In its official statement, the i-Fest international jury highlighted the following:

“An actor who has left a profound mark on European cinema, capable of turning every role into a passage toward the complexity of the human soul and its contradictions. Lazar Ristovski, an actor, director, and producer of international renown-has moved through genres, eras, and cinematic languages with rare acting power, bringing to life characters that remain memorable not only for their stage presence but also for the emotional and moral depth they embody. From the major successes that brought him international recognition-above all Emir Kusturica’s “Underground”- to auteur films, theatre, and his own directorial work, Ristovski has forged a path in which the art of acting becomes a radical exploration of identity, history, and the wounds of the contemporary age. His work is a continual reflection on the power of gesture, voice, and gaze: on cinema’s ability to be both mirror and memory, a collective ritual and a personal confession. In every role, Ristovski carries with him an understanding of acting that unites instinct and discipline, experience and risk, tradition and reinvention. His stage presence-magnetic, restless, and profoundly human has contributed to redefining the Balkan cinematic imagination, demonstrating how pain, irony, nostalgia, and life vitality can coexist in a singular, powerful narrative vibration. His career bears witness to cinema as a medium of emotion, reflection, and universal dialogue. For these reasons, the i-FEST International Film Festival awards Lazar Ristovski the i-FEST Award 2025″

At the Balkan and Mediterranean Film Festival “Across the Lake”, held from August 7 to 12 in Dojran, actor Lazar Ristovski was presented with the “Meto Jovanovski” Award for outstanding acting achievements in the art of film.

Meto Jovanovski

As festival director and film director Jani Bojadži pointed out, this recognition is being awarded for only the second time and is intended for great actors from the Balkans and the Mediterranean:

“Lazar is a true ambassador of Balkan and Mediterranean cinematography. He has acted in more than seventy films, in all types of roles, and in almost all the languages of this archipelago. The Macedonian audience remembers him for his roles in the films The Necklace and Goodbye, 20th Century!”

Upon receiving the award, Ristovski expressed that he was especially moved by the fact that the recognition bears the name of his colleague:

“I didn’t have the opportunity to share the screen with Meto Jovanovski, but we often met at festivals. This award has special value because it is international, it bears the name of a great actor, and it is being presented for only the second time.”

  Golden Corn for Best Director and a cash prize of €1,500 was awarded to Emir Kapetanović for the film “When Santa Was a Communist” (Bosnia and Herzegovina). In a special video message, Emir expressed that, among all the awards the film has received, this one is especially dear to him as it is the first he has received as a director—and particularly meaningful because it comes from the Ravno Selo Film Festival.

  Golden Corn for Best Film and a cash prize of €1,000 went to the film “Isolation” (Serbia) directed by Marko Backović. The jury stated: “The blend of thematic insight and the ability to communicate a serious topic to a wide audience makes ‘Isolation’ not only the best film of the Ravno Selo Film Festival, but also the sharpest commentary on our time in which reality and spectacle continuously overlap.” The award was presented by Mr. Saša Golubović, Head of Fiction Content Procurement at Telekom Serbia.

  Audience Award for Best Film and a cash prize of €500 was awarded to “A Night with the Rolling Stones” (Cuba) directed by Patricia Ramos. The jury explained: “Set against the backdrop of Havana’s first Rolling Stones concert, the film captures a woman’s transformation while waiting for a life-changing event. Her relationships—with her mother, her son, and herself—reveal that life in Cuban society is surprisingly similar to our own. The rain-soaked streets, coastal walks, and small daily passions mask themes of coming-of-age, death, and loneliness, making this film an unexpected ambassador of a cinema opening its doors to the world with authentic steps.”

  Golden Corn for Best Documentary Film and €500 was awarded to “The Sun Doesn’t Shine On All Sides” (North Macedonia), directed by Gligor Kondovski. “Through a nearly naturalistic authenticity, Kondovski portrays a horseback Elvis wandering through the fields of Gostivar, yearning for a grey but warm homeland, and a Macedonian lament sung in an Australian suburb. From the very first moment, this film brings us closer to the feeling of rootlessness and the search for intimacy in what we call ‘foreign land’. A blend of Macedonian, Balkan, Australian and American elements wrapped in a rock-and-roll nostalgia results in a warm, engaging film that invites us to reflect on belonging and the desire for a life that may be harder but more meaningful.”

  Once again, GORKI LIST awarded the Best Young Actor/Actress prize (€1,000), which went to Teodora Tomašev for her role as Mirjana in the film “Običaji” by Peđa Marković. “Teodora skillfully navigated the emotional spectrum of the character, handling the complex interplay of respect, intimacy, and emotional conflict between desires and fears. She undoubtedly deserves recognition for her dedicated and precise performance.”

  The First Meter Award for Best Student Film and €500 went to director Kristijan Kostadinovski for the film “Symphony” (North Macedonia). The jury emphasized: “Kristijan demonstrates outstanding directorial talent, far surpassing the boundaries of a student film, through his understanding of film language and mise-en-scène. Even though the camera remains static throughout, the dynamic is built through powerful performances and atmospheric tension. Together with cinematographer Ana Pavlovska, he masterfully portrays Skopje not just as a setting, but as a dramatic character. Kostadinovski is undoubtedly a new directorial hope for North Macedonia and the region.”

  During the festival, three student films were shot under the mentorship of Miloš Čolić. The main prize went to “The Funniest Joke in the World”, created by the Smederevo team, praised for its “remarkable sense of humor, imagination, and unique cinematic vision expressed through a genre-blending comedy with elements of horror, drawing inspiration from the local environment of Ravno Selo.”

  The jury was led by celebrated actress Nada Blam, with members Aleksandar Protić, Miroslav Lekić for the main program, Stefan Orlandić for student films, and Andrej Klemenčić for documentaries.

  Lazar Ristovski, founder and director of the festival, said at the closing ceremony: “First, I want to thank all of you who have been with us for eight years—attending film screenings, participating in workshops, hosting actors and filmmakers from all over the world—and making us feel at home in Ravno Selo. I am proud and happy that we’ve had yet another successful festival, and I believe my mission is now complete. It’s time to pass the torch to younger and more capable people who will continue to develop the Ravno Selo Film Festival and inspire the next generation.”

  The closing ceremony featured musical performances by Dušica Novaković, who delivered stunning renditions of “Golden Day” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. The event concluded with a screening of the Cuban film “A Night with the Rolling Stones”, as well as presentations of the student workshop films.

  The festival was held with the support of the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the City of Vrbas, Zillion Film production company, Film Center Serbia, Gorki List, and Voda Voda.

The main sponsor of the festival was Telekom Serbia.

Lazar Ristovski is not in Cannes solely to support his son – he also revealed plans for a new project: a film about Nikola Tesla.

“This is a very important project that we plan to develop in co-production with Telekom Serbia. It will be a story about Tesla – not a classic biopic, but a film with a deeper, universal message.”

Meetings with producers are already underway, and he notes there is interest. However, he emphasizes that Serbia must offer competitive conditions in order to attract foreign investments in domestic productions.

It’s worth remembering that exactly 30 years ago, the film “Underground” by Emir Kusturica, in which Lazar Ristovski played one of the leading roles, won the Palme d’Or. And in 1999, he returned to Cannes with his own film “White Suit”, screened as part of the Critics’ Week.

“This is my third official visit to Cannes. I hope it won’t be the last – I have many plans.”

If beginnings are the most important part of every story, then the story of Tesla – as well as this one from Cannes—is just getting started.

During the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the new film Saligia, directed by Petar Ristovski and produced by Zillion Film, was presented as part of the Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market).

The film, whose title is derived from the Latin acronym for the seven deadly sins, follows the fate of seven strangers who, after an apocalyptic event, awaken in an unknown realm where the laws of time no longer apply. With no memory and no means of escape, their inner turmoil begins to unfold as fragments of past guilt resurface, and the revelation of their sins becomes inevitable. One of the characters believes she is dreaming — and desperately tries to wake up.

The cast includes Teodora Ristovski, Pavle Jerinić, Danilo Lončarević, Bojana Grabovac, Miloš Lalović, Vladan Milić, Slobodan Aleksić, and Lazar Ristovski.

The Cannes presentation of Saligia was an opportunity to connect with international distributors and festival programmers, as well as to announce the next phase of development for this ambitious project that merges genre storytelling with deep psychological and moral themes.

The film was realized with the support of Telekom Serbia and the Film Center Serbia, and has drawn interest at the Cannes Market due to its unique narrative style, visual identity, and strong ensemble cast.

Lazar Ristovski, who returned to Cannes nearly three decades after the premiere of Emir Kusturica’s Underground, emphasized that the presence of Saligia at the festival is a testament to the continuity of author-driven cinema by a new generation of Serbian filmmakers.

The festival was founded with the goal of supporting young talents and highlighting the importance of culture and art in smaller communities.
 
Filmmakers can submit their works in the following categories:
 
1. Authors of the debut (1st ) and sophomore (2nd) feature films. Minimum length 70 minutes.

2. “Short 100 minutes” selection. Debut (1st ) and sophomore (2nd) short documentary or short fiction film up to 20 minutes long.

3. Short films from official film schools from all over the world are eligible to apply. Length of films up to 15 minutes.
 
Submissions will be open from March 20, 2025, and the deadline for applications is May 1, 2025.
 
Interested filmmakers can submit their applications via the FilmFreeway platform.

The first organizational meeting of the year gathered festival founder Lazar Ristovski, festival producer Jovan Ristovski, artistic director Marko Čkonjević, and program selector Dragan Jeličić.

During the meeting, all key aspects of the festival’s organization were discussed—from program selection and accompanying events to promotional activities—with a special focus on improving the festival’s program and audience experience and further internationalizing the event.

Following the opening of the newly built Cultural Center during last year’s festival, Ravno Selo Film Festival now has significantly improved technical conditions for screenings, along with additional spaces for workshops and side events, allowing for a richer and more diverse program.

The call for submissions for the 8th RSFF is now officially open, and filmmakers can submit their works through the FilmFreeway platform.

Submission categories:

1. Authors of the debut (1st ) and sophomore (2nd) feature films. Minimum length 70 minutes.

2. “Short 100 minutes” selection. Debut (1st ) and sophomore (2nd) short documentary or short fiction film up to 20 minutes long.

3. Short films from official film schools from all over the world are eligible to apply. Length of films up to 15 minutes.

The submission deadline is May 1, 2025.

The festival awards five prizes in five categories, and the expert jury consists of actress Ana Lečić, who will be this year’s “Face in Focus”, actor Miodrag Radonjić and director Marko Novaković. This year’s festival is opened by singer and songwriter Nevena Božović, while the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy the performances of singer Dušan Svilar and opera singer Sanja Kerkez.

The main festival program will be opened on Thursday, June 27 at 9 p.m. by the film “Thorn” directed by Suzana Purković, based on the motives of the autobiography “Ovo sam ja” by singer Ace Lukas.

On Friday, June 28, there are four performances on the program. At 5 p.m., the film “Game Birds” by the Turkish-Iranian director Majid Panahi will be shown.

From 7 p.m., the audience will be able to watch the production of “Excursion” by Bosnian director Una Gunjak. The action film “The Last Shooter” by Darko Nikolić, with Nenad Jezdić in the lead role, is on the program at 9 p.m., while the program of the second day of the festival closes at 11 p.m. with the American film “Past Lives” directed by Celine Song.

On the third day of the festival, Saturday, June 29, the audience will be able to watch the film “Mammalia” by Romanian director Sebastian Mihailescu from 5 p.m. At 7 p.m., the American film “A Thousand and One” directed by A.V. is on the program. Rockwell. The film “Holy Family” by Croatian director Vlatka Vorkapić will be shown at 9 p.m. The program of the third day of the festival closes at 11 pm with the British film “Polite Society” directed by Nida Manzur.

On the last day of the festival, Sunday, June 30, the audience will be able to watch three films:

Directed by Diana Ringo, “1984” is a Finnish-Russian sci-fi film that offers a fresh take on George Orwell’s famous novel of the same name. The film “Only when I laugh” by Vanja Juranić, about a housewife in a seemingly idyllic marriage on the Adriatic coast, is on the program at 7:15 p.m., while the festival closes at 9 p.m. with the cinema hit “Sunday” by Nemanja Ćeranić and Miloš Radunović, about the famous folk singer Džej Ramadanovski.

The festival is supported by the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the City of Vrbas and the production company Zillion Film.

Ravno Selo Film Festival, an International Festival of debut or sophomore films, will take place this year from June 27 to June 30. The festival is oriented towards young people and represents an international festival for directors of debut or sophomore films. This year’s main festival program will feature 12 feature films, selected by guest curator Dragan Jeličić.

In honor of this year’s event, Lazar Ristovski, founder and director of the Ravno Selo Film Festival, emphasized: “All these years while the festival was ongoing, I have been working towards the construction of a new Cultural Center, which unfortunately burned down seven years ago. This year, we celebrate not only the opening of the new Cultural Center but also the seventh Ravno Selo Film Festival. Our festival is established in honor of the youth, hence it is called a debutant festival, for debut and sophomore films by young authors. We have a selection of student films, as well as short documentaries by young authors. So, everything is dedicated to young people. Our audience mostly consists of young individuals.” At the end, Lazar Ristovski added: “I invite all those who love film, as well as good entertainment at music concerts after the screenings, to come to Ravno Selo on June 27th when our festival begins, which will last for four days. So, come, because film stories circle through the village.”

The main festival program will open on Thursday, June 27, at 9 p.m. with the screening of the film “Pokidan” directed by Suzana Purković, based on the motifs of the autobiography “Ovo sam ja” by singer Aca Lukas.

On Friday, June 28, four films are scheduled for screening. At 5 p.m., the film “Horoz Dovusu” by Turkish-Iranian director Majid Panahi, about a once successful Turkish war photographer whose life is in chaos two years after escaping from ISIS prison in Mosul. At 7 p.m., the audience will have the opportunity to watch “Excursion” by Bosnian-Herzegovinian director Una Gunjak, about a teenager from Sarajevo who gets entangled in her own lies after claiming during a game of “truth or dare” that she had her first sexual experiences. Action movie “The Last Shooter” by Darko Nikolić, with Nenad Jezdić in the lead role, is on the program at 9 p.m., while the program of the first day of the festival closes at 11 p.m. with the American film “Past Lives” directed by Celine Song, whose story follows two very close childhood friends who separate after one of them leaves the country.

On the third day of the festival, Saturday, June 29, the audience will be able to watch the film “Mammalia” by Romanian director Sebastian Mihăilescu, at 5 p.m., in which the main character discovers a world of strange rituals and disturbing communities, while the boundaries between reality and the surreal blur.  At 7 p.m., the American film “A Thousand and One” directed by A.V. is on the program. Rockwell, in which we follow the disaffected and single Inez, who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from a foster family. In the film “Holy Family” by the Croatian director Vlatka Vorkapić (9 p.m.), wage earner Jana falls into the traps of lies, dark lust, traditionalism and deviant piety in the rural environment. The program of the third day of the festival closes at 11 p.m. with the British film “Polite Society” directed by Nida Manzoor, whose main character Riya Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her upcoming marriage.

At 7 p.m., the American film “A Thousand and One” directed by A.V. Rockwell will be screened, following the dissatisfied and free-spirited Inez who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from a foster family. In the film “Holy Family” by Croatian director Vlatka Vorkapić (9 p.m.), a day laborer Jana falls into the traps of lies, dark desires, traditionalism, and deviant piety in a rural environment. The program for the third day of the festival will close at 11 p.m. with the British film “Chosen Circle” directed by Nida Manzur, whose main character Ria Khan believes she must save her older sister Lena from an impending marriage.

On the last day of the festival, Sunday, June 30, the Ravno Selo Film Festival audience will be able to watch three films. From 5 p.m., Diana Ringo’s “1984” is on the program, a Finnish-Russian sci-fi film that offers a fresh look at the famous novel of the same name by George Orwell. The film “Only when I Laugh” by Vanja Juranić, about a housewife in a seemingly idyllic marriage on the Adriatic coast, is on the program at 7:15 p.m., while the festival closes at 9 p.m. with the cinema hit “Nedelja” by Nemanja Ćeranić and Miloš Radunović, about the famous folk singer Džej Ramadanovski.

The festival is held with the support of the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the City of Vrbas, and the production company Zillion film.