Kusturica gets lifetime achievement award at Moscow Film Festival

"I consider the Moscow Film Festival to be Europe's best," the Bosnian director Emir Kusturica told a Moscow press conference. A lifetime achievement award was presented to him at a ceremony following the premiere screening of his picture "Life Is A Miracle."

The Moscow Film Festival has always been up to the mark, and receiving one of its awards is a great honor, Kusturica said. He confessed, however, that he felt somewhat embarrassed by the word "lifetime," as he did not think his life in the movies was over yet. "But maybe it is appropriate, given the fact that I've recently become a grandfather," he added.

Speaking of art's mission, Kusturica said that art can have a therapeutic effect on people. He told about an experiment he is carrying out at a mental hospital. He shows his pictures there, trying to find out what kind of effect they produce on the patients, he explained.

"Unfortunately, film is losing its healing role in the modern-day world, turning instead into a video game. I would like my films to restore hope to people's hearts."

In reply to a question which movie part he would like to appear in as an actor, Kusturica said that his dream was to play the Cat in Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita." He was planning to make a film after Bulgakov's novel, but has now put his plans on the backburner, as he does not want this to be an English-language picture, something producer insists on. But he may take up the idea some time in the future, he said, as in his view, "The Master and Margarita" is "the best contemporary novel." "Making a screen version of such a high-caliber literary work is a great challenge, though," he added.