by InTrieste
The second day of the 36th Trieste Festival opened with a delightful lineup catering to the youngest cinephiles. At Teatro Miela, children were treated to The Intergalactic Adventures of Peter and His Friends, a charming selection of animated films presented by the National Film Institute Hungary–Film Archive. The series follows Peter, an endearing protagonist, as he embarks on journeys of discovery and friendship.
A Spotlight on Serbian Cinema
The festival’s Wild Roses: Serbia section began at 2:15 p.m. with a thought-provoking array of short films.
The lineup included Grad (The City, 2016) by Maša Šarović, a poignant tale of an unsettling encounter in Belgrade. Jelena Gavrilović’s Nikog Nema (Nobody Here, 2017) followed, exploring the intense emotional world of a teenage girl grappling with an absent father and a turbulent past. Tamara Todorović’s Roze (Rose, 2018) examined societal expectations of young women during the vulnerable transition to adulthood, while Tara Gajović’s U Ramenima(Shoulders, 2022) depicted a mother and daughter navigating unspoken truths during a journey home.
Queer Narratives Take Center Stage
At 4:00 p.m., the festival inaugurated its Visioni Queer series with works by Georgian filmmaker Elene Naveriani. The program featured Les Évangiles d’Anasyrma (The Gospels of Anasyrma, 2014), a story of forbidden love in Tbilisi, and Father, Bless Us (2013), a meditative exploration of faith and suppressed desires. Red Ants Bite (2019), Naveriani’s exploration of migration and dreams deferred, closed the series.
Thoughtful Discussions and Cultural Insights
At 5:30 p.m., the festival shifted gears to host Where Is Germany Headed? in the Sala Bobi Bazlen. Featuring Antonio Caiazza and Barbara Gruden, the panel, organized by DeutschZentrum Trieste, examined Germany’s political and economic transformations amid its rare snap elections.
Evening Highlights: Serbian Feature Films
Back in the Wild Roses: Serbia section, Ivana cea Groaznică (Ivana the Terrible, 2023) by Ivana Mladenović captivated audiences. The semi-autobiographical film follows an actress who returns to her Serbian hometown, navigating familial ties and the prying eyes of small-town gossip.
Later, Visioni Queer resumed with Goran Stolevski’s Domakinstvo za Početnici (Housekeeping for Beginners, 2023), a heartfelt story of an unconventional family learning to coexist. The day concluded with Beauty and the Lawyer (2023) by Hovhannes Ishkhanyan, an emotional narrative about a gay artist and his lawyer wife raising a child amidst societal hostility in Armenia.
Weekend Highlights: Walks, Wine, and Wonder
The festival extended beyond cinema, offering immersive experiences:
- The World in a City (Jan. 18, 11:00 a.m.): A cinematic walking tour through Trieste’s spy-thriller history, led by Gianluca Guerra.
- Serbia in Trieste (Jan. 19, 11:00 a.m.): An exploration of Serbian influences in Trieste, curated by Marzia Arzon.
