Toni Dimkov - Journalist / Free Press / Photo - M. Zdravev
Toni Dimkov - Journalist / Free Press / Photo - M. Zdravev

VIDEO INTERVIEW | Dimkov: Three years is not enough to make Skopje the European Capital of Culture in 2028

In mid-February, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will announce the results of the Annual Competition for Cultural Projects. There will be reactions and dissatisfaction as always, says Toni Dimkov, editor of "Cultural Press" and the best expert on cultural events in the country. In an interview for the show "Sloboden Pechat", he emphasizes that the biggest challenge in this department will be achieving synergy between the departments of culture and tourism, and cultural workers need to find a common language with tourism workers on how they will function during this calendar year.

-We can expect reactions again because it happens every year. Yes, 90 or 95 percent of the cultural events in the country depend on the Annual Competition of the Ministry of Culture, because almost all areas apply to the competition in order to succeed in realizing some of their projects. Reactions are common every year because, simply, the system is like that. For years, we have been supporting quantity, and a certain percentage of that quantity brings quality. In our country, it has not turned out that quantity naturally brings quality, but usually the year flows culturally and all those remarks and reactions somehow ritually pass, but the majority of those who applied to the competition accept the funds and realize projects. I believe that projects that will cover both sectors, culture and tourism, will receive funds to realize their plans - emphasizes Toni Dimkov.

For years, film professionals have been demonstrating dissatisfaction with the allocation of funds by the Film Agency for the realization of film projects, as well as raising alarms about misuse of funds and crime by individuals within the Agency. Just before the end of the year, the Film Agency received a new acting director, Veronika Buckovska, following the resignation of her predecessor, who resigned from her position shortly after her appointment.

-Despite all the problems that happened last year, it was on the pages of "Kulturen Pechat" that I reported on the filming of the first frame of several films. So the film industry did not stop, some projects were probably stopped. The reason for this was several changes in directors at the Film Agency. Every appointed director wants to check first what kind of terrain he is stepping on, and that check practically meant not signing some contracts that should have been signed. There were also criminal charges. It is a classic clan division of filmmakers. Some gravitate to one side, others to another, and there are still others who ideologically differ from the first two. So that is already part of that environment that we constantly live in, which has imposed itself with the complete politicization of society, where one cannot do a simple thing, buy a simple glass of water, so the parties have to fight among themselves, who will buy it, who will announce the tender. Something similar is happening at the Film Agency. Filmmakers have faith in the new acting director. Director, we will see during this year what results the Film Agency will come up with. By law, they must announce two competitions for supporting cinematography, one for supporting film works, and the second is for film festivals. It is even surprising that there are over 30 film festivals in Macedonia and with one competition some of those festivals are supported – says Dimkov.

He emphasizes that the film industry in recent years has been based on co-production and that co-production method greatly prolongs the entire process of filming, editing and post-production. Sometimes it even takes 4-5 years from the application of the project to the premiere of the film. Fortunately, in our country, Macedonian low-budget films, more "do it yourself", made with enthusiasm and dedication of the film crew, have made a breakthrough at renowned festivals.

-Macedonia has many dedicated filmmakers. They live for the film. They often remain with small royalties, and sometimes they remain without royalties due to such situations that occur with the suspension of payment of certain contracts by the Film Agency. However, there are many dedicated filmmakers who insist on the film being completed at all costs, and that is the effect that is probably recognized at film festivals - emphasizes Dimkov.

Regarding the announcement by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Digital Transformation to shoot a feature, serial and documentary film dedicated to the great Macedonian music star Tose Proeski, Dimkov says that this project, which will be financed by the government, will probably succeed.

-It is nice to make a documentary about Tose Proeski, but here we are already leaving the cultural zone a little and here we are moving more towards populism. He was famous during his life and it is unfortunate that his life ended too early and here it is expected that there will probably be some posthumous fame and it is probably expected that there will be positive reactions in the region in terms of accepting the documentary and despite the funds, it will be easier to secure interlocutors from the region who would then market and distribute the film and the series in a regional context. The idea is beautiful, I believe that the realization will succeed. The charisma that he carried while he was alive, I think continued to live on after his death and probably that is where the whole idea to make a feature film, documentary and series about him originated - says Dimkov.

Another challenge facing the Ministry of Culture and the local government in Skopje, the municipalities and the City of Skopje, are the projects and contents with which Skopje will justify the awarded title of European Capital of Culture in 2028. The Minister of Culture announced the renovation of the Universal Hall, as well as the Counter Hall of the Central Post Office, but the projects are at a standstill. A way is being sought for the Ministry to legally take over the complete reconstruction of the Universal Hall from the City of Skopje, for which criminal charges have been filed against the former Minister of Culture.

-I think that not only is there no time, but we should have started with it "yesterday". It is a complex problem. Everyone was happy to receive the title of European Capital, but the doubts are deep. Deep because this is no longer about culture, but about a complete presentation of the City of Skopje and when we look at what is happening in the City of Skopje, I do not know if the European Commission will allow such a thing to happen in the most polluted city in Europe and the world. However, it is a noble idea that was started back in 2012. It is not from yesterday, it is not from the previous ministry. The initiator of the initiative is Universal Hall, we all know what happened with Universal Hall. We have entered a magical circle where three years is not enough. Universal Hall is the project leader, so yes, it should be built and super functional. However, this is not the only problem here. There are many problems in Skopje that cannot be solved with a magic wand. In Skopje we have poor public transport. In Skopje we have less and less greenery. In Skopje we have small landfills around every possible container. Imagine if we presented ourselves as the European capital of culture with a pile of waste around every container. So here we are already stepping outside of culture, here we are already entering a mode of thinking, of living, and this is truly ungrateful to say, but I do not believe that by 2028 all these problems we have in Skopje will be sorted out - says Toni Dimkov in an interview for "Sloboden Pechat".

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