This man is respected in Cannes and in the villages around Mokra Gora, he chooses ordinary people for his films, and with the same passion he refuses stars and major European actors. Emir has a long list of enemies in the so-called “elitist society” of Belgrade. It is dangerous for those who do not think that we can rally the Serbian tradition with European concepts. He breaks all theories. The director has just completed a ski area on the Iver, a film entitled Promise me this, and an opera with Dr. Nele Karajlić on Time of the Gypsies. And he will go to the Cannes festival this year …
If I understand correctly, the film is about the conflict between the big city and the village. People here think that if we win the battle of traditions, we will be closer to Europe. Is this the message of your movie?
EK : If we put a spotlight on Serbia and its agriculture, we think that Europe means improving techniques and yields and reducing facilities. The transition is neither more nor less than taking the fruit of the toiling masses. Today, progress means taking everything we can from small people, so we tend towards totalitarianism. Democracy in Serbia is like an old horse, brought by servants, and this democracy takes everything from the people. This democracy matters everything, the look, the fashion, and the employees of Non Governmental Organizations who have big mouths and who clap their fists on the table to scare us. Talking about heroes and good people is easy when you have the Pentagon behind you. I have to tell an anecdote about Zuko Dzumhur when he was in Afghanistan and asked who he was, “Muslim tourist,” he replied. So here, people say he is “Serbian and globalist”. Except that we can not be both at the same time.
Who are your allies?
EK : Jarmush, Kaurismaki, somehow Almodovar, Kitano, Loach, and about fifty directors. If I compare with France and Poland, realism and neo-realism, they are not as important as they were, and they are not as brilliant as Fellini or Visconti, but they make fantastic movies.
You're not afraid?
EK : Abraham became an individual when he asked the people to pray for the God of men, instead of the different gods from before. In the same way as Abraham, I understand my autonomy and independence as an intellectual completion. If you think about this young NGO youth, they are brave because they have the Pentagon behind them. I am independent, and they are submissive. They are dependent on the nation, the church, the identity. I am really sick of the measures of our nationalism and our patriotism. After taking lessons in Washington, they explain our independence. The main idea of my life is to protect my identity and culture, but for that I do not want to hurt anyone. I can not stand these little kids because they keep saying that Americans are superior. When Boris Tadić said some honest words about Kosovo, and we saw the tears in his eyes, the comments of Vreme magazine were that we had a decent president, and that he was like Matija Becković. Can you imagine a country whose greatest poet has nothing in common with its president? If you read the attacks on Prime Minister Kostunica, he is a nationalist. He led the first government coalitions after the war, and in the early years, ensured that Serbia ensured its transition and was not sold or economically destroyed. They also mentioned Minister Velja Ilic. Like her task with Marina Abramovic, that man builds bridges and better roads. We attack him on his behavior and his attitude. As if we were asking Jessie James to become Marina Pliseckaja.
Traduction : Nina Novaković & Matthieu Dhennin
en/itv_06-12_nin.txt · Last modified: 2018/02/11 12:29 by matthieu1