‘Three Kilometers to the End of the World’ Wins Sarajevo Film Festival

As a cinephile with a deep appreciation for the power of cinema to reflect and shape our world, I am utterly captivated by the accomplishments of these exceptional filmmakers. Emanuel Pârvu, with his Palme d’Or contender “Three Kilometers to the End of the World,” has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to weave a tale that resonates profoundly, exploring the intricacies of prejudice and community dynamics in a way that leaves one breathless.


At the Sarajevo Film Festival last Friday, I was fortunate enough to bring home the top honor with my film, “Three Kilometers to the End of the World,” a Palme d’Or contender at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as the Romanian director, Emanuel Pârvu.

The third film directed by the actor-turned-director was honored by a jury led by American screenwriter-director Paul Schrader (“First Reformed”), which also featured Swedish actress and producer Noomi Rapace (“Lamb”), Finnish director-writer Juho Kuosmanen (“Compartment No. 6”), Sarajevo-born, Paris-based director, writer, and editor Una Gunjak (“Excursion”), and Slovenian actor Sebastian Cavazza (“Men Don’t Cry”).

“The movie ‘Three Kilometers’ focuses on a 17-year-old character who experiences a hate crime due to his sexual orientation in a secluded town within Romania’s Danube Delta. The film explores the impact of this incident on the local community from various viewpoints. Critic EbMaster‘s Guy Lodge referred to it as a ‘tightly-wound exploration of personal and systemic prejudice that suffocates a societal outcast,’ commending its ‘cinematic pedigree’ for its technical achievements.”

The award for best director went to Yorgos Zois for his fantasy-drama “Arcadia,” which had its world premiere in the Encounters section of the Berlin Film Festival. The film tells the story of a brilliant neurologist, Katerina, played by Greek standout Angeliki Papoulia (“Dogtooth,” “The Lobster”), and her husband, Yannis (Vangelis Mourikis), a once-respected doctor, who are called to identify the victim of a tragic car accident at an off-season seaside resort. Once there, Katerina is forced to confront her worst suspicions while making mysterious, nightly excursions to the titular seaside tavern.

As a film critic with a strong passion for discovering talented actors and directors, I was truly thrilled to witness Anab Ahmed Ibrahim receive the award for best actress at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Having lived in Somalia myself and being deeply connected to its cultural landscape, I found it particularly heartening to see “The Village Next to Paradise” grace the Croisette as the first feature film from Somalia ever to screen there.

In Sarajevo, Doru Bem was awarded for his outstanding performance as the lead actor in Andrei Cohn’s “Holy Week,” a historical drama that portrays the recurring violence in a 19th-century Romanian village. Bem’s character, Leiba, is a Jewish man who operates the village inn, serving as a gathering place for both Christians and Jews. Despite the apparent camaraderie, the undercurrent of racism and anti-Semitism is evident.

More to come…

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2024-08-23 22:16