKA GJURIC confirmed the truthfulness of that statement, finding a new tipe of presenting her own poetry – recording it on film.
PLENTY OF AWARDS FOR STANKA GJURIĆ
A Distinguished Poet Successfully Tried Her
Hand at Film as an Author
Her beginnings on film were marked by her participation at the FESTIVAL OF WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND THE BLACK SEA in September 2006. Her essays shown there were video essays. A month later – having come across the competition of FESTIVAL PRVIH (FESTIVAL OF THE FIRST ONES) where artist try their hand at a medium different from the one they are primarily active in – her first short film entitled “Ubojite misli” (“Battle Thoughts”) – (this time the topic was “Mines”) – after having been selected – was shown at the gallery “Nova” together with the works of other authors. As it seems, that success was decisive for the continuation of Stanka’s film career.
Having adapted her love of poetry for the screen and having it put on the Internet, she attracted a lot of interest from younger populations which – as it emerged – prefers to watch, or, listen to poetry, since in her short films she whispers, and it is, naturally, accompanied by a film of a suitable poetic content.
In March 2007 she continued her international career in Paris, participating in UNESCO’s competition entitled “DigiArtsAward” with her audio-visual work dedicated to Zagreb. The main topic was a global dialogue through art as a vital power of positive changes in society and the way in which we react to our surroundings, directly and globally. Works were sent by authors from even some fifty countries: Japan, China, Germany, France, Great Britain, Israel, Palestine, Syria and Switzerland and many others.
So far, Stanka Gjurić’s films have been shown at numerous international film festivals. In 2007 she even von five awards (five since December 2006).
Already, with her film done in one shot (done entirely spontaneously with her digital camera, at first not intending to show it anywhere) she won a special award of the panel of judges (Special Jury award) at an International Festival of small and independent film productions FILMSKI FRONT (The FILM FRONT) in Novi Sad in December 2006.
One journalist asked: “Regarding the variety of works, ranging from amateur to professional ones, did you – as a member of the panel of judges – have any problems with their evaluation?”, and judge panelist MILUTIN PETROVIC answered:
“My attitude towards film is such that I do not have problems of that sort. In my view, for example, ANDY WARHOL and HOWARD HAWKS share a very similar level. Here at the festival none of the three award-winning authors is a
professionals. They all made films that are incomparably better than any film I
have seen in the alst several years. That means that inspiration is like a ghost
that arrived from somewhere, not discriminating between those with a degree and
those without one”.
In July 2007 the same film won the first award for debuts
at the international film festival ELEKTRIČNE PODGANE SANJAJO VIDEO SANJE
(ELECTRIC RATS DREAM VIDEO DREAMS) in Celje (Slovenia). At the award
presentation ceremony, the chair of the panel MARK POŽLEP said: “I simultaneously laughed and cried while watching “Spavanje i sanjanje” (“Sleeping and dreaming”), whereas one of the organizers of the festival PETER ZUPANC said: “Every time I feel down I’ll just watch Stanka’s film and I’ll feel better immediately”.
The film “Ubojite misli” was also at the 54th CANNES FILM FESTIVAL in the section entitled “Short Film Corner”. Owing to the then presentation, the organizers of the international film festival in Torino – since they exceptionally liked the film – invited Stanka Gjurić to participate in their reputable festival at the and of 2007 as a guest author out of
competition.
At the international ALUCINE TORONTO, film festival, her film “Ubojite misli” won THE HONOURABLE MENTION AWARD even though ten artists from Croatia participated, most of whom are distinguished film makers. In the exposition, ANDRES LAROTA (one of the members of the panel) described the film “Ubojite misli” as poetic, deeply emotional and moving.
Despite the strong
competition, Stanka Gjurić also participated with two short films in additional
programe of the PULA FILM FESTIVAL this year.
Stanka Gjurić’s successful film making – it is safe to say – is the result of her indisputable talent, particularly because she is the sole author of her films: she is the director, the camera man, writes screenplay and even installs them, fits them and assembles them. And, as if it were not enough, in her award-winning film “Ubojite misli” she even sings the folk song from the Croatian region of Međimurje “Vehni, vehni fijolica” (“You Are Wilting, You Are Wilting, My Violet”).
In July 2007, at the 5th international FESTIVAL KRATKOG FILMA MOSTAR (THE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL MOSTAR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, she again won one of numerous awards. In the category of independent film makers (there was only two categories), it was her film “Ubojite misli” that again won another award – the first award. The member of the international panel VALENTINA MINDOLJEVIC commented: “The decision was unanimous, i.e. the members of the
panel decided that Stanka Gjurić’s film significantly differs from the rest in its originality. Everything else has already been seen”. Gjurić was recently narrowly selected in the famous online competition FILMAKA in Los Angeles, which earned her the right to present her new fil on the same subject (“Prophecy”). This will be decided on by the famous Hollywood actors and directors WERNER HERZOG, PAUL SCHRADER, WIM WENDERS, BILL PULLMAN,COLIN FIRTH et al.
Her success is almost incredible, given the fact that she has been creating films
only since October 2006.
It is important to mention that both professionals as well as amateurs equally participate in all the aforementioned festivals. The only exception is the amateur online competition at the Pula Film Festival.
Still, poetry has remained Stanka’s basic preoccupation and
love.