August 22, 2021 - The 19th Liburnia Film Festival starts tomorrow in Opatija, with 44 Croatian documentaries on the program, 22 of which are in competition for awards.

Documentaries in competition for festival awards: the best film is chosen by the jury and the audience, the best direction, photography, editing, sound design, and the best regional film, will be shown on the small Summer Stage in Opatija, writes HRT Magazin.

The five-member international jury consists of art historian and curator Branka Benčić, editor and director Vladimir Gojun, director and artistic director of Beldocs Marko Grba Singh, organizer of film programs and representative of the Kinedok network Szabolcs Szyrony and film critic Višnja Vukašinović.

The festival awards the best film and the audience award with a cash prize and Restart with a technical service for making DCP.

For the first time, AVC Zagreb is awarding authors for the best photography and best sound design with a voucher for the purchase of film equipment in the amount of 700 euros, and ACER Croatia will award the prize for the best editing.

As in previous years, the IDF Documentary Film Institute and the Balkan Documentary Center award the best director and the best regional film. All winners will receive an original statue of the Kastav artist Saša Jantolek.

On Friday, August 27, before the announcement of the best, the audience will watch two documentaries produced by the co-organizers of the Liburnia Film Festival of the Zagreb association Restart "Letters to Nicholas" Dunja Ivezić and "More than 35" by Timy Šarec.

The festival will close with the world premiere of Relje Dušek's film "Enrico Marotti: This is my voyage" about the world champion in windsurfing from Volosko.

The accompanying program includes a case study of Đuro Gavran's film "One of Us", as an introduction to the panel discussion "When Violence Lives at Home".

The festival continues the afternoon conversations of the audience with the authors of the films shown the previous day.

The accompanying film program includes the program of the Regional with documentaries from the Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria counties and a retrospective of films by Đuro Gavran.

The 19th Liburnia Film Festival is organized by the LFF Association, co-organized by Restart, and partnered by the Opatija Festival. It is supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Center, the City of Opatija, the County of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, the Society of Croatian Film Directors, AVC Zagreb, ACER Croatia, and other supporters.

Learn more about the 19th edition of the Liburnia Film Festival HERE.

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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.

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A post shared by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic (@antonetaalamatkusijanovic)

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.

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June 1, 2021 - In addition to the 22 awards received last year, the production company Balduči Film was honored with two more recognitions at the International Tourist Film Festival Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, for its two most recent productions.

In recent years, Croatia has positioned itself as one of the favorite locations to shoot big-budget series and movies for international production companies, and not only because of its unique landscapes or architecture, but also because of the flexibility that exists when it comes to obtaining permits and licenses.

The Balduči Film crew, behind the scenes of ''CROATIA YOUR NEXT FILMING DESTINATION''

The Croatian production company, Balduči Film, has been carrying the banner of promoting Croatian film locations and additionally position Croatia as an attractive country on the map of world production centers. Thus, in collaboration with the Croatian National Tourism Board, they produced the tourist film called ‘‘CROATIA YOUR NEXT FILMING DESTINATION’’, to achieve that goal by showing almost entirely the main attractions of each region and city in the country.

CROATIA YOUR NEXT FILMING DESTINATION, by Balduči Film

Additionally, Balduči Film produced the film ''Rijeka - I miss you'' together with the Rijeka tourist board, to promote the city of Kvarner Bay as the European Capital of Culture in 2020. The film, which evokes strong emotions of nostalgia and highlights the main attractions of the city such as Trsat Castle, Korzo, St. Vitus Cathedral, the National Theater or its Carnival, was written and produced by Spomenka Saraga, directed by Herve Tirmache, and edited by Jalil Armi, who also served as a cameraman.

Rijeka - I miss you, by Balduči Film

The efforts behind both productions were worth it since, in addition to various awards received previously in other international festivals, both films won awards at the International Tourist Film Festival Africa, held last week in Cape Town, South Africa. It is the first festival to be held live this year, but unfortunately due to the situation with the pandemic, the production company Balduči Film couldn’t assist. 

The films were awarded two big prizes. The film CROATIA YOUR NEXT FILMING DESTINATION won gold for the Best Film in the category Tourist product - Film locations, and the promotional film Rijeka - I miss you won silver in the category Tourist destination - City.

Behind the scenes of ''Rijeka - I miss you''

However, despite not being able to receive the awards in person, the celebrations at home were not postponed among the creative team. One of the most excited was Spomenka Saraga, writer and producer of the film Rijeka - I miss you. 

“We are extremely proud of the success of our films and we must take this opportunity to boast that we have won 22 awards worldwide in 2020; from the USA where we won a total of six awards (among others the award for the Best camera and Best tourist film), at the largest tourism fair ITB in Berlin, at the jubilee 20th edition of The Golden City Gate Silver Awards, in Viseu (Portugal) two first places, in Riga, Istanbul, etc.’’, said Spomenka, naming some of the several awards received. "When we add up these two awards from the Republic of South Africa, we won a total of 24 awards.’’, she added.

The Cape Town festival received 865 entries from 97 countries this year, and the works of some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, and production companies from around the world were awarded.

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.

October 7, 2020 - Two Croatian tourism films are up for the People's Choice Award by the International Committee of Tourist Film Festivals (CIFFT).

HRTurizam reports that organized by the International Committee of Tourist Film Festivals (CIFFT), a competition for the best tourist film in the world is being organized.

Since 1989, CIFFT's mission has rewarded excellence in passenger video marketing through a competition - the CIFFT Circuit Grand Prix. CIFFT brings together the world’s 17 best tourism film festivals, making this competition the most prestigious awards and recognition initiative for the tourism video marketing industry.

Two Croatian tourism films are also competing for the best tourism film.

The promotional film "Zagreb Loves You" by the Zagreb Tourist Board, directed by Martina Milicevic, is up for the prestigious People's Choice Award.

Zagreb Loves You from Filmservice International on Vimeo.

"Zagreb Loves You" is not a typical promotional film. It is unique in that it emotionally talks about March 22, the day when the city, already affected by the pandemic, was hit by a strong earthquake, the strongest in the past 140 years.

"We wanted to record the emotion and strength of Zagreb and its citizens at a time when we thought we were reliving scenes from an American disaster film," said the director of the Zagreb Tourist Board, Martina Bienenfeld during the reception of the awards that the film received in Turkey and Serbia.

Kaštela - Seven Reasons to Visit is also up for the prestigious award. The promotional film for the city of Kastela, produced by DFF,  takes viewers through a stylized story inspired by the legend of Miljenko and Dobrila, Kastela lovers from the 17th century. The film leads through seven secret messages hidden in all 7 Kastelas through the most beautiful natural and cultural attractions of the city, showing Dalmatia as it once was.

Kastela - Seven reasons to visit from Filmservice International on Vimeo.

You can vote for the best tourist film in the world, as well as for the Croatian representatives HERE.

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The 30th European Film Awards with the presentation of the winners will take place on 9 December in Berlin.