Bitola, 22 September 2024 (MIA) - The 45th edition of the Manaki Brothers International Cinematographers' Film Festival opened on Saturday in Bitola.  

In a video address, due to her commitments related to the United States visit, President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova officialy declared the festival open. 

"The rightly important and wondrous Manaki Brothers event celebrates and glorifies cinematographers as wizards and magicians who turn a story into a visual feast and film. We all have a personal history recorded in our memory or someone else's memory. In books or in video records, just as Milton and Janaki recorded and preserved the great events of the beginning of the 20th century, but also the small everyday things and activities. Their records are not only history, but also art, Bitola art, national, regional and world art. May we continue to honor and celebrate the Manaki brothers. To love, cherish and celebrate, film and art, to live life, because the Manaki brothers are one and only," President Siljanovska Davkova said in her address. 

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski presented the lifetime achievement award, the Golden Camera 300, to French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, and Bitola Mayor Toni Konjanovski presented the Special Golden Camera 300 Award for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinematic Art to Polish cinematographer Jolanta Dylewska.   

The Mayor of the host city greeted the guests, pointing out that Bitola continues to be a creative center for the world's best directors of photography, discovering new talents through time who are considered today as top artists in film photography and cinematography, decorated with the festival's awards.

The Great Star of Macedonian Film award was presented to Macedonian film and television editor Dimitar Grbevski. The Manaki Brothers festival also gave a Golden Camera 300 Honorary Award for the legacy of Janaki Manaki, which was presented to Janaki Manaki's grandson Milton, who pointed out that the Manaki Brothers Festival is a unique festival, one of the few festivals in the world that celebrates cinematographers. 

Paolo Sorrentino's 'Parthenope', shot by cinematographer Daria D'Antonio, was screened at Saturday's opening of the festival, which will showcase 12 films as part of the official selection Camera 300 narrative features through September 27.

Sunday will see the unveiling of stars for Milton Manaki, Yanaki Manaki and Dante Spinotti, embedded in Bitola's Shirok Sokak as part of a "Walk of Fame" that will start from the Manaki Cinema and continue in the direction of another Bitola landmark, the Officers' Home. 

Photo: MIA