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Stuck Together

Nominated for

Best Experimental

Directed by

Tanja Balac

6' • Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • 2020

Language:

No Dialogue

The idea of my film Stuck Together deals with the global subject of the migrant crisis referring, above all, to the xenophobia and panic rhetoric present in all mainstream media which, simultaneously, serves as a defence of the so-called imperialistic politics of the great powers. The idea is to try and expose this discourse, whereas to perceive the present migrations in a historic and globally political context realized through a concrete artistic practice. With that, we will get a more complete picture of this problem and will obviously open a lot of questions but we will also call for possible solutions. Through my creative investigation in my experimental film Stuck Together, and at the same time using a strong visual aesthetics, these twenty silent participants placed and stuck in a symbolical space – a glass cube placed in an open area, I refer to the global actual issue, and the life and destiny of migrants and homeless people, whereas, through their sad destinies, I reflect the picture of the present society. Actually, through their non-verbal gesticulations, mimes and lost eye-sights, there are different dimensions of attitudes and question that intersect with each other, of past and present, the relation of centre and periphery, all aspects of movements and travel, migrations and exile, but also establishing new standards in communication of contemporary local, regional and European dimensions in a time where reading new constellations and ideologies from the past is needed due to the new establishment in the multipolar new world.

Director's Bio: Tanja Balac was born in Skopje in 1968. She graduated at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Skopje, in 1991, at the division of painting. Paving her artistic and professional path over the years, in 2008 she received her Master’s degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Skopje at the division of painting. Member of the Association of Artists of Macedonia (DLUM) since 1996, she was also its president in the period of 2006-2013. Among her many professional visits outside the borders of her country, the study visit in Paris in 2003 is well worth mentioning. Her professional and artistic experience has been constantly enriched by work and study visits abroad, participation at conferences and workshops. Besides paintings, Tanja is also interested in creating installations, video art projects, and art performances. At present, she lives and works in Skopje.

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