Great success for Croatian cinema!
Short film Into the blue by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović won the First Prize (Professional Jury: Best Live-Action Short) at the International Children's Film Festival in Chicago, whose 34th edition was held from October 27 to November 5, 2017, reports HAVC on November 10, 2017.
By winning the first prize, the movie has fulfilled the requirements necessary to be considered for Oscar nomination in the category of short film. The International Children's Film Festival in Chicago is the largest and most longest-running event of this type in the United States, which is visited annually by around 26,000 people. Awards are awarded by a professional jury of filmmakers, critics and educators, a kid's jury and a jury of young people between the ages of 15 and 18. In addition to winning the first prize awarded by the professional jury, the film also won the second Youth Jury prize. The children's jury awarded the first prize in the category of an animated feature film to Czech, Slovakian and Croatian co-production Oddsockeaters directed by Galina Miklínova. For a full list of winners, click here.
The film Into the Blue is about a thirteen-year-old Julija and her mother who flee their abusive household and find refuge on an idyllic Croatian island where Julija grew up. Emotionally scarred, Julija is desperate to reconnect with her best friend, Ana. But Ana is in love with a boy and Julija is no longer a priority. Ana’s mounting rejection re-ignites Julija’s wounds and family history, awakening the monster of violence she thought she’s left behind.
Besides Into the Blue, three more Croatian titles have the opportunity to be Oscar-nominated: animated short film Nighthawk by Špela Čadež (Slovenian-Croatian co-production) has also qualified for a nomination thanks to winning the main prize at Animafest Zagreb, along with the Canadian-Croatian co-production of animated short film titled Hedgehog’s Home by Eva Cvijanović and short live-action film Magda Mozarka by Bojana Momirović, both of which satisfied the Academy’s criteria of a 7-day commercial theatrical release in Los Angeles County.
Excerpts translated from HAVC (and Into the Blue official website)
