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THE IMAGES STILL REMAIN

by Fred Kelemen

First of all, in the name of the jury, I want to thank the leading staff of the festival, especially Labina Mitevska, and the wonderful hostesses, Alexandra, Eli, Biljana and all the others, for their warmhearted treatment.
And many thanks to everyone who made this festival possible and real.
As well, I want to thank my colleagues of the jury, Virgini, Ilija, Damjan and Miladin, for the interesting and inspiring collaboration.

Not only when we die, but long before, during our lives, we may understand that the only things that will stay when all is lost or gone, are the images and the emotions. After everything has left us, the images remain.
This festival celebrates the image.
The image does not have to be beautiful and its quality is not a technical question. It is a question of revealing the metaphysical behind the physical, the heart inside. The question is whether an image makes us see more than the surface, whether it brings us in touch with what lies beyond the visible. And this is not a question of commercial strategy or propaganda, but of dignity, devotion, knowledge, courage, freedom and love.
We, the members of the jury, have watched each film attentively with our eyes, minds and hearts.
Our decisions regarding the awards are as follows.
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(Speech by Fred Kelemen, President of the Jury, at the closing night of the 33. Manaki Brothers International Cinematographers' Film Festival 2012, Bitola / Macedonia, 2012 September 21)