Opening on the Letnja pozornica in the Fortress on August 25, the inaugural International Film Festival in Niš launched amid civic divisions and unexpected guest appearances, establishing new accolades while local traditional film gatherings remain stalled.
What was billed as a fresh cinematic showcase for Niš quickly turned into a study in local political fault lines and surreal international spectacle. Opening on the Letnja pozornica within the historic Fortress, the inaugural International Film Festival brought together municipal authorities, ruling party supporters, and a rotating cast of domestic actors alongside martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Parallel Festivals and Divided Loyalties in Niš
The scheduling of the new event underscores a deep fracture in the city’s cultural calendar. Traditional Filmski susreti have ground to a halt for the second year, paralyzed by disputes between the City of Niš and the Association of Film Actors of Serbia (UFGS) that ignited during student and civic protests last year. Rather than salvage the 60th milestone of the historic gathering, the city government organized the new International Film Festival to run from August 25 to 30, while UFGS scheduled its own Niški filmski festival from August 29 to September 3.
Observers noted that the municipal-backed event served as an unmistakable gathering for figures aligned with the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The festival’s leadership and attending performers largely reflect support for the current administration, transforming what should have been a neutral cinematic celebration into an exercise in political mobilization.
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Zeljko Mitrovic, and the Opening Night Spectacle
If the local political undertones were palpable, the evening’s international headliner supplied a heavy dose of confusion. Brought to Serbia in a private jet by Pink Media Group founder Željko Mitrović after dining and arm-wrestling with the nation’s president, Jean-Claude Van Damme took to the stage to address the crowd.
The actor’s remarks immediately scrambled the event’s chronology and sponsor credits.
Jean-Claude Van Damme, speaking via Telegraf, greeted everyone in the audience, expressed his gratitude to everyone present for joining them that evening at the International Film Festival, and thanked Željko Mitrović for inviting him as well as the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, before sharing that he had two pieces of news—one good and one bad—explaining that the good news was that Serbia is a beautiful country, but the president had beaten him in arm wrestling.
Believing he was celebrating an anniversary, Van Damme congratulated the crowd on what he called a 60th anniversary before a translator stepped in to clarify that he was referencing the festival itself. The actor praised the event’s logistics, declaring that he had never witnessed better organization anywhere else in the world, and touted Serbia’s production studios before finishing his speech with a karate uppercut gesture.
New Trophies and Festival Competitions
Unlike traditional gatherings focused strictly on acting achievements, the newly minted festival blends international film achievements with performance accolades. The opening ceremony featured the announcement of several newly established prizes, including a lifetime achievement award named after Danilo Bata Stojković for best producer, alongside honors named after the late Niš actor Desimir Stanojević for young acting talent.
Actress Snežana Savić, who chairs the main acting jury alongside Milenko Pavlov, Slobodan Ćustić, Milan Bosiljčić, and Ana Sakić, accepted the city keys from Mayor Dragoslav Pavlović outside the Hotel Ambasador before officially declaring the festival open with a conciliatory message: Niš is big enough for all of us, and film is the biggest.
The competitive slate launched with a regional premiere for the film Čuvar ikone Svetog Đorđa
, directed by Jelena Bajić Jočić with a cast that earned a prolonged ovation from the audience. Over the next six days, audiences will navigate a lineup featuring 12 films in the national selection, eight international selections, and six remastered classics as Niš tests whether two separate film festivals can coexist in a single fragmented season.
