TOP5 – MITJA OKORN | Urban Buddha Music

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39.duncan, afromental, director, film, kenworthy, mitja, okorn, pa, poland, Slovenia, tam, tedx, tu, winna

Once again it is time for TOP5.

This time our guest is Slovenian film director Mitja Okorn. Mitja is currently living in Poland.

He is one of the most successful Slovenian film directors.

His skating documentaries Not sponsored (2000) , Not sponsored 2 (2002)

His first short film Be Flexible won the best short prize at Motovun International Film Festival in 2003. His first music video was for Slovenian band Los Ventilos. Since then he directed more then 30 videos for artist like: Kosta, Kocka, Diyala, Jah Waggie, Dan D, Elvis Jackson, Nina Osenar

In 2005 his debut film ” TU PA TAM ” premiered in Slovenia. It was probably first Slovenian ” no – budget ” movie. It is 8th most watched film in Slovenia ever and definitely most pirated film in Slovenia. It was also shown on several film festivals like LIFFe (International Film Festival in Ljubljana), Bradford Film Festival (England), Scotland’s International Film Festival for Children & Young People – Discovery, Torun Film Festival (Poland) and Film Festival in Sunderland (England)

In 2007 he got a nomination for International Young Film Entrepreneur of the Year Award (IYFEY), organised by the British Council. He was invited to London where he met key leaders and innovators from the UK film industry.

He attended the Berlinale Talent Campus two times and he also lectures on low budget filmmaking, encouraging young people to get into the business.

Mitja Okorn

Photo: FB

In 2007 Mitja directed six episodes of the award winning Polish television series “39 i Pol (39 and a Half)”, about a man who tries to get his life in order, win his wife back and reactivate his old punk rock band all before his 40th birthday. In 2008 he returned and directed the entire second season.

In December 2011 premiered his first polish movie titled ” Letters to St. Nicholas or. Listy do M. in polish ” . Film includes polish top actors. On the opening weekend the movie drew nearly 400 thousand people This is the third best opening of the Polish film score in the last 20 years. Official site of the movie. Article about the movie on Variety website.

Here is his inspiring lecture at TEDx conference in Maribor.

Duncan Kenworthy( BAFTA Academy vice president), IYFEY judge and noted producer (Love Actually, Notting Hill) describes Mitja as a “Slovenian Danny Boyle” likening his first film to Trainspotting with its “great narative energy and constant invention”

MITJA OKORN TOP5 POLISH SELECTION:

Afromental – Rise of the Rage