August 6, 2019 - The film General about General Ante Gotovina premiered in Split at the Bačvice Summer Cinema on Victory Day.

“I am glad to be here at the promotion of General, and I am glad that such a movie about the Homeland War, about the people at war, was finally made. I believe it is good,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Republic of Croatia, General Damir Krstičević, told Slobodna Dalmacija before the Split premiere. The Dalmatian spectacle of Antun Vrdoljak’s latest film was held at the Bačvice Summer Cinema, organized in cooperation with the 65th Split Summer Festival, the Pula Film Festival, and Kino Mediterranean.

“I am really pleased that the premiere of the film is all over Croatia, and especially in Split, today, when we celebrate the Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders.

Split, and all of Dalmatia gave a lot in the Homeland War, especially in the defense, and later in the liberation of all of Dalmatia and Croatia.

Split is the home of the 4th Guards Brigade and is also the home of other military units in the area. Once again, a huge thank you to Croatian veterans for winning the Homeland War, and the greatest gratitude to the families of our fallen, dead and missing Croatian veterans,” Krstičević added. 

There were many well-known faces at the premiere of the film, including many political figures like Split-Dalmatia County Mayor Blaženko Boban, Split Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara, Split-Dalmatia County HDZ President Ante Sanader, but also music manager Ivan Bubalo and painter Zvonimir Mihanović. 

“The interest in the film is great. Gotovina is a symbol of the Homeland War. It is one thing that every war has to have - heroes. We can be grateful to Vrdoljak for making this movie. Because, he remains, like a movie screen. Everything you write and film is something that remains. This is certainly very important for the young and new generations and for creating patriotism in Croatia. The premiere on this date is just as big a deal. Congratulations to the organizers who made it today,” Sanader said. 

The film's director Antun Vrdoljak also attended the Split premiere.

“When Ante Gotovina was arrested, in your naivety you think, like, I can help with a movie in The Hague.

But as long as you do the work, you believe in it. And here it is, Ante is back, and we made a movie about it. To my credit, I'm also a brigadier. So one rank less than a general.

The friendships of war last a very long time and are very deep. There is one sentence in the movie ‘life is important in war’. And she asks him ‘Your life?’ He replies, ‘no.’

This is exactly the whole point of the movie,” Vrdoljak noted.

Shortly before the screening, the audience was addressed by Srećko Šestan, director of the 65th Split Summer Festival and the HNK intendant in Split.

“It is my pleasure that, after a brief interruption in screening the best films from the Pula Film Festival, Split will once again become the center of our excellence in cinema. I want to thank everyone who helped us launch three evenings with Croatian premieres. It is a special pleasure to thank Mr. Antun Vrdoljak, my dear friend,” Šestan emphasized.

Translated from Slobodna Dalmacija

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July 4, 2019 - “So many books, so little time,” Frank Zappa once said, and with this new initiative on Bačvice beach by the Split City Library 'Marko Marulić', we would agree. 

Do you finally have the time to dig into a good book this summer? Or are you one of many whose days sunbathing at the beach is not complete without a book in hand? Whether you belong to these categories or not, we think you’ll still be pretty impressed by the latest gesture from the Marko Marulić City Library in Split.

Namely, this Split institution kept the city’s book worms to heart, and on Thursday, mounted free book stations named the “Little Free Library" at two locations on the popular Bačvice beach. They’re not hard to spot, either, and will catch your attention thanks to their flashy red and blue and white striped design. 

The painted cabinet, which resembles an emergency post or call box, is really just an outdoor bookshelf. 

“Enjoy a good book with the sun and the sea! These small libraries are free of charge bookcases for anyone who wants to read. They work on the principle of 'take a book, leave a book', so that anyone can take a book, read it, return it, and add their own book if desired. Without membership fees, without it being overdue, and with working hours every day of the year, day and night,” said the Marko Marulić City Library.

This free library project was supported by the City of Split and Bačvice Beach d.o.o. and aims to encourage the people of Split and their guests to read and exchange books. But you must not forget the golden rule: Take a book, bring a book, treasure the book!

While these free libraries certainly service tourists in Split this summer, we can only hope to spot more red bookcases outside of Split’s busy city beaches and in areas where locals will be pushed to put down their mobile phones and opt to get their heads deep into a good book instead.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

June 25, 2019 -  After yet another successful Mediterranean Film Festival in Split, which many locals consider officially opens the summer season in the Dalmatian capital, the Bačvice summer cinema will come alive once again next week for the second edition of the Fibra Festival. 

Fibra, an urban music festival, will take place on July 5 and 6 in a new location for their second edition - the summer cinema at Bačvice.

After last year's first edition which was held at the Gripe fortress, when 3,000 people enjoyed Kojoti, Let 3, Vojko V, High 5, and M.O.R.T., the yem agency has revealed an even more vibrant festival this summer. 

Fibra festival brings together a mix of the region’s best alternative and rock bands, and this year boasts a lineup featuring Psihomodo Pop, Jonathan, Boris Štok and Juggernaut who will join the already announced Urban & 4,  Letu štuke, Nipplepeople and Bojana Vunturišević!

Cult rockers Psihomodo Pop need no special announcement. Formed in Zagreb in 1983, their Ramones-esque songs and energetic stage presence will keep you dancing. 

After the unfortunate resignation of Rijeka band Jonathan last year, they are coming back even better this year and hot off their first US tour. 

One of the most recognizable voices of the Croatian music scene, Boris Štok will present his award-winning album "Ispod kože" - and you can catch the young Split instrumental duo Juggernaut who’ve emerged under the influence of the fast-paced stoner scene.

But that’s not all. 

Split will also welcome one of the most impressive live bands and headliners Urban & 4, the iconic Bosnian-Herzegovinian rock group Letu štuke who will present their first album in seven years, the energetic electro-pop duo Nipplepeople and the brilliant Belgrade musician Bojana Vunturišević.

The organizer of the festival, the yem agency, has several concerts and recognized projects under their belt, among which is the outstanding "Drito iz Tvornice", "Zagreb Beer Fest", and “Pine Fest Samobor”. 

With Fibra, the organizers come back to their hometown roots to offer locals and tourists a ‘festival without borders’ where the quality of the musicians and the production reigns supreme. 

Tickets can be purchased online via Ticketshop.hr or Entrio.hr and at sales outlets:

Split:

Croatia Records - Split (Bulićeva 1)

CroFanShop Marmontova (Trogirska 10)

Dancing Bear Split (Dioklecijanova ul. 6)

Ghetaldus shop - Marmontova 8 and City Centar Split

Trogir:

Kairos Travel Trogir, Obala bana Berislavića 23

Zagreb:

Dirty Old Shop, Tratinska 18

Rockmark, Berislavićeva 13

You can read more about the festival here. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

June 13, 2019 - The popular CBS series The Amazing Race aired a brand new episode in the United States on June 12, 2019. Namely, the 9th episode of season 31 (yes, you heard that right) titled ‘Let’s Split’ discovers Croatia, and primarily the former home of Emperor Diocletian - Split. 

“Teams take a bumpy ride in Split, Croatia and try not to get tongue-twisted reciting poetry while in motion,” writes CBS about the episode, which saw the remaining six teams travel from Brienz, Switzerland to Croatia to begin their mission at Bačvice beach (though they call it Kašjuni in the show).

The episode follows the teams from Bačvice, where they are tasked with serving drinks to groups of beachgoers (who are hiding the Travelocity gnome) at cafe bar Žbirac. From there, the mission takes them to Marjan hill and the famous church built into its cliffs. And the task? Delivering bread, of sorts. 

The next stop of the mission is Kašjuni beach, where the competitors chose between two challenges - “Poetry in Motion” and “Washed In from the Ocean”. Namely, the teams could opt for memorizing a poem while riding on a flying tube and proceeding to pronounce it correctly to pass, or snorkeling with metal detectors to find a golden goblet and five coins to get their next clue. 

From Kašjuni the team sped to Diocletian’s Palace, where the competitors had to carefully follow the quick-moving formation of 18 Roman soldiers.

To get to the finish line, the teams rowed from the Split port to Matejuška where they were greeted by a group of Dalmatian dogs.

You can see episode 9 in its entirety below. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

A new hotel under construction at Split’s Bačvice beach, which saw its owners offer a 660 euro bribe to legalize 55 square meters, should open its doors on June 1. Although still under scaffolding, photos of the new hotel can be found on the Internet - and guests have already booked rooms, reports T.portal and Splitski Dnevnik on April 19, 2019. 

Namely, on the Booking.com website, the property is almost completely booked for the season. But how could it not be, when instead of construction workers atop scaffoldings, there are pictures of a luxury hotel with a swimming pool. These lavish rooms overlook the sea, and the hotel paints a picture of elegance - at the top of the hotel, the photos even show sun loungers and parasols. The controversial hotel will set you back 300 euro for a one night stay. You can see pictures of the hotel on Booking.com.

This new hotel is Villa Harmony, boasting six floors located directly next to the most famous beach in Split. Due to its size and appearance, Villa Harmony has caused a lot of controversy and complaints by Split citizens as the building blocks the view in this part of the city. When construction began in 2016, the Municipal Court in Split issued a verdict, which revealed that the area covered by the permit was reduced by 55 square meters. However, the project was still completed and went forward thanks to bribing officials of the Ministry.

Zoran Sikirica bought the land at Bačvice from former Split Mayor Željko Kerum through Oriens, where he was the director. The company then changed directors and moved to Trilj and Sinj before finally returning to Split.

Last year, Sikirica said that the four-star hotel saw an investment of 32 million kuna and was expected to open by the end of 2018. In all likelihood, problems with documentation were the cause of the delay.

Villa Harmony should have 26 rooms and a large penthouse and saunas, a gym, a restaurant and an outdoor bar by the pool. Eight rooms should have a jacuzzi. Sikirica’s company Špinut is also known for building two apartment blocks in the same Split district a few years ago. The project was worth 25 million euro.

Zoran Sikirica, one of the four suspects named in USKOK's action for giving and receiving bribes in the Ministry of Construction for this hotel, is said to have escaped arrest by traveling to Israel on Wednesday.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

The first season of the "Bačvice" Summer Cinema under new leadership, namely the Golden Gate Music Center and “Kino Mediteran", is nearing its end. 

You know that whole World Cup thing we have going on for the next month? This may be a nice little getaway for all of you non-football fans.

The Split Mediterranean Film Festival returns to Bačvice and Golden Gate Cinema next month. 

Today in Split measured air temperatures of 27°C and a sea temperature of 22°C.

Locals and tourist are enjoying the warmer than ever April weather.