The Foundation of Arts and Creative Technology (FACT) in Liverpool, in conjunction with Film Studies at Liverpool John Moores University presents a season of recent films from Kosovo*, Bulgaria and Croatia entitled Contemporary Balkan Cinema: Cultural Identity and Memory. 

The event is running in conjunction with Shona Illingworth’s installation Lesions in the Landscape, which explores how individual and collective memories influence our understanding of society, and it aims to offer a fresh outlook on contemporary culture in the Balkans and its relationship with the past. 

The season is organized by Dr. Lydia Papadimitriou, Reader in Film Studies at Liverpool John Moores University, who will introduce the films and discuss them with the audience. 

The first two films shown are UK premieres. Isa Qosja’s Three Windows and A Hanging (Kosovo*, 2014-  October 13) deals with the sensitive topic of rape during the war between Serbia and Kosovo*, while exposing the oppressive Balkan patriarchal culture. The film is beautifully shot and conveys a difficult topic with subtlety and humor. 

Bulgarian-Greek co-production The Lesson by Kristina Grozeva & Peter Valchanov (Bulgaria/Greece, 2014 - October 20) combines a suspenseful story of a provincial schoolteacher’s attempt to find the young thief in her class, with a morality tale about the hypocrisies and limitations of contemporary society. 

Last but not least is Vinko Bresan’s comedy The Priest’s Children (Croatia/Serbia, 2013 - October 27), the Croatian box office hit from 2013, which playfully satirizes the Catholic church’s approach on contraception.

All three films have been shown and won awards at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in 2014 and 2013.