Berlin premiere for Bojan Vuletić’s Serbian satire Requiem for Mrs J
A Serbian black comedy about suicide, bureaucracy and a mother’s endless struggle to make ends meet in a society hampered by its past is flagged as a must-see film at the über-prestigious Berlinale International Film Festival (9-18 February).
Requiem for Mrs J (Rekvijem za gospodju J) tells of a middle-aged Serbian widow (Mirjana Karanović) whose tough but mundane life seems increasingly hopeless.
Pushed to her limits – by the death of the family rabbit, no less – Jelena (Mrs J) resolves to commit suicide on the anniversary of her husband’s death. She has just one week to put her affairs in order.
“The idea for the story originates from intimate acquaintance with a woman who embodies a typical victim of the transition process in Serbia,’ said the film’s writer and director Bojan Vuletić.
London’s Strawberry smart bench network gives boost to cancer research
Smart city business Strawberry Energy UK has joined forces with Cancer Research UK to launch a network of ‘contactless’ smart benches (#SmartBenchUK) in time for World Cancer Day (4 February).
The pilot scheme of ten solar-powered benches will enhance public spaces in the boroughs of Lewisham and Islington by providing mobile device charging ports and free wifi access.
The first smart benches will feature a number of contactless payment locations including Islington Green and Lewisham High Street.
Following the pilot a further ten will be installed by the end of February, with an extra 80 to be installed this year.
Sensors built into the benches monitor environmental data including air quality, which users can check via the Strawberry Energy smart phone app, providing a valuable tool for users and feeding data to local boroughs.
This is especially relevant in support of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s aim to improve the capital’s air quality.
Serbian actor Slaven Došlo is primed for his first international film roles
The world is calling for award-winning Serbian actor Slaven Došlo, who plans to shoot his first English-language role this summer.
Scripts have been rolling in since the charismatic star of acclaimed films Pored Mene, Panama and Vlažnost was crowned a rising star of European cinema with his first international acting award.
Even before his next film Biser Bojana (dir. Milan Karadžić) opens in cinemas on 16 February, Slaven will be meeting with producers to progress two international film projects.
“If everything goes well it looks like I should be shooting my first role in English this summer,’ said Slaven. “There’s a whole world out there and I want to deliver roles that appeal to English-speaking audiences.”
Young Serb Slaven Došlo fronts frothy Montenegrin rom-com Biser Bojane
Watersports, young love and the natural beauty of Montenegro share the screen in the frothy rom-com Biser Bojane, which opens across the Balkans on 16 February.
The latest film from director Milan Karadžić features internationally acclamed Serbian actor Slaven Došlo in a light-hearted story of summer love and family drama set in some of Montenegro’s most stunning landscapes.
Biser Bojana is Slaven’s first film of 2017, a year in which the popular Serbian actor hopes to take on his first English-language role.
In Biser Bojane, the award-winning actor from Sombor plays Đorđa Popović, a sporty young Belgrade doctor, Slaven explained.
“Djordje was raised by his grandmother in the urban surroundings of Belgrade. But he is not entirely a town person. He loves bird watching and being alone in his thoughts.
“He loves his grandmother, although she is putting a lot of pressure on him to change and be more open to other people, especially girls. He is coping with it all quite well, but everything changes when he realises that his grandmother is not the only family he has.
