September 9, 2020 - The oldest international film festival in Croatia - Split Film Festival / International New Film Festival, will hold its 25th jubilee edition this September, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

In accordance with the current recommendations for protection against coronavirus, film lovers will be able to enjoy screenings in the open, announced the Split Film Festival on its website.

The festival will be held from September 10 to 17, and the central part of the program will be located in the pleasant ambiance of the Bacvice Open Air Cinema. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many famous film festival friends will not be able to visit Split, so the audience will be able to enjoy their company online. Among them is the winner of this year's special award for an outstanding contribution to the art of moving images - Mexican director Carlos Reygadas.

The backbone of the festival this year is the international competition of feature and short films, notably the award-winning Taiwanese drama RIZI / Days (directed by Tsai Ming-liang) and the documentary Land of my Father (directed by Matthew J Koshmrl), which brings to the screen the unresolved trauma of the Japanese occupation of Korea and the way it reflected on the lives of the peasants.

The accompanying program includes the documentary Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache (Pamela B Green), which sheds light on the intriguing story of the forgotten first female director and producer of more than a thousand films, whose achievements have so far been completely erased from of the dominant macho historical narrative.

Honoring the recent death of Bekim Sejranovic, the festival program also includes the film From Tokyo to Morava (Moku Teraoka), whose central character is Bekim.

The audience will have the opportunity to hang out with two favorite actresses from Split. Marija Skaricic arrives in Bacvice in the main role of the Swiss-Croatian film Mare (Andrea Staka) in which she embodies all the complexity of a middle-aged Dalmatian woman, while Ivana Roscic in the Slovenian-Italian film Stories from the Chestnut Forest (Gregor Bozic) stars in a dream story of a forgotten community that once lived on the border of Yugoslavia and Italy.

The online program of the festival offers film lovers and film professionals, no matter where they are, the opportunity to attend masterclasses by the American director of short experimental films Robert Arnold, the new media artist G.H. Hovagimyan, a lecture by British video artist George Barber and American director Pamela B. Green, among others.

For 25 years, the Split Film Festival has focused on works created in deviation from the ruling canons of film and video production. Apart from the recent world and domestic productions, the audience remembers the festival through a series of retrospectives, workshops, lectures, and presentations by leading experts. The globally unique retrospectives of Béla Tarr and Lars von Trier, the Brazilian Cinema Novo, and Orson Welles are especially remembered as the first, and so far only, retrospectives of the father of video art Nam June Paik.

The Split Film Festival is the first domestic film festival to promote new media from the beginning. It also provided its audience with the first drive-in cinema in these areas, the Béla Tarra film workshop, and a lecture by the father of film avant-garde Peter Kubelka.

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August 19, 2020 - Bacvice not Bali: meet the new beachfront digital nomad chill zone on Split's most famous beach from Saltwater. 

One of the (fairly obvious) secrets to a happy life in Croatia is to surround yourself with positive and creative people. While many sit around in cafes and complain about life, there are many creative, positive people existing in their own bubbles around the country, quietly finding ways around the bureaucracy and other stumbling blocks that make life in The Beautiful Croatia a unique set of challenges. 

I knew very little about co-working spaces when I first met Tanja Polegubic in Split about 18 months ago, but I was very impressed by her vision, determination, and creative thinking to get around the various barriers which exist in doing business in Croatia. While more and more people are now talking about the digital nomad opportunity in Croatia, Tanja has put a lot of thought into both the opportunities and challenges, as you can read in 10 Ways Croatia Will Be At The Forefront of Countries with a Digital Nomad Visa (DNV).

Tanja was one of the pioneers of co-working spaces in Split, with her centrally-located Saltwater office just off the main Split riva by Diocletian's Palace, but she has been working on something even cooler these past few weeks to offer visiting nomads the ultimate chill zone at Bacvice not Bali. A delightful remote worker space at the edge of Split's most famous beach, with its own dedicated space within a very cool bar. I was there a month ago and absolutely loved it, and I am thrilled that Tanja has finally brought the project to fruition - it is now open for business. 

How better to introduce it than in the words Tanja posted on Facebook announcing its opening:

With great #joy - the new part of the Saltwater Workspace Split business is #nowopen. Hoo-frikking-Ray! And #shoutout to my mum Anka Polegubic cause she's awesome! and pok. Šerif 

It has taken ... weeks! Painting. Drilling. Hardware store-ing. Wifi hacks. Gemišt and gin tastings. Etc.

Thank you to @kavala_beach_bar / @amandaluisebarnes for the setup. And everyone else who has supported this idea and is working here this week.... more important, those who #wishyouwerehere The #BobMarley is playing.... the #gemišt is flowing ... and The water is fine.

#repost @saltwatersplit Bačvice Beach ... The new Bali (well, when you can’t get to Bali).

#todaysoffice #saltwaterworkspace #croatiadigitalnomads

Bookings essential. #staysalty

TIME: 9am to 8pm. 7 days / summer only.

PRICE: 150 HRK minimum spend at the cafe/bar. (Tough life!)

Free for Saltwater Workspace Split  members.

BOOKINGS: Whatsapp Saltwater +385913308000 or ask for Amanda at the bar (after 12 midday).

Refreshing detox watermelon mint smoothies for 35 HRK and  Brooklyn Bagel Co.  Bagels  with Schmear for ~ 20 HRK and up

A great addition to the remote working scene in Dalmatia, and the opening comes at a time when there is a concerted push to introduce a digital nomad visa for Croatia, an initiative which was yesterday supported by the Ministry of the Interior. Read more in Croatian Bureaucracy 2.0: Progress with the Digital Nomad Visa.

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June 14, 2020 - The 13th Split Mediterranean Film Festival will take place from July 2 to 11, 2020, at the Bačvice Open-Air Cinema. Due to COVID-19, this year's edition will be adapted to the recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

Namely, the capacity of the Bačvice Open Air Cinema will be limited due to the distance between the seats, and when entering and exiting, visitors are invited to adhere to physical distance and general hygiene measures.

A statement fro the Mediterranean Film Festival:

"In order for all of us to spend our time at FMFS as pleasantly and safely as possible, please carefully read the important notes related to this year's specific edition of the Festival!

- Adhering to the recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, the capacity of the Bačvice Open Air Cinema is limited due to the distance between the seats.

- Please adhere to physical distance and general hygiene measures when entering and exiting.

- You are allowed to sit in the cinema together with the people you came with. Seats are not numbered.

- The cinema will be open every day for an hour before the screening. Come on time, avoid the crowds and relax before the movie with drinks, popcorn, and pleasant music.

This year, there will be no parties with DJs after the screenings, but socializing with music for "Ćakula posli", which will be prepared by our partners in the music program. Social gatherings are reserved exclusively for spectators with a ticket who were at the film screening at the Bačvice Open-Air Cinema or the Youth Center.

- It will not be possible to enter the cinema after the beginning of the screening, nor after its end

- This year, there are no types of accreditations, invitations, or Festival tickets. We do not have an office or a box office in the Zlatna Vrata Cinematheque. All information about tickets, as well as for instructions on how to secure your place on time, can be found here."

The FMFS program will be announced on June 16.

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May 28, 2020 - The famous open-air cinema Kino Bacvice returns tonight with the screening of Israeli film 'Synonyms'. 

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that after two years, the dispute between the City of Split and the private company Ekran d.o.o. has ended, which used the space of the Bacvice Open-Air Cinema for years without authorization and refused to hand over the "Zlatna Vrata" center, to which the City gave the space for management.

Film lovers can rejoice because it has been officially confirmed that the City is the 100% owner of this property, and "Zlatna Vrata", in cooperation with Kino Mediteran, will continue managing this Split film oasis, which has been operating since 1956.

Just before the upcoming season, a press conference was held for the first time at the Bacvice Open-Air Cinema, which is already ready for tonight's opening. The prescribed distance between the seats has been set, and at 9.30 pm, the first screening starts - the Israeli film "Synonyms", winner of the prestigious international festival in Berlin.

"For now, screenings will take place three times a week, and depending on the interest of the audience, we will consider increasing that number. As before, we will publish the program on a weekly basis, and due to the situation in the film industry, the backbone will be independent films," said the director of Kino Mediterranean Alen Munitić and called on all citizens to book their tickets online to avoid crowds at the box office.

Although many are probably wondering what will happen to the favorite Mediterranean Film Festival Split, which also takes place at this location, we will have to wait for news about a new date a little longer, says Munitić.

In addition to the announcement of the season, Munitić, together with Deputy Mayor Jelena Hrgović Tomaš and the director of "Zlatni Vrata" Danijela Ćukušić, commented on the past two years of work that were crucial in repositioning the open-air cinema on the city's film map.

Last year, over ten and a half thousand visitors were recorded, or 140 spectators per screening, and thanks to their own investments and the support of the Ministry of Culture, the cinema received new lighting, chairs, portable digital equipment and electrical installations.

"Electricity is very important here; you remember that in the first year we ran out of electricity at the very beginning of the screening," Ćukušić remembers an anecdote related to this cult space, which is gladly visited by both locals and guests.

It is precisely the retention of the recognizable role of the open-air cinema that is the common goal of the City and the "Zlatna Vrata". As Hrgović Tomaš emphasizes, this is the only film stage in the city.

He adds that after a series of realized projects, they also have a horticultural idea in the plan. Although the exact date of the start of work is still unknown, Ćukušić explains that the access will be arranged first, after which the rest of the space will retain its ambient atmosphere and no trees will be demolished unless it is an urgent rehabilitation.

They also emphasize that the tender for repairing the fence has been completed, and the works should start in the coming days.

"Once the space is renovated, the open-air cinema will be self-sustaining," Munitić said positively.

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April 27, 2020 - Summer in Split this year will not traditionally begin with the Mediterranean Film Festival, as the 13th edition is officially postponed.

While we should have announced that there are just 40 days left until the beginning of the Mediterranean Film Festival Split, unfortunately, this summer will not traditionally begin at the Bacvice Summer Cinema.

However, the happy news is that the festival has not been canceled, like many other festivals around the country. Instead, one of the most valuable Croatian cultural summer events has been postponed.

"We should have written to you today that there are still 40 days left until the 13th Mediterranean Film Festival Split and we would certainly publish part of the program on this occasion. Instead, we must confirm what you have already assumed: The 13th FMFS will not take place on the scheduled date of June 4-13. However, it will not be canceled - this summer will not begin with FMFS, but the FMFS will start as soon as possible. The selection is almost done, and we are organizationally more than ready and waiting for a license to operate the cinema. Have a little patience and soon we will be hanging out at the Bacvice Summer Cinema and the Golden Gate Cinema with the best Mediterranean film creations of the past year," the organizers announced on their page.

The organizers told film lovers that they could enjoy their films at VOD and the new Kino Mediteran live option starting Monday, April 27. 

"In our virtual cinema, you will have the opportunity to socialize with music before and after the film, and chatting is possible for those who want it during the screening - the 'chatbots' from the cinema can finally comment without disturbing anyone!

In the film Who You Think I Am, Juliette Binoche stars as Claire, a 48-year-old college professor who is 24-year-old Clara on the Internet, an intern at a fashion events company. She created a fake Facebook profile for Claire to spy on her ex-lover, but soon starts dating the young Alex," writes FMFS on its Facebook page. 

In addition to the announcement, this year's festival visual of Karlo Kazinoti was also published, with the FMFS logo on the playing card of the king.

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March 21, 2020 - Split police are busy patrolling the city's most frequented areas on Saturday and are pleading for citizens to stay home during the coronavirus crisis. 

Despite numerous recommendations from experts who have sent messages to stay home for days, many citizens have taken advantage of the crisis to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

On Saturday, 168 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Croatia, and according to scientist Igor Rudan, the real number may be ten times higher, reports Dalmacija Danas.

As of Wednesday, only grocery stores, bakeries, pharmacies, and those deemed necessary are allowed to work, and all children's playgrounds are closed as of Saturday. Saturday morning, the Crisis Headquarters decided on a new regime for maritime transport, while bus transport between cities was suspended entirely.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said there was a “some kind of ban on movement in public areas". Citizens will not be physically removed, but police will warn and act in the event of disobedience. It is forbidden to move and hang out in groups in all public areas, and the police are strictly patrolling.

Marjan Forest Park was also closed and police visited Žnjan, Bačvice and the Riva and warned about the ban on movement in groups in public areas.

“Bene has been closed, and we have been instructed by the police to close Marjan as well, and to warn all passers-by that movement in this area is forbidden,” said the Marjan Primary School.

A spokeswoman for the Split police further explained the situation.

“We must all respect the decision of the National Headquarters who issued a recommendation not to hold public gatherings, including in public places. People should not gather in groups and police officers are patrolling and alerting citizens to return to their homes. We urge citizens to respect these decisions for your public health. Police will tour all frequently visited locations: Žnjan, Riva, Bačvice and other promenades. We appeal that only people who need it and who do the most urgent work go out in public. The police are doing this to protect all of us and public health. Let's stay home,” spokeswoman Antonela Lolic said.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for rolling information in English about COVID-19 in Croatia.

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March 16, 2020 - Fibra, an alternative and urban music festival, returns to Split at the Bacvice Summer Cinema on July 3-4, 2020.

The first performers announced are. Pips, Chips & Videoclips, Detour, Svemirko, Buč Kesidi, and Z ++.

No special announcement is required for Pips, Chips & Videoclips. When anyone talks about a unique rock phenomenon in Croatia, you know they’re talking about them. Pips, Chips &. Videoclips are often in Split, but rarely play shows outdoors - and this will be their debut at the Bacvice Summer Cinema.

Detour boasts immense popularity across all audiences and music reviewers, and will come to Split to present their fifth studio album, "TourDetour", for which they won the Porin last year for Best Pop Music Album and Best Performance by a Vocal Group.

Svemirko is one of the most exciting new acts on the scene. The albums “Vanilija“ and “Tunguzija“, with their lively rhythms, lyrics and fun dance arrangements, attract fans of good pop music.

From the neighboring Serbia comes disco indie rock sensation Buč Kesidi. The duo from Pančevo describes the less fun side of clubbing in their lyrics, and "play a live show for you to remember,” said Patrik Horvat of muzika.hr.

Finally, there is the musician of the enigmatic name Z ++, a member of the Osijek trap collective Retfatlanta, who is coming to present his first album "18 ++". The album belongs to the trap genre, but it also comes out of the box by connecting it with pop, and the quality of this piece is confirmed by the nomination in the Rap&Off category of the Rock&Off independent music journalism award.

The organizer of the festival, yem agency, holds five major music festivals in four different cities in Croatia. It all started with concerts and organizing the first “Drito from the Factory” festival in 2016. Already in 2017, yem held the Zagreb Beer Festival, which in 2018 was visited by over 100,000 visitors. In the same year, Split's "Fibra" joined their ranks. In 2019, yem organized a new urban open-air festival in Samobor "Pine Festival" and is taking over the organization of the cult Karlovac Beer Days festival.

With Fibra, yem returns to its hometown to offer locals and tourists a festival of unlimited genres, to which the quality of musicians and the production of the festival are paramount.

Festival tickets can be purchased starting at 70 kuna until March 30, after which the ticket price goes up to 90 kuna and later to 110 kuna. Daily tickets will go on sale in April. You can buy tickets online through Entrio.hr and at:

Split: Dancing Bear Split (Dioklecijanova ul. 6), 

Ghetaldus, Split (Trg Braće Radića 10

Marmontova 8 ili Vukovarska ul. 207 / City Center One)

Trogir: Kairos Travel Trogir, Obala bana Berislavića 23

Zagreb: Dancing Bear (Gundulićeva ul. 7), Aquarius CD Shop (Varšavska 13), NAF NAF

Zagreb (Ilica 8), Rockmark (Berislavićeva 13) + 25 more locations in Zagreb, which together, with all other retail outlets in Croatia, can be found at www.entrio.hr. Tickets can also be purchased at the Garica shop, Ul. ban Mladenova 3, Split.

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October 12, 2019 - The imperfect beach body is in the spotlight thanks to popular Dalmatian soft drink Pipi.

You might know Pipi as one of the most famous soft drinks in Dalmatia, where it is not just any ordinary beverage. Namely, Pipi is synonymous with the sea, Dalmatia, and the summertime - and upon entering Split, it’s hard to miss their clever billboard. 

Known for their canny marketing and the wildly popular slogan ‘boli mi Pipi’, which those of you in Dalmatia know well, Pipi is a staple of Split and the Dalmatian region. And they are especially remembered for their catchy songs and timeless TV adverts. 

Thus, the legendary Croatian brand has shown its brilliance once again, this time paying tribute to those who feel good, confident, and relaxed in their imperfect bodies. Along with the famous slogan “boli mi Pipi’, the first-ever monument to the anti-beach body has been erected at Bacvice beach in Split, located right next to the popular Žbirac cafe.

“It's summer, and where are you? You're not at the gym. Well, who cares, because this year, you’re wearing a relaxed look. The time has come that all the unfit, untoned, and heavy-boned true kings of relaxation get their place under the sun.” 

“And I can only say #bolimepipi,” Pipi posted on Facebook.

Dalmatinski Portal writes that Pipi did not choose Bacvice beach by chance - after all, the legendary commercial featuring Ana Sasso was filmed here, and more recently, the ‘Limunada’ commercial with football club Hajduk.

Introduced in the 1970s, the non-alcoholic orange drink by Dalmacijavino was the answer to Badel's then-popular orange drink, "Nara".

Fun fact: Legend has it that the new Pipi drink was supposed to attract a younger crowd and was named after the heroine of the same children’s book - Pippi Longstocking. The author of the famous children’s tale, Astrid Lindgren, is said to have given her blessing to use the name and renounced all rights.

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September 19, 2019 -  Split society 'Picigin Bacvice' will host this year's 'Picigin Days' on September 27 and 28 at Bacvice beach.

Picigin was created on the sandy beach of Bacvice in Split somewhere around 1923, and precisely who invented the game? We’re still unsure. The game is played throughout the year by the young and old, men and women, and is simple enough for anyone to enjoy.

Picigin is played in a circle with two or more players, with the objective being to keep a small rubber ball in the air between the players as long as possible.

The game ends once the ball hits the ground, er, water. 

Picigin is played in shallow waters (thanks to Bacvice) with depths never reaching above the knee. While the first Picigin players were known to wear monokini swimsuits, today, you can only play the sport wearing a speedo.

One of the least expensive sports you can enjoy in Split, Picigin is even played on the New Year holiday when sea temperatures could drop as low as 10 degrees Celsius.

Thus, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the favorite Split society 'Picigin Bacvice', this year's 'Picigin Days' will be held on September 27 and 28 at Bacvice beach - and on October 23, the society's 20th anniversary will be celebrated at the Marko Marulić Library, reports Dalmacija Danas. 

After ten or so years successfully hosting the Picigin World Championships, last year, there were changes to the competitive concept. Thus, Picigin Days were established, a manifestation to revive the character through which, apart from picigin, efforts are made to promote other traditional and new games and activities, all organized by the Ecological Society 'Picigin Bacvice'.

Therefore, this year, with the inevitable picigin spectacle, there will also be football on the sand, shallow football (Nogbi), Glavomet (or football with your head) and some new games such as Picigol, Picington and Pennis.

In addition to the sporting events, there are plans to landscape the beach, where ornamental plants and tree seedlings will be planted. 

Friday, September 27, 5 pm 

In the afternoon and early evening, plans will be made to landscape the beach and holes will be prepared to plant tamarisk and ornamental plants. All tools will be provided. Members of the society are expected to attend the action, and of course, citizens and supporters of the society are also welcome.

Saturday, September 28 (10 am - official program start)

10:30 am - football on the sand, shallow football (Nogbi), and Picington. Planting ornamental plants and trees immediately begin

10:40 to 12 pm - Picigin - a revue of picigin crews from Bacvice and the neighboring Firule

12 to 12:30 pm - Picigol in the sea, Pennis in the sea

1 pm - Snack and drink

Wednesday, October. 23 (6 pm - Marko Marulić Library)

The 20th-anniversary celebration of the founding of the Ecological Society 'Picigin Bacvice', with a commemorative program and thanks

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August 16, 2019 - A guide to some of the best things going on in Split this weekend.

We welcome yet another summer weekend in Split with a growing list of things to do. Sunny and hot weather will prevail throughout Dalmatia on Friday, with air temperatures ranging between 21 and 25°C in the morning and between 27 and 30°C in the hottest part of the day. Similar weather conditions are expected on Saturday when it will be mostly sunny and very warm all over Dalmatia - and on Sunday? No different, though temperatures could reach up to 31°C. 

So, how will you choose to spend your weekend in Split? We thought we’d help you out. Here’s our guide to Split’s top events this weekend, from Friday, August 16 to 18, 2019. 

Riva

If you’re looking for live music, you’re in luck as the Split Summer Colors event is ongoing on Split's waterfront promenade.

16.08. Friday at 8:30 pm
A Weekend of Classic Music, Spalato quartet

17.08. Saturday at 8:30 pm
A Weekend of Classical Music Forever, Stefan Kokoškov

18.08. Sunday at 8:30 pm
POP ART group

Dardin

And if that doesn’t interest you? Head to Dardin park for the Evo Ruke concert series. 

16.08. Friday at 9:30 pm

Teška Odluka, Split

17.08. Saturday at 9:30 pm

Behave, Zagreb

18.08. Sunday at 9:30 pm

Combo Project, Split 

Bačvice

And if you aren’t up for live music but still want to enjoy some outside entertainment, the open-air cinema at Bačvice has a new schedule for the upcoming week. 

16.08. Friday at 8:30 pm

The Little Mermaid (in Croatian only)

17.08. Saturday at 9 pm

Woodstock (in English with Croatia subtitles) 

18.08. Sunday at 9 pm

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (in English with Croatian subtitles)

Or you’re looking for some of the city’s best entertainment, head to Poljud Stadium on Sunday at 6 pm when Hajduk faces Gorica for the 5th round clash in the Croatian First League! 

And for those of you looking to party until the early morning hours, check out this weekend's events at Info Zona.

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