Antonio Mitrikeski film is included in the main program of great British independent festival and will fight for the price of “Best film of the festival”
Sunchica Unevska
The new Macedonian film “Children of the Sun” directed by Antonio Mitrikeski is selected in the main competition of 22 Festival “Raindance” in London, which will be held from September 24 to October 5. The world premiere of the film is scheduled to be held on September 25 6:20 pm, and the second projection will be held immediately next day, on September 26 at 4 pm. Festival “Raindance” is held in the heart of London, on “Piccadilly” and this year the director Mitrikeski and the producer Dejan Milosevski are invited to attend and to present the film.
“Raindance” during his 22 years of existence turned into a real brand as one of the biggest and most important festival of independent film, a kind of counterpart to the US “Sundance”, with whom he works closely. But what is interesting when it comes to this festival is that it is not only important for Europe as “Sundance” for America, but festivals “Raindance” is held in ten cities of the two continents, such as: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Budapest. A goal of the festival, which “Variety” said that should not be missed is the nurturing, support and promotion of independent film and new and alternative filmmakers.
Therefore, as there is in the Sundance Institute in London also there is “Raindance center” where young filmmakers can attend “one of the most inventive film schools in the world” and to gain the certificate, tools and skills to begin their film career. Festival “Raindance” is known for having introduced the famous British Independent Film Awards, and last year created the first Web Fest. Of course, “Raindance” is a true place of young filmmakers, but also a place where premiers had many cult films and authors. Thus, this festival were awarded: Ben Wheatley, known for movies “Field in England” and “List of killing”, then Takashi Shimizu with “Hate” and Paolo Sorrentino with “Great beauty”. But the “Raindance” also had premieres: “What happened to Gilbert Grejp?” “Memento,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Old Boy”, “The Blair Witch Project”, “Exposure to Love” and many others.
“Children of the Sun” managed to enter the festival, which is always looking for something different, on the interesting way, making a connection between art and one simple, even commercial approach. Yet this love story, focusing on a Macedonian family that lives on the edge of existence, despite the apparent attempt to communicate with the audience, wearing a distinctively artistic approach in terms of creating the atmosphere in terms of monitoring the dreams of the main protagonists. Mitrikeski said that it is a family through which he wants to make some sort of diagnosis of the society, cross-section of all their sufferings, delusions, ordeals …
“I try to comprehend the mentality of the Macedonian people, and not run away from the truth,” said the director, adding that through the one urban story he is trying to reach the truth and inner turmoil of his characters. All this, together with excellent photography of Jaroslav Shoda and installation of Andrija Zafranovic along with wonderful music by Vlatko Stefanovski and of course several great roles that carry the film, but also the low budget of the project, has provided his entrance on this year special festival. Festival, which last year had over 15,000 visitors and over 100,000 online followers, whose patrons are such names as: Terry Gilliam Mike Figgis, Ken Loach, Alan Parker, Jeremy Irons, Faye Dunaway and others.
On “Raindance” traditionally after every movie projection is held chat with the audience, on which is announced the presence of the director of “Children of the Sun” Antonio Mitrikeski. Let us remind you that this film was presented in April with trailer from 15 minutes to 17-th Skopje Film Festival, and then his producer Dejan Milosevski introduced on the market in Cannes, where he managed to attract attention and fill up the “Riviera” which is part of the festival field. “Children of the Sun” in which the main roles are played by Ivana Pavlakovic, Vlado Jovanovski, Milica Stoyanova, Meto Jovanovski, Biljana Taneski, Kire Gjorevski Danco Chevrevski and others, announced its Macedonian premiere after the festival in London in early October .