Skopje, 1 August 2024 (MIA) — The 5th Galichnik Film Festival will screen 28 short films over the next four days as part of its three competition programs: short fiction, short documentary and short animation. The films were previously shown at international festivals including at Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Sundance, and Locarno, and will take audiences "on a journey through different cultures and emotions," organizers said in a press release.

The festival opens Thursday with a performance of newly composed film scores by Skopje Brass Quintet as part of its Film Music Fusion project.

The first short film to be screened is Nadezhda Panova's "Turbo-Net," a story of a family and its challenges after the death of the father, owner of Turbo-Net, the first Internet cafe in the city and the center of social life at the beginning of the 21st century.

The cast includes Katina Ivanova, Valentina Gramosli, Sonja Mihajlova, Sasho Tasevski, Isidor Jovanovski, Ilija Volcheski, Ivana Pavlovikj, Igor Trpchevski, Petar Stojanov, Nadica Dojkoska, and Petar Gorko. The scenography is by Dejan Gjoshevski, the camera is by Laszlo Kadar, and the executive producer is Viktor Pavlovski.

Through Aug. 4, in addition to film screenings, the festival will offer discussions with directors and actors as well as workshops and nature tours.

The official jury will select the winners in the categories of Best Fiction Short Film, Best Documentary Short Film, Best Animated Short Film, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.

This year's jury includes actor Gjorgi Jolevski, director Tamara Kotevska, film editor Martin Ivanov and cinematographer Jean Dakar.

Macedonian screenwriter Dejan Dukovski will run a screenplay workshop for regional writers. Five projects under development from the country and the region have been selected, organizers said.

Galichnik Film Festival is supported by the Film Agency and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Admission to all screenings is free. mr/