The international film festival i-Fest took place in Palermo from December 9 to 15, once again bringing together filmmakers, producers, and film professionals from around the world. One of the central events of this year’s festival was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to actor, director, and producer Lazar Ristovski, in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contribution to European and world cinema. As part of the festival program, audiences had the opportunity to watch the films “The White Suit” and “Train Driver,’s Diary” which, in different ways, highlight the richness and diversity of his artistic body of work.
In its official statement, the i-Fest international jury described Lazar Ristovski as an artist who has left a profound mark on European cinema, capable of transforming every role into a gateway to the complexity of the human soul and its contradictions. An internationally acclaimed actor, director, and producer, Ristovski has transcended genres, eras, and languages with rare interpretative power, creating characters that remain unforgettable not only for their strong screen presence, but also for the emotional and moral depth they embody.
From the major successes that brought him international recognition, most notably Emir Kusturica’s “Underground“, to auteur films, theatre, and his own work as a director, Ristovski has forged a path in which the art of acting becomes a radical exploration of identity, history, and early modernity.
His work represents a continuous reflection on the power of gesture, voice, and gaze: on cinema’s ability to function both as a mirror and as memory, as a collective ritual and a private confession. In every role, Ristovski brings an approach to acting that combines instinct and discipline, experience and risk, tradition and reinvention. His screen presence—magnetic, restless, and deeply human—has helped redefine the image of the Balkans on screen, showing how pain, irony, nostalgia, and vitality can coexist within a single, powerful narrative vibration.
The jury further emphasized that his career stands as proof that cinema is a universal instrument of emotion, reflection, and dialogue. For this reason, the i-Fest International Film Festival has awarded Lazar Ristovski the i-Fest Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025.
