John Vardar vs the Galaxy

John Vardar vs the Galaxy
Macedonian theatrical release poster
Directed byGoce Cvetanovski
Written byGoce Cvetanovski
Produced byAlan Castillo
Eva Konrad
Kalinov Brothers
Lado Skorin
StarringŽarko Dimoski
Damjan Cvetanovski
Emilija Micevska
Edited byGoce Cvetanovski
Music byMiroslav Dimov
Production
companies
Lynx Animation Studios
3D2D Animatori
Invictus
Umatik Entertainment
Release dates
  • October 5, 2024 (2024-10-05) (Sitges)
  • November 1, 2024 (2024-11-01) (North Macedonia)
  • March 27, 2025 (2025-03-27) (Hungary)
Running time
86 minutes
CountriesNorth Macedonia
Croatia
Hungary
Bulgaria
LanguageMacedonian
Budget€1.1 million[1]

John Vardar vs the Galaxy (Macedonian: Јон Вардар против Галаксијата) is a 2024 animated space opera comedy film[2] written and directed by Goce Cvetanovski.[3] It is the first feature animation from North Macedonia.[4] It stars the voices of Žarko Dimoski, Damjan Cvetanovski and Emilija Micevska accompanied by Filip Trajković, Toni Denkovski, Atanas Atanasovski, Sladjana Vujošević, Martin Gjorgoski, Elena Tarčugovska and Bojana Toskovska.[5] It is a co-production between North Macedonia, Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria.[6]

Synopsis

John Vardar is a failed actor who is abducted by an alien spaceship. John becomes a prisoner of the intergalactic "zoo" of the spaceship's captain, Zark, where he meets two evil creatures, who steal the spaceship and the most dangerous weapon in the universe, the VMK (Reality Modification Device). However, Zark secretly plants the weapon in John's head, causing everything the human says to become real.[7]

Cast

  • Žarko Dimoski as Jon Vardar
  • Damjan Cvetanovski as Zark
  • Emilija Micevska as Lili
  • Filip Trajković
  • Toni Denkovski
  • Atanas Atanasovski
  • Sladjana Vujošević
  • Martin Gjorgoski
  • Elena Tarčugovska
  • Bojana Toskovska

Release

John Vardar vs the Galaxy had its world premiere on October 5, 2024, at the 57th Sitges Film Festival,[8][9] then screened on October 15, 2024, at the 9th KineNova International Film Festival,[10] on October 18, 2024, at the 48th São Paulo International Film Festival,[11] (South American Premiere), on December 6, 2024, at the 14th Balneário Camboriú International Film Festival,[12] on March 15, 2025, at the 29th Sofia International Film Festival,[13] on April 8, 2025, at the 26th Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema,[14] and on April 18, 2025, at the 47th Moscow International Film Festival.[15]

The film was released commercially on November 1, 2024, in Macedonian theaters,[16] then released in Hungarian theaters on March 27, 2025,[17] and in Bulgarian theaters on October 17, 2025.[18]

In 2025, the film continued its festival run with screenings at the 60th Hungarian Film Week, Fant Bilbao, Cartoons on the Bay, Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival, Schlingel International Film Festival, Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival, Zuma International Film Festival, and numerous animation, children’s, and genre-focused festivals across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.

Accolades

Year Award / Festival Category Recipient Result Ref.
2024 9th KineNova International Film Festival Grand Prix John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [19]
48th São Paulo International Film Festival New Directors Competition - Best Film Nominated [20][21]
Best New Director Goce Cvetanovski Nominated
2025 26th BAFICI Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival Best Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [22]
2025 29th Cartoons On the Bay Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [23]
2025 9th Portoviejo Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Award
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2025 9th Maracay International Film & Video Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [25]
2025 11th Montevideo World Film Festival Best Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [26]
2025 13th Ariano International Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Award [27]
2025 5th The Galactic Imaginarium Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Award [28]
2025 12th Silk Road Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [29]
2025 13th Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [30]
2025 30th Schlingel Filmfestival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [31]
2025 14th International Tour Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [32]
2025 6th Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival Best Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Special Mention [33]
2025 11th Taichung International Animation Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [34]
2025 18th Leskovac International Film Directors Festival Best Director Goce Cvetanovski Nominated [35]
2025 6th Beijing International Children’s Film Festival Best Animation Feature Goce Cvetanovski Nominated [36]
2025 19th International Chinh India Kids Film Festival Best Animation Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Silver Chinh Award [37]
2026 9th Churumbela Children’s Film Festival Best Feature John Vardar vs the Galaxy Nominated [38]

References

  1. ^ Петреска, Емилија (2024-11-26). "Како се создаваше "Јон Вардар против галаксијата"". Призма (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  2. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (2018-05-15). "Macedonia's First Feature Toon 'John Vardar' Scores Local Funding". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  3. ^ ""Јон Вардар против галаксијата" викендов беше премиерно прикажан во Шпанија". Femina.mk. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  4. ^ Amidi, Amid (2016-09-01). "Exclusive: Trailer For Macedonia's First Animated Feature, 'John Vardar vs. the Galaxy'". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  5. ^ "АНИМИРАНИОТ "ЈОН ВАРДАР ПРОТИВ ГАЛАКСИЈАТА" НА ГОЦЕ ЦВЕТАНОВСКИ ОД 1 НОЕМВРИ ИГРА ВО СИНЕПЛЕКС И КИНОВЕРЗУМ ВО СКОПЈЕ". Сакам Да Кажам (in Macedonian). 2024-10-30. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  6. ^ Конев, Горан (2025-04-22). ""ЈОН ВАРДАР ПРОТИВ ГАЛАКСИЈАТА" НА ГОЦЕ ЦВЕТАНОВСКИ ПРИКАЖАН НА МЕЃУНАРОДНИОТ ФИЛМСКИ ФЕСТИВАЛ ВО МОСКВА". СМАРТ - СДК МК (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  7. ^ "Egy hónap múlva érkezik a John Vardar vs a Galaxis című flúgos űrparódia a hazai mozikba". NFI (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  8. ^ "Sitges2024 completa la constelación del mejor Fantástico del mundo". Sitges Film Festival (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  9. ^ "Festival de Sitges 2024: Todas las películas e invitados del mayor evento de cine fantástico del mundo". Fotogramas (in European Spanish). 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  10. ^ "Mакедонската премиера на "Јон Вардар против Галаксијата" ја отвора 9. "Киненова" | Вечер ...1963". Vecer MK. 2024-11-09. Archived from the original on 2024-11-09.
  11. ^ "John Vardar vs. the Galaxy". São Paulo International Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  12. ^ ""Јон Вардар против галаксијата" повторно ќе се прикажува во Бразил". Fakulteti mk. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  13. ^ John Vardar vs the Galaxy. Retrieved 2025-05-09 – via Sofia International Film Festival.
  14. ^ "John Vardar vs the Galaxy". Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  15. ^ Дејан, Дејан (2025-04-19). ""Јон Вардар против галаксијата" премиерно прикажан во Москва". Telma mk (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  16. ^ ""Јон Вардар против галаксијата" в петок доаѓа во киносалите". Fakulteti mk. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  17. ^ ""Јон Вардар против Галаксијата" почна да се прикажува во Унгарија - УМНО.МК". Умно.мк (in Macedonian). 2025-03-29. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  18. ^ John Vardar vs the Galaxy. 17 Oct 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-01 – via www.kinoarena.com.
  19. ^ Анѓелков, Игор (2024-10-20). "Наградените филмови на "КинеНова#9"". Херој на еден ден (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  20. ^ Дејан, Дејан (2024-10-22). "Филмот "Јон Вардар против Галаксијата" на фестивал во Бразил". telma.com.mk (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  21. ^ "See the winners of the 48th São Paulo International Film Festival". São Paulo International Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  22. ^ "John Vardar vs the Galaxy | Bafici.org" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  23. ^ "JOHN VARDAR vs THE GALAXY | Cartoons On The Bay" (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  24. ^ "Winners 2025". Mi sitio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  25. ^ "Feature-2025". MIFVIF. MARACAY INTERNATIONAL FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  26. ^ "2025 Largometrajes". montecine (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  27. ^ superadmin. "AIFF -". Ariano International Film Festival (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  28. ^ "Film List – TGI Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival". festival.galactic.one. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  29. ^ ""金丝路奖"入围影片正式公布！". Weixin Official Accounts Platform. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  30. ^ "Films 2025 – Giffoni Macedonia". Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  31. ^ "Festival Movies | SCHLINGEL - Internationales Filmfestival". ff-schlingel.de. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  32. ^ "ITFF 2025 Works in Competition". ITFF. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  33. ^ "Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival (2025)". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  34. ^ "2025 TIAF臺中國際動畫影展官網". twtiaf.com (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  35. ^ "Jon Vardar protiv Galaksijata – Leskovacki internacionalni festival filmske rezije" (in Serbian). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  36. ^ "2025SELECTION". 北京国际儿童电影展. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  37. ^ "19th CIKFF 2025". chinh.in. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  38. ^ "Selección 2025". Churumbela Fest (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
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