FEST is annual film festival held in Belgrade, Serbia since 1971. The festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year.
It was the only film festival in socialist countries that attracted big Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Kirk Douglas, Robert De Niro, Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and famous directors like Miloš Forman, Francis Ford Coppola, Roman Polanski, Sam Peckinpah, Pier Paolo Pasolini etc.
The festival's significance declined in the 1990s, mostly due to the international embargo FR Yugoslavia was under at the time. In 1993 and 1994, it was not even held and in 1997 it was interrupted in protest against police brutality taking place against student protesters.
However, FEST still attracts a large number of movie buffs. In 2007, 98,191 tickets were sold for around 80 films.
In 2007. it was opened by actress Catherine Deneuve and 2009. by actor Ralph Fiennes.
Since 2006, B2B Belgrade Industry Meetings is established as a part of FEST. Program and business focus of B2B are cinematographies of the Europe out of Europe countries. B2B focuses on production, authors and films with the origin geographically in Europe, but still not enough intensely included in European integrative currents, also in countries outside Europe with strong European influence and heritage - Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Belgrade ( /ˈbɛlɡreɪd/; Serbian: Београд; [beǒɡrad] ( listen); names in other languages) is the capital and largest city of Serbia. The city is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. Its name in English translates to White city. The city proper has a population of over 1.1 million, while its metropolitan area has over 1.6 million people, making it one of the largest cities in Southeast Europe.
One of the largest prehistoric cultures of Europe, the Vinča culture, evolved around the area Belgrade in the 6th millennium BC. In antiquity, Thraco-Dacians inhabited the region, and after 279 BC Celts conquered the city, naming it Singidūn. It was conquered by the Romans during the reign of Augustus, and awarded city rights in the mid 2nd century. It was settled by the Slavs in the 520s, and changed hands several times before it became the capital of King Stephen Dragutin (1282–1316). In 1521 Belgrade was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and became the seat of a the Sanjak of Smederevo. It frequently passed from Ottoman to Habsburg rule, which saw the destruction of most of the city during the Austro-Ottoman wars. Belgrade was again named the capital of Serbia in 1841. The north of Belgrade remained a Habsburg outpost until 1918, when it was merged into the capital city. As a strategic location, the city was battled over in 115 wars and razed to the ground 44 times. Belgrade was the capital of Yugoslavia (in various forms of governments) from its creation in 1918, to its final dissolution in 2006.
Something's wrong, someone's gonna pay
The innocent are getting blown away
Months ago a peaceful scene
We bought the kids some ice-cream
While the bombs are dropping on our friends - Belgrade
Wondering where it all is gonna end - Belgrade
Better stop now before it's too late - Belgrade
People pay for the government mistakes - Belgrade
Belgrade
a welcome like you wouldn't believe
brand new friends and "chivalry"
smuggling talks with a gangsta chief
made the gig by the skin of our teeth
While the bombs are dropping on our friends - Belgrade
Wondering where it all is gonna end - Belgrade
Better stop now before it's too late - Belgrade
People pay for the government mistakes - Belgrade
Belgrade
Waiting on the steps for the latest news
Frantic calls and interviews
I watched TV with real concern
And one day we will return
While the bombs are dropping on our friends - Belgrade
Wondering where it all is gonna end - Belgrade
Better stop now before it's too late - Belgrade
People pay for the government mistakes - Belgrade
[repeat]