When asked about the last film festival, which came to a close two days ago, people in Motovun are unanimous: the first four days were far below expectations in terms of numbers, but the fifth day was as crowded as usual. Many of them say it was horrendous, too. The last day of the festival generally attracts Istrian youngsters, who could not care less about movies. Beer and kebab is what they are really about. Well, drugs flow freely, and there are sexual partners galore, as well. At any rate, the two events running concurrently in Motovun are now clearly separated. The film festival is dying, and the youth carnival is still running strong. The question that remains is when the organizers of the vaunted film festival will recognize that it is time to pull out. Although they do benefit from the youth carnival, for it offers the numbers they can boast about, they are also tarnished by it. One visit is enough to see that Motovun is not about film. Will this year’s festival be the last? Or will we have to go through another carnival until the curtain is drawn for good?

Addendum (August 4, 2009)

Since my return to Motovun, I have been talking with many people about the confusion between the festival and the carnival in town. One theme now emerges as crucial in my mind: the confusion serves only a few people, some of whom make good money from it. The organizers of the festival make money from the numbers that supposedly enjoy it, which are important to assorted sponsors, and the organizers of the carnival make money from all the beer guzzled and the kebab gobbled during the supposed festival. The collusion between the two explains the confusion. It is an intricate arrangement, but it eventually benefits a handful of people only. I know them all, it goes without saying, but I will not mention their names out of sheer delicacy.