Film Profile
Radost na životot / Joy of Life
In June 2000, the ”Balkan Philharmonic Orchestra“ played its first Concert in Skopje. The musicians come from different areas of the Balkans, several of which are enemies: Macedonia, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Turkey. The documentary accompanies some of them during the preparations for the concert. Violinists from Sarajevo, Thessaloniki and Izmir, a cellist from Bucharest and a choir master from Sofia are visited in their hometowns. They talk about their lives, music and the problems in their countries shattered by war, poverty or political changes. But no matter how different their views might be: They all believe in the power of music to overcome boundaries. A flutist from Sarajevo says that for him music serves as a ”weapon“ against the horrors of war and the depressing circumstances in his native country, and the Bulgarian conductor believes that art can unify people. The monologues are interspersed with the rehearsals – up to the big evening when the orchestra plays Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony – according to the choir master the ”hymn of the nations“.
Macedonia 2001
82 min, 35mm, colour
DIRECTOR
Svetozar Ristovski
SCREENPLAY
Svetozar Ristovski
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Vladimir Samoilovski
EDITOR
Dimitar Grbevski
PRODUCER
Vladimir Anastasov
PRODUCTION
Small Moves Films, Skopje
WORLD DISTRIBUTION
Small Moves Films, Skopje
MUSIC
Ludwig van Beethoven
PRODUCER
Pance Mizimakov
Ganka Samoilovska-Cvetanova
Svetozar Ristovski
Born on 26.1.1972 in Veles, Macedonia.
Ristovski studied architecture and direction at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje. He also works as a documentarist and has produced the animation series “The White Road” and the TV series for children “Our neighbourhood”. In addition, Ristovski has created TV advertisings and designs.
Filmografie
1998 Veldpost Balkan
1999 Second Class Passengers (director, scriptwriter, cutter)
2000 Hunter (director, scriptwriter, cuttert)