Another seminar, this time on Fruška Gora. I was taken as an extension of the sekcija of Zmaj, and of the club to be soon. Dimče and his wife were there, and few other folks we knew. Same stuff as in march '69, just somewhat extended. Heard some smart speeches, specially by Vlada Urban, who was a kind of a pro in all that. The teachers from that elementary school in Novi Sad were the main lecturers, and then also Mika Putnik, who was becoming a kind of a legend in those circles. Met a girl from that school (could it be Melanija? didn't write down her name, had a list of attendees but then lost it), talked with her a lot, even about matters of the heart. We both spilled the beans, knowing we can't hurt each other, we have no people in common.
The seminar was in some resort (of Elektrovojvodina, IIRC), and while there was no snow in the flatlands, here it was all white, above the 150m line or so. You could see the line, the trees were black below it, white above. This atmosphere of being away from the city and in the wilderness, cut off (by 2cm of snow) made for a good feel. We all shot one spool of 2x8mm and then there was the screening, and I was a member of the žiri. We gave out an Oscar (detergent) to the best movie, a Crni bik (black bull - another detergent) to the most underexposed one (one guy had a dead exposure meter on his quartz camera), Radion (also detergent), with the pun on "radi on" - works he - for the guy caught ducking behind a tree and relieving himself. A box of film (without film) went to Urban, to make a movie without a flaw. An Auto (car) chocolate went to Putnik (means traveller) for his organization of transport. A 20mm pencil went to the most original credits. Seven meters of black developed tape went to some guy who forgot to shoot the other side of his 2x8. A head of onion was supposed to be awarded for most scenes from kitchen and dining room, but wasn't. Mixal (yet another detergent) went to Group 102 (i.e. room 102) for most mixed up scenes. Chocolate "Problema nema" (there's no problem) went to the only team which didn't have any problems. A paper lace, cut out of a serviete, went to the guy who made best shots of the iced branches. Dimče was acting drunk in what his team did, and had a bottle in hand in every scene, so, at my suggestion, he got a glass of water. There was a suggestion that he shouldn't just drink it, he should take the glass as a souvenir - ah but he should pay 1000 dinars* for the glass - why, he didn't break it. I later appologized to him for awarding him a trophy which he can't frame and hang on the wall.
Urban ran a projection of "Blaženko", praising it as a good example of movie language put to work, lots of closeups, depicting a kid's world from first person, even the lack of plot was somehow good because it escaped all the schematic pitfalls. As for the scene where it's climbing the gable, don't know where you copied that from (neither do I) but it's perfect, good composition. It's obvious that you were playing, but it's a purely film play.
The main chick, whom I didn't view as such at the time, because she was, eyeballingly, over thirty, was some Mira, guess someone in the FKSV. Serene, richly built and always in good mood. I remembered her now (march 2025) because she wore one of those thin, pastel coloured tightly snug shirts with petty floral pattern. There weren't fatsoes in any significant numbers, so many wore them nicely, and I found it both strange and likable to see a comrade of that age wear the same kind as the girls from my company. Almost all of them had at least one, so did Tejka, Slavka, Oli Boj, that Spomenka from 2nd grade, at least five girls from first one, and two years ago at least two girls from the corner, I think both E. and Radoslava. They stayed in fashion between, guess, 1968 and 1973, and then suddenly vanished. To differ from other fads, which would reoccur periodically, this never returned.
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* there was a practice in taverns to have a notice somewhere prominent on the wall, "every intentionally broken glass is paid", trying to stave off the usual Balkan dert and karasevdah (qv), when a guy with love trouble would get drunk, the gypsy band would gather around him, he'd spread his money and just start smashing the glasses and bottles. This was a way for the tavern to get its share of the loot, they'd charge him handsomely. Such scenes can be seen in many movies of the time. Later movies too, but not so much, not because it stopped happening, but because it was becoming a cliche. All such scenes look the same.
20-II-2021 - 7-VIII-2025