Znam (I Know)

Directed by Jan Cvitkovic

Review by Rada Djurica

Jan Cvitkovic is an established film director from Slovenia, who already won the Golden Lion Award in Venice on Mostra 2001 for his feature film, Kruh i mliko. Cvitkovic's film I Know recently received the special jury award at theSarajevo Film Festival 2008. And as one of the most distinguished film directors from Slovenia — not only for his films but also for his work as an actor and screenwriter (although he is by education an architect) — he is often a guest of the Zagreb Film Festival. The festival this year presented his short film as that, as he claims, is nonetheless the most complete work of his entire career.

Every country in the Balkan region of ex-Yugoslavia today has its own characteristics, and Slovenia's film is recognizable for its style and aesthetics. At the moment, the times are hard for Slovenian cinema. The people who came to power completely destroyed cinematography. So for the last four years, Cvitkovic made nothing. I Know was entirely backed by his friends. Likewise, Cvitkovic's last film that was made a short time ago in Italy, with Italian money.

Jan Cvitkovic's film Znam (I Know) appeals to a certain type of audience. The film is simple and has an internal power and special atmosphere, that is, in its own way, hermetical, like a mini universe. It's the kind of film that, every time you see it, you see it differently, in a slightly better way. It's like when you hear song and you don't like it that much, but then you hear it couple of more times and you like it more and more.