‘Everything is Forever’ wins int’l filmfest top awards

Let us share with you the fantastic news of 'Everything is Forever' winning two top awards at the 47th Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival published on The Filipino Australian 

http://www.thefilipinoaustralian.com/news/index.php/2014/04/14/everything-is-forever-wins-intl-filmfest-top-awards/

Stephanie Silber, Vic Zimet and Nenad Bach - the winning team

Last week, TFA Community Blogs featured Croatian-American composer-singer-writer Nenad Bach and his connection with the Filipino Australian community through his music which he lent to support charity drives for victims of super typhoons in the Philippines. Last night, TFA learned that a feature film about him, ‘Everything is Forever’, won top international film awards. TFA writer Violi Calvert shares with us her notes on the awards and Nenad Bach. / Ed.

The journey of Croatian-American composer/singer and writer Nenad Bach through war and peace, and rock and roll captured in the documentary/feature film ‘Everything is Forever’ won top awards at the 47th Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival (April 4-13).

The feature film garnered the prestigious Platinum Remi Award for Theatrical Feature Film & Video Award and the Special Jury Remi Award for Music Video Award – Stage Concert/ Performance.

 Houston Film Festival two awards

The film spanning fifteen years of the life of Nenad Bach in the USA, Croatia and other parts of Europe, was cleverly made alive on the screen by the talented director Vic Zimet and produced by the prolific writer Stephanie Silber, both of Home Team Productions. Vic and Stephanie were thrilled to receive the plaques with Nenad during the awarding ceremony.

One of Nenad’s friends who attended the film festival was David Byler. David posted on Facebook:

“I’m exhausted and happy tonight/this morning/this afternoon whatever it is. The World Premiere showing of the Vic Zimet film “Everything is Forever” about Nenad Bach was a fantastic success. Not only did the Croatian club show up in strength, many others in the Croatian and Bosnian community were with us tonight. There were viewers from Mexico and Kuwait, India, Germany and other countries came too. New friends were there and enjoyed the production and contributed with good solid questions during the question and answer period as well. Nenad and Vic were so swamped with admirers that it was difficult to clear the theatre for the next show. Marvellous evening! Now I’m off to sleep. Laka ti noc ya’ll!”

When asked for his comments on the mammoth wins of ‘Everything is Forever’, Nenad said: “I feel humbled and honored. After 15 years it feels great to be validated at the first festival. My gratitude towards the whole team especially Vic and Steph.”

 Nenad in his 'signature pose' with the awards

The Houston International Film Festival is the first of four film festivals so far that ‘Everything is Forever’ has joined and has been officially accepted.

The indications are that it will be reaping more success as it gets screened in subsequent film festivals.

The film does not only have the components that appeal to discerning viewers and critics; it is also backed by the passion, talent and other admirable qualities of the subject [Nenad Bach] and the team behind it [Vic Zimet, Stephanie Silber and rest of the Home Team Productions].

Filipino Friend Artist’s Life Screens in Film Festivals

http://thefilipinoaustralian.com/blogs/filipino-friend-artists-life-screens-in-film-festivals/

Here's to share an article published in The Filipino Australian about "Everything is Forever".

Cinematic Journey of the Artist

A movie on the life of Croatian-American composer/singer and writer, Nenad Bach, is set to premiere at the 47th Annual Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival to be held over a ten-day period from 11th April 2014.

Titled Everything is Forever, the film follows Nenad Bach through war and peace, and rock and roll. It was filmed over the last fifteen years or so by the Home Team Productions headed by renowned American Film Director and Editor Victor Zimet, with the prolific writer Stephanie Silber as Producer.

The film so far, has also been an official selection of three other International Film Festivals. Two weeks after the world premiere in Houston, the film will be screening at the Julien Dubuque Film Festival (April 24-27) in Dubuque, Iowa. This will be followed by the 5th Starigrad Paklenica Film Festival (August 2-7) in Zagreb, Croatia and the 14th Annual Kansas International Film Festival in October 2014.

Victor Zimet relishes: “We are very excited as this is our 4th festival commitment and we only started the process in January. The future looks bright for our little indie. Good things are happening and we owe it all to you, our supporters.”

Of the film’s subject, Stephanie Silber writes: “Nenad Bach has a dream, and he wants to share it. In a disordered world, a world of war and violence, injustice and economic woe, composer/musician Bach believes the human family can connect to create a seismic force capable of changing forever our troubled earth.

Through his evocative and singular brand of music, he calls back the ethos of the sixties in a passionate cri de couer. Antithetical to today’s commodity driven market, Bach’s lucid message is substantive and unafraid to question, delivered with unsurpassed beauty, heart, and soul, and is infused with a droll wit and a well-honed sense of humor. The New York Times called Nenad “a cross between Lou Reed and Elton John,” but his fans prefer to think of him as ‘Lennon-esque.’ “.

Nenad, on the other hand, when asked for his overall comments about the film, states: “Victor Zimet’s editing is an audio-visual poetry. Stephanie Silber’s compassion can be seen on the screen. We have to use all means to stop all wars in one hour. World Peace in One Hour.”

The Filipino-Australian Connection

Aside from his great work in composing, singing and writing, Nenad also has scored films and is a tireless worker for world peace, social justice and the environment.

An example of his outreach to those in need was his support by endorsing the ~One~ Charity CD which was organised by the Sydney group Artists & Linked Friends in Action [ALFA] to raise funds for the survivors of the Washi Typhoon in 2012.

He has also agreed recently to have two of his songs to be included in the CD titled “We Will Never Leave You” compiled by Filipino-Australian writer/radio broadcaster Mitchell Badelles to raise funds for the Haiyan typhoon survivors.

Nenad’s affinity with the Filipino people is also reflected with the lyrics of two of his songs translated into Filipino – “All I Want is Freedom” to “Tanging Nais Ko ay Kalayaan” and “I Will Follow You” to “Ako ay Susunod sa Iyo”.

Nenad developed ties with the Filipino-Australian community following getting acquainted with Violi Calvert through handball.

Nenad, who is the Editor and Publisher of CROWN [Croatian World Network] published the photograph of Bevan Calvert taken during a game against Croatia in the 2005 Handball World Championship. That was the start of Nenad’s support to Australian handball and subsequently to the Filipino-Australian community through publishing articles which helped raise the profile of the handball team. He also arranged valuable assistance to the team during the 2009 World Championship held in Croatia.

 

Violi and Nenad met in person during a trip by Violi in 2008. She then agreed to be the link of Nenad Bach Music to Australia through her role of Media & PR.

Then in 2010, Nenad was invited to perform in the famous Royal Perth Show which attracted about 400,000 visitors. At the invitation of Nenad, Violi attended the performances in Perth and was also part of the publicity group. One of the photos she took was used and duly acknowledged in the DVD cover of ‘Everything Is Forever’.

Nenad’s Beginnings

A native of Zagreb, Croatia, Nenad graduated as a civil engineer from the University of Rijeka. He was classically trained in violin and flute, and is self-taught at guitar. His band Vrijeme i Zemlja was formed while he was in college and had two Number 1 albums in Europe (“Vrijeme i Zemlja I” in 1980 and “Greatest Hits” in 1988).

Nenad moved to New York in the 1984, and recorded his first US album, “Greatest Hits” in 1987. His song “Can We Go Higher?” was written as a call for peace during the war in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was released by Sony/Rockworld in 1992 and was performed by Nenad at Woodstock ’94 in the US and in Modena, Italy at the 1995 concert “Pavarotti and Friends” and appears on the album “Pavarotti and Friends – Together for the Children of Bosnia” (1996).

For more information on the music and other works of Nenad, check out his website: nenad@nenadbach. com