简介：MasterdirectorGoranPaskaljevic’slatestfilm,TheOptimists,isabrilliant,causticanthologyoffivestoriesinspiredbyVoltaire’s“Candide.”Whileeachinstalmentfleshesoutadistinctuniverse,allcastajaundicedeyeonthecharlatanswhohypeanoptimisticoutlookonlifeatallcosts.Blindtothebleaknessaroundthem,theypreachpositivethinkingaboardthefast-sinkingshipofWesterncivilization. EachvignettestarsveteranSerbianactorLazarRistovski.Inthefirst,arovinghypnotistarrivesinadestroyedvillageandpromoteshispowerstoboostthecommunity’sconfidence.Thesecondisaboutawealthyfoundryownerwhorapesthedaughterofoneofhisemployees.Whenthesteelworkermenacestheindustrialistwithagun,hisbossturnsthetables.Partthreefollowsayoungchapwhogamblesawayallthemoneyhislandlordunclehadsavedforhisfather’sfuneral;meanwhile,hemakesabusinesspropositiontotheelderlyslot-machineproatthelocalcasino. Inthefourthtale,acardiologistvisitstheownerofanabattoir,amanwhoseyoungsonhastakentothefamilybusinesswithabandon.Infact,hisgruesomegustohasledhimtobelockedupbyhisfather–thatis,untilthenaivedoctorletsthebloodthirstyboyfree.Thefinalandmostoutrageouschapterillustrateswhathappenswhenabusfullofsaps–desperateforspiritualandphysicalhealing–aredrivenintothemiddleofnowhereandabandonedbyaconartist. Thefilmisrifewithmetaphoricreferencestothedisastrouswarintheregionandthesocialdissolutionitgenerated.Insomestoriesthemoralisclear,whileothersrequireviewerstoaskwhichcharactershaveafirmgrasponrealityandwhicharedeceivingthemselves–orothers.Ristovski–whostarredinPaskaljevic’s2004FestivalentryMidwinterNight’sDream–bringstolifeanarrayofdifferentcharacterswithstartlingexpertise.Thefilmboastsavaguelysurreal,off-kiltertone,filledwithfull-bodied,vigorouscharacterizationsandearthy,tactileimages(adrivewayfullofsmashedwatermelons,forexample).Mostcompelling,however,isitsdarksenseofhumouranditsunflinchingwillingnesstosniffoutmendacityandfalsehopewherevertheymaylie. -DimitriEipides GoranPaskaljevicwasborninBelgradeandstudiedattheFilmandTelevisionSchooloftheAcademyofPerformingArtsinPrague(FAMU).Hehassincedirectedmorethanfortydocumentaries,shortsandfeatures,whichincludeBeachGuardinWinter(76),TheDogWhoLovedTrains(78),SpecialTreatment(80),TheElusiveSummerof’68(84),GuardianAngel(87),TangoArgentino(92),SomeoneElse’sAmerica(95),CabaretBalkan(98),HowHarryBecameaTree(01),MidwinterNight’sDream(04)andTheOptimists(06).…