FEST – Love that lasts
When in January 1971, under the visionary slogan "Brave new world", the curtain was raised on the first International Film Festival - FEST, Belgrade became the world capital of the seventh art. The screening of Altman's film "MASH" marked the beginning of an era in which generations of Belgraders and guests from all over the world will grow, mature and discover the world through moving images.
More than five decades later, that bond is stronger than ever.
The 53rd FEST International Film Festival is upon us , sponsored by the City and organized by CEBEF, which will be held from October 2 to 11, 2026.
This year's official slogan "Fest - Lasting Love" was inspired by a documentary film by prominent director Dink Tucaković, filmed on the occasion of the festival's 30th anniversary. This catchphrase is not just a festival motto; it is a faithful testimony of the unbreakable, decades-long passion between the domestic audience and cinematography. It is a tribute to the loyalty of generations of viewers who have made FEST an institution.
In its 53rd edition, FEST returns to the Sava Center - the hall that was its symbol and home for 40 years. The traditional, glamorous "Gala program" awaits the audience in this renovated building , but that is only the beginning of the fusion of the glorious past and the exciting future of the festival.
Following the example of the former legendary "Vidike", which was designed and led with great success by Dušan Makavejev, the similarly conceived program "TBC (Trash, Bizarre, Cult) in the wee hours" is returning to the pre-midnight time slot of Dom omladine Belgrade . Consisting of new as well as old premiere films, this segment is reserved for audiences seeking more extreme, subversive and daring cinematic content.
This year's big news are three competitive selections, equally represented in the program, which are focused on films from the European Union, but also on the top achievements of world and regional cinema.
This year, the ever more numerous Anglo-American cinematography arrives divided into two specific selections:
· "Travis Bickle and the Sundance Kid" - a program dedicated to the most famous American independent film festivals, Sundance and Tribeca.
· "Game of Thrones" - a selection of films from the countries of the former Commonwealth, in which primacy is held by extremely present and vibrant British cinematography.
Special attention is drawn to the new program segment "Goodbye to the 20th Century", stimulated by the increasingly frequent access of contemporary authors to the events and personalities that marked the last century. Whether they investigate dark historical phenomena (such as the Holocaust, priest pedophilia or the Heysel Stadium tragedy) or illuminate the biographies of visionaries who pushed humanity forward (such as Milica Tomic, Constantin Brancusi, Serdju Celibidake, Bill Evans, David Lynn or Om Kaltum) - all these films bear witness to a dynamic century that irreversibly accelerated history and left visible consequences on the world we live in today.
In addition to this historical coordinate system, the festival proudly presents two other shorter but extremely important programs:
· "FEST pantheon" - a selection dedicated to authors who have contributed both to FEST and to world cinema, including Volker Schlendorf, Pupi Avati and Robert Gedigiyan.
· "Children's Parade" - a program intended for the youngest FEST audience and their parents, who will be able to experience the first festival steps and a piece of great tradition in the magical ambience of the Sava Center's Blue Hall.
With a vision that combines tradition and the most modern author's voices, the program selector of the 53rd FEST, Dragan Jeličić, announces a holiday for all film lovers:
"With more than 100 films from over 50 national cinemas, FEST will once again be a film festival - ten days that probably won't change the world, but will make that world closer to us, and at least make us understand it a little better."
Welcome to the 53rd FEST!
