The 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) appoints Emir Kusturica, a world renowned cinematic master and Serbian director, as the Jury President of the Competition Section, Tiantan Award this year. To pay tribute to the old friend of Chinese people, the Beijing Film Panorama is to present the Retrospective of the Tiantan Award Jury President Emir Kusturica, through which his eight masterpieces, namely Time of the Gypsies, Arizona Dream, Underground, Black Cat, White Cat, Life Is a Miracle, Promise Me This, Maradona by Kusturica and On the Milky Road.

　　

Emir Kusturica

Born in 1955 in Sarajevo, Emir Kusturica was enrolled in the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) in 1973. Kusturica released his debut feature film Do You Remember Dolly Bell? in 1981. The film was nominated for the Competition section of the 38th Venice International Film Festival, and awarded Best First Feature and FIPRESCI Prize, marking the beginning of his career as a filmmaking master. Then, Kusturica won the Golden Palms at the Festival de Cannes with When Father Was Away on Business and Underground in 1985 and 1995 respectively.

　　

Still of Black Cat, White Cat

Being a cinematic master of his class, he’s known for “visual circus” since his films are usually filled with “disorderly chaos”, and absurd yet magical metaphorical scenes. He got inspirations from surrealist paintings by Marc Chagall and other artists, and referred to and drew on a wide range of classics in the history of cinema. As he once summarized, “My films blend the elegance of French cinema, passion and critical thinking about self-sacrifice of Russian cinema, and Fellini’s melody, melancholy and strong satire”.

Emir Kusturica is closely tied with the BJIFF. He participated in BJIFF-related activities in Beijing in 2017. Moreover, his band “No Smoking Orchestra” delivered performances in China, and impressed the Chinese audience.

　　

Still of Maradona by Kusturica

The Retrospective gives a thorough display of his filmmaking career, including his essential feature films, and documentaries for the great soccer star Maradona and “No Smoking Orchestra”. We are able to fully appreciate the appealing films by Kusturica, and have in-depth understanding of the world renowned filmmaking master through the eight films.

　　

Time of the Gypsies

Inspired by real events, the film combines Kusturica’s sense of humor and satire tone, and shows his care for the destiny of characters and the ensemble. A grand gypsy wedding is presented in the Time of the Gypsies, from which on carnivalesque weddings became signature scenes in Kusturica’s films. He won the Award for Best Director with the film at the Competition section of the Festival de Cannes in 1988.

　　

Arizona Dream

Starring Jonny Depp, the film gives insightful reflection on “American Dream”. It’s a film shot by Kusturica while he lived in the United States, starring Johnny Depp. The opening part pays tribute to the classic documentary Nanook of the North in cinematic history. He examines the United States and “American Dream” from the perspective of a foreigner, and continues to use symbolic animals and metaphors in the film. It was nominated for the Competition section of the Berlin International Film Festival in 1993, and awarded the Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize.

　　

Underground

The best by Kusturica and a magical realist epic in cinematic history. Kusturica started experimenting with historical narrative of nation and country over long span with Underground. It’s an ultimate presentation of his individual style of magic, absurdity and visual circus, and becomes one of the most important representative works by Kusturica. The film won the Golden Palm at the Competition section of the Festival de Cannes in 1995.

　　

Black Cat, White Cat

One of Kusturica’s representative magical comedies, with truth of life wrapped in absurdity. It’s the second film dedicated to gypsies’ life after the release of Time of the Gypsies 10 years ago, and an important comedy for him. The story unfolds around gypsies’ marriage, rites and relationship, and portrays the destiny of the ensemble through humanist lens. The film was nominated for the Competition section of the Venice International Film Festival in 1998, and awarded the Silver Lion - Best Director.

　　

Life Is a Miracle

An alternative film by Kusturica depicts intricacies of family and romance. The film delivers a detailed presentation of various accidents that engineer Luka and his family get caught in during the war. Luka is preoccupied with designing travel itineraries. When the war breaks out, his son is enlisted and captured; his wife runs off with other people; and he saves a woman and gets attached to her. Set in the real former Yugoslavia, Kusturica designed a miraculous happy ending for the film, sending the message that every nation shall drop their weapons and end the war.

　　

Promise Me This

Wild imagination and stunning scene design. To fulfill grandpa’s three wishes, Tsane plans to go to the city to sell a cow, buy a saint portrait and bring back a wife. However, he gets into gang conflict when marrying girl Jasna. The film shows alternative filmmaking side of Kusturica, in which instead of direct depiction of politics and history, he starts seeking the eternal over actual politics.

　　

Maradona by Kusturica

Maradona’s biographical documentary that showcases his life from various angles. Kusturica documented the great soccer star on camera for years, and released the documentary in 2008. He demonstrates Maradona’s life and core values from various angles. At the same time, the documentary also showcases himself through in-depth stepping in interviews with Maradona and clips of his outstanding previous films.

　　

　On the Milky Road

A magical realist masterpiece by Kusturica co-starring divine Monica Bellucci. Starring Kusturica and Monica Bellucci, the film presents great many Kusturica’s signature magical realist scenes. He had finished writing the original story In the Arms of a Snake on which the film was adapted before the shooting started. The director plays a milkman in Serbia who goes through multiple magical trips with the Italian woman played by Monica Bellucci. As the latest feature film by Kusturica, it was nominated for the Competition section of the Venice International Film Festival in 2016. 

　　

　　

　　

　　

In case of any changes to the film lineup, please refer to the actual official screening schedule. Stay tuned for more exciting content about the Beijing Film Panorama.