FESTIVALS

Everlasting doubts

Second One Take Film Festival, Zagreb

Focusing on films shot without editing and the additional program of contemporary films that follow the held take aesthetics, the first issue of One Take Film Festival in 2003 introduced a welcome novelty in Croatian festival scene, which signaled a significant level of maturity. Its second issue, featuring interesting retrospectives and additional programs, also screened some fascinating works in competition, although it did not receive as much public attention. The competition presented several perfect films such as Deserted (Daniel Jacobs), Take it Back (Viko Nikçi), etc. Besides experimentally inclined works, films such as Kholousi's Master, You’re Wonderful — an adaptation of Salinger’s prose — were characterized by subtle narration. The award winning Ascension by Ben Ferris included both segments, but did not stand out of the rest of the competition.
In the future, the organizers will probably have much difficulty finding impressive works, partly because most one take films are more suited for galleries than for film festivals, take for example Defining Moments (Twin Towers) by Paul Matošic. Then again, the festival might eventually turn into (Hand) Held Film Festival.

Vladimir C. Sever