RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

EVENTS

Ana Šomlo

NEW TV TRENDS - PORTOROŽ 1978

The Yugoslav Television Festival which is held each уеаг in Мау offers a review of all programmes made in the previous уеаг. At the same time it invites comparison of the new programmes with those shown at the Festival of the preceding уеаг - and shows whether Yugoslav TV production is up on the уеаг before and, if so, in what агеа. It is only through intensive viewing that the variety and sum total of TV production can be seen and thus one gets the impression that in spite of some oscillations in quality the programmes yield a certain value and confirm the creative potential of writers who have already proved themselves, while also launching new names. It is obvoius that television in Yugoslavia is no longer a young medium since an intensive change of generation is in progress. The insDired documentary reporst typical of the previous generation - meetings with well-known personalities and the discovery of unknown places th e camera - brought to us by excellent reporters such as Milan Kovačević, Rajko Cerović, Branko Lentić, Milan Andrić, etc., remain buned in television libraries and reporters of the same calibre were not to be seen in Portorož this уеаг, or else this Festival did not make them known. There were no lavish, historical series such as Porobdžije (The Plunderers) produced by Sarajevo TV last уеаг o r Dimitrije Tucović produced by Belgrade TV in 1975. There was perhaps a more academic but at the same time more strictly documentary style in such programmes as: Bombaškiproces (The Bombers’ Trial) and Vučari iz Donje i Gornje Polače (The Wolf Hunters from Donje and Gornje Polače). If we look back at the 1978 Portorož Festival although only a short penod of time has elapsed, which is nonetheiess sufficient where TV is involved, it can be said (it is still early to draw conclusions) that the 1978 Portorož Festival was inclined to a more exact, informative and probably closer TV expression than earlier as regards documentaries, drama and even educational programmes. It rejected its attractive and rich theatrical heritage and sought instead to exploit its own potential.

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