ED AWARD for Central European short film
Exit Through the Cuckoo’s Nest
7. 9. 2024
10:00
GEH8
original title
Exit Through the Cuckoo’s Nest
directed by
Nikola Ilić
produced by
Laurin Merz (HOOK Film & Kultur Produktion)
year
2024
duration
20 minutes
country
Switzerland
language
Serbian with English subtitles
Synopsis
This personal short documentary tells the story of a soldier who never wanted to be one. His decision never to pull a trigger led to resistance and ultimately to military prison. Pretending to be mentally ill, he leaves the war zone and returns to Belgrade via the insane asylum. On the day NATO begins bombing the entire country.
The film was nominated among others for the Visions du Réel 2024 and Vienna Shorts 2024 film festivals.
#documentary
Originally from Belgrade (Serbia), Nikola Ilić is an independent filmmaker, and cinematographer interested in creative and observational documentary film-making. Since 2007 lives, studies and works between Switzerland and Serbia. His short films have been shown and awarded at many international Festivals around the globe. His most recent feature Doc (Co-Directed with Corina Schwingruber Ilić) won a DOK Leipzig Golden Dove among other awards. Three times nominated for the Swiss Film Award. Two times winner of Zürich Film Award and Film Award of Central Switzerland. Co-founder of Pro Short Association. Member of the Swiss Film Academy and the European Film Academy.
