David Champaigne

Given the extremely rich selection of student films this year, we are not worried about the future of Slovenian cinema. It was difficult to choose, and it would be unfair to award the prize to just one film in so many different genres: fiction, documentary, experimental and animation. That is why we decided to cut this year’s Vesna into six parts, as we believe there are six films that deserve it equally. Due to the festival rules, this was not possible: the Vesna can only be awarded to one film. So, in accordance with the rules, we are awarding six special mentions, but we still consider them symbolically as the Vesna Award, while taking this opportunity to call again for a recast of the rules. But if you ask us, each of the winners should be allowed to keep the Vesna with them for two months of the year.

Each of the highlighted films stands out for certain creative aspects, and it is these that need to be recognised. Anja Resman’s animation Beyond the Face is an intricate work that reflects the artist’s creative maturity. Karin Likar’s (Un)Lucky Day is a playful, witty, imaginative and visually fresh animation. Nel Jeraj Sedej’s The Window is a brave social critique within a film experiment. Špela Koščak’s Interface can be experienced as a deft homage to avant-garde cinema through the sonic imprint of our times. Iza Mlakar has managed to weave an emotionally compelling film with her subtle direction of the actors in Threads. David Champaigne’s After is a genre-defining minimalist film distinguished by a well-executed dramaturgical arc.