short documentary / video essay (2014)
duration: 36 min
director, producer, editor: Bojana S. Knežević
writer and leading actress (protagonist): Maja Atanasijević
cinematographer: Aleksandar Ramadanović
sound design: Predrag Šestić
The film follows a famous model and stylist Maja Atanasijević in her lonely, but intense struggle to bring back forgotten values of a city. Maja belongs to Belgrade generation that was maturing in nineties and pressed by hardship and despair, often tended to leave the country or broke into lethargy. At a time when there were few who were ready to fight, those who indulged in this fight often paid heavy price. Such "cleansed" old Belgrade, has become an open field for the transformation, where only the most aggressive (individuals) could succeed, building a completely new system of values, which imposed nationalism, traditionalism and darkness in every way, and it brought war and misery. New situation was in total contrast to the cultural and moral values of European metropolis Belgrade has grown. Twenty years later, the situation in society inevitably reminds of the "old days" - recycling the "old values", the public and political life dominantly marks lack of morals, kitsch and trash have become cultural offer, genuine cultural institutions are dying and educated young people without hesitation again leave the country. It became clear that the fall of Milošević did not bring long-term change and that this "deja vu" is not an accident.
duration: 36 min
director, producer, editor: Bojana S. Knežević
writer and leading actress (protagonist): Maja Atanasijević
cinematographer: Aleksandar Ramadanović
sound design: Predrag Šestić
The film follows a famous model and stylist Maja Atanasijević in her lonely, but intense struggle to bring back forgotten values of a city. Maja belongs to Belgrade generation that was maturing in nineties and pressed by hardship and despair, often tended to leave the country or broke into lethargy. At a time when there were few who were ready to fight, those who indulged in this fight often paid heavy price. Such "cleansed" old Belgrade, has become an open field for the transformation, where only the most aggressive (individuals) could succeed, building a completely new system of values, which imposed nationalism, traditionalism and darkness in every way, and it brought war and misery. New situation was in total contrast to the cultural and moral values of European metropolis Belgrade has grown. Twenty years later, the situation in society inevitably reminds of the "old days" - recycling the "old values", the public and political life dominantly marks lack of morals, kitsch and trash have become cultural offer, genuine cultural institutions are dying and educated young people without hesitation again leave the country. It became clear that the fall of Milošević did not bring long-term change and that this "deja vu" is not an accident.
