This is just how things work around here. Mitja Okorn, who directed an amazing promotional film for the celebration of 30 years of independent Slovenia, which also received praise from abroad, is now being attacked by the far left. Why? “Because he is a movie director for the far-right.” That is just how Slovenian leftists operate. If you are not “theirs,” they will discredit and insult you for no apparent reason. “Mitja Okorn can make a whole bunch of other average, uninteresting movies, but he will forever stand out as the movie director of the far-right,” a journalist of the national media outlet RTV Slovenia, Boris Vasev, wrote in an article for the web portal MMC. And even though Okorn is more successful than Vasev will ever be, the latter still allowed himself to write such a statement. “Thank you, Mitja Okorn. Our guests from the EU say that you have created a masterpiece,” Prime Minister Janez Janša wrote on Twitter, referring to the incredible seven-minute film masterpiece – a movie depiction of our national anthem, Zdravljica (A Toast).
Slovenian film director Mitja Okorn is proof that a Slovenian can also find success in the American dream industry – Hollywood. He began his career in 2004 with the low-budget local comedy Tu pa tam (Here and There) that was recorded in Kranj. Prior to that, he was known in Slovenia as a music video director for Slovenian artists. During the time of Pahor’s government, the Ministry of Culture under the leadership of Majda Širca did not approve funding for his film. Realising that it is always the same names that keep receiving funding for their films in Slovenia, he decided to try and sell his knowledge abroad.
And what we failed to appreciate in Slovenia was definitely appreciated in Poland. Okorn quickly became popular after filming the series 39 and a Half. This was followed by the blockbuster film Letters to St. Nicholas, which is considered to be one of the best romantic comedies of the previous decade in the world rankings. He also recorded a so-called sequel to his blockbuster, called Planet of the Single People. What followed was a call from Hollywood, where he shot the hit film Life in a Year. Two young American actors starred in it – namely, Jaden Smith (son of American film actor Will Smith) and Cara Delevingne. At the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Slovenian state, he surprised the audience and the Slovenian public with a unique and top-quality interpretation of our national anthem, Zdravljica. However, it seems that this once again greatly disturbed certain prominent representatives of the far left, such as the MMC RTV Slovenia journalist Boris Vasev.
MMC journalist Boris Vasev called Mitja Okorn a far-right director
Vasev once again took advantage of the situation to get his five minutes in the spotlight. He called Okorn an average director of uninteresting movies. “He will forever stand out as the movie director of the far-right,” he added. Vasev was probably sad that Okorn did not include Hamas, the LGBT community, or Jenull’s political cyclists in his movie interpretation of Zdravljica.
Mitja Okorn managed to perfectly combine the original idea of the European Union and the birth of the Slovenian state in the interpretation of Zdravljica. Thus, the musical background for the movie was provided by Okorn’s composer, the Pole Lukas Targosz. The vocal parts of Zdravljica were sung by the a capella group Perpetuum Jazzile. They are considered to be one of the major promoters of Slovenian culture abroad. Guests from abroad also praised Okorn’s promotional film, which was created ahead of Slovenia’s Presidency of the European Council, which Prime Minister Janez Janša also mentioned in his congratulatory message sent to Okorn.
This is the main problem of certain far-left socio-political activists, such as Vasev. During the time of the previous, left-wing governments, the celebration was always prepared by the on-duty cultural workers, who experimented with their visions but were, unfortunately, not understood by anyone. This year’s celebration proved to be one of the best presentations of our country in recent years. This was also clear from the ratings (more than 38 percent of all viewers tuned in to watch the broadcast) and the enthusiasm of foreign guests. One of the people who contributed the most to this atmosphere was also Mitja Okorn. However, this is what the government’s ideological opponents are most bothered by.
Luka Perš
