Vukovar Film Festival's Artistic Director on Art's Enduring Power

Dragan Despot, a seasoned actor with decades of experience, now embraces the role of artistic director for the Vukovar Film Festival. He describes the film selection process as both a respite from his own stage work and a task carrying significant responsibility.

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The selection of films is a kind of break from my own stage existence, but also a job that carries almost the same responsibility as going out in front of the audience.

Despot acknowledges the current era's rapid information flow and the rise of superficial content but remains convinced that art will not lose its battle. He asserts that culture and art are what ultimately remain of any civilization. His passion for acting, which began decades ago, continues unabated, viewing art not merely as a profession but as a space for examining humanity, society, morality, and the times we live in.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Vukovar Film Festival, for which Despot selected over fifty films from ten Danube countries out of more than 200 submissions. He sees the festival as more than just a function; it's a crucial platform for the convergence of art, people, and diverse cultures in Vukovar. The festival's location in a city still healing from past wounds, he believes, imbues film and art with an even greater power.

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I don't believe art can lose the battle. Quite the opposite – I believe that what remains behind every civilization is culture and art.

Despot also spoke about his enduring connection to the works of Miroslav Krleža, particularly the monodrama "Na rubu pameti," which he has performed for 22 years. Through the character of the Doctor, he finds a means to rebel against hypocrisy, superficiality, and declining standards in society, while also restoring the power of the word. He looks forward to the premiere of the film "Posljednji rimski bog" and is preparing for new projects.

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The festival's uniqueness lies in the fact that it is held in Vukovar, a city whose wounds have not yet fully healed, which is why film and art can have additional strength.