Croatian Film ''Murina'' Wins Caméra d'or Award At Festival de Cannes!
July 17, 2021 - Excellent news, after the Croatian film ''Murina'', directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, won the prestigious Camera d'or award for the first film!
The 74th edition of the Cannes festival has come to an end, and today the winners of the various awards given by the most prestigious film festival in the world have been announced.
Among the winners is the Croatian film ''Murina'', directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović in her debut feature film, and starring Gracija Filipović, her muse, and with whom she also previously worked on her short film '' Into the Blue ''. which participated in the Berlinale in 2017. Gracija was accompanied by a talented cast including the experienced Leon Lučev, Danica Ćurčić, and Cliff Curtis.
The film had been selected for the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (also known as Director's Fortnight), an independent selection at the Cannes Film Festival that began in 1969 by the French Director's Guild, after the previous year's edition was canceled by the events. that happened in the country in May, as a show of solidarity to the workers who protested. The section offers a wide selection of films and documentaries from all around the world.
The Caméra d’or award for a first film goes to MURINA by Antoneta ALAMAT KUSIJANOVIĆ #Cannes2021 #Awards #CaméraDOr #MURINA pic.twitter.com/dXQNX5eCw4
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) July 17, 2021
The film had its official premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last week, and today it will make its official premiere in Croatia today at the Pula Film Festival.
The prestigious Camera d'or, is an award given to directors in their first film and who participate in one of the sections of the Cannes Festival. Today, the Cannes Film Festival announced the Croatian film "Murina" as the winner.
"Murina" is a drama that tells the story of Julija, a teenage girl who decides to replace her controlling father with her wealthy foreign friend during a weekend trip to the Adriatic islands. Indeed, among the different locations chosen by the talented director born in Dubrovnik are the island of Hvar and the Kornati islands. Learn more about Antoneta and her film "Murina" in this interview with Deadline magazine.
Congratulations to Antoneta, Gracija, and all the team behind the production of ''Murina''!
For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, in your language, be sure to check Total Croatia's page.
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Croatian Platform Duart Presented in Cannes
ZAGREB, 9 July 2021- The Duart platform, developed by Croatian actress and casting director Sanja Drakulić to promote Croatian actors and film workers, will be presented at the Marché du Film fair which is taking place as part of the Cannes Film Festival until 15 July.
Over 80 Croatian film professionals have been recruited for international projects via this platform in the last five years, and the project is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre said.
Drakulić recently participated as a casting director in two foreign projects, a Swedish series and a film for Netflix, and is currently working on another Netflix project. She said that such projects recruit top-class professionals who have graduated from academies in London, New York, Los Angeles, as well as in Zagreb, Osijek, Split and Rijeka.
Drakulić said that her mission was to create a pool of Croatian film professionals worthy of any international production. She said that the number of users of the Duart platform has been increasing over the years and has now reached 500.
Drakulić said that Cannes was an opportunity for Croatian film workers to connect more closely with foreign productions and further promote Croatia as a film-making destination.
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Croatian Film ''Murina'' Selected for Cannes Film Festival!
June 8, 2021 - The Croatian film ''Murina'', directed by Dubrovnik-born Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović on her feature-length debut, has been selected for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival!
As reported by Gloria.hr, and confirmed by the Croatian director Antoneta Alamat-Kusijanović, it is a great day for Croatian cinema as a Croatian film will return to Cannes. Her feature-length debut film ''Murina'' was selected in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs. It is the second collaboration between Antoneta and the star of the film, Gracia Filipović, who was also the protagonist in her short film ''Into the Blue'', which won a special jury award at the Berlinale in 2017. The Croatian film ''Murina'' was shot in the Croatian islands.
Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović and her 18-year old star, Gracia Filipović
The Croatian film "Murina" is a family drama about sixteen-year-old Julia. Her tense relationship with the oppressive father Ante reaches a breaking point when an old family friend arrives at their home on an isolated Croatian island. While his father tries to make a deal with him, the charismatic guest offers Julia freedom from her militaristic existence and arouses her revolt towards her family. During a weekend filled with high expectations, Julia drags her family into a dangerous whirlpool of passion and violence.
''Into the Blue'', the first collaboration between director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović and actress Gracia Filipović
Along with experienced actors, Leon Lučev from Šibenik, Danica Curcic from Denmark, and Cliff Curtis from New Zealand, the 18-year-old Gracia Filipović from Dubrovnik has the main role in "Murina". An excellent steppe dancer and an excellent swimmer, Gracia has already collaborated with Antoneta, together they made the short film "Into the Blue", which won a special jury award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017, but also the Heart of Sarajevo for best film at the Sarajevo Film Festival.
Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović on the set of ''Murina''. (Photo: Mario Topić)
Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović is a Dubrovnik director with a degree from the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Arts. She completed her postgraduate studies in film directing at Columbia University in New York and was also the first Croatian scholarship holder of the Cinefondation, a program to support the Cannes Film Festival to talented directors from all over the world.
"Murina" was produced by the Zagreb production company Antitalent and producer Daniel Peka, as well as the powerful Brazilian producer RT Features and the American Sikelia, backed by Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese. The film will be premiered in Cannes, as announced by director Antoneta Alamat-Kusijanović on an Instagram post.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s Cannes Film Festival was not held in its traditional May term, but films in the city on the Cote d’Azur will be screened from 6 to 17 July. And in its 74th edition, Cannes will show that it is the center of the film world. It will be opened by the long-awaited musical by Leos Carax "Annette" starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, and the main guest of the opening will be the American actress Jane Fonda, who will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović on the set of ''Murina''. (Photo: Mario Topić)
Quinzaine des Réalisateurs is a program organized by the French Association of Film Directors during the Cannes Film Festival. Launched back in 1969, it has crystallized over the years as perhaps the best representative of the new voices of world cinema. Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese also began his breakthrough in world cinema after showing the now cult film "Streets of Evil" starring Robert DeNiro in Cannes in 1974. Croatian cinema also has a long history with the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs program. Krsto Papić's "Foxes" was shown here in 1970, and Vatroslav Mimica's "Peasant Revolt", in 1976.
For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, in your language, be sure to check Total Croatia's page.
For more made in Croatia news, follow TCN's dedicated page.
